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[mikesamwild]

Hi
I've just been listening to a CD, Dancing on Silver, by Tim Collins the Clare based musician. He's playing C/G Suttner Anglo concertina, on a track with his wife Claire Griffin. She is playing B/C Club Modell II, the 1930s wooden box, judging by the photo on the sleeve

Has anyone done such a conversion and how do you go about it?. They are usually in C/F but I have had Bb/Eb
Which is the best to convert and what are the best bass layouts. I would want to keep the zinc reed plates. How dry or wet has anyone tuned it. I assume they are de-clubbed to allow B/C style playing across the rows

Could be a nice project this winter
Cheers
Mike

[BruceHenderson]

  (SNIP) Has anyone done such a conversion and how do you go about it?. They are usually in C/F but I have had Bb/Eb
Which is the best to convert and what are the best bass layouts. I would want to keep the zinc reed plates. How dry or wet has anyone tuned it. I assume they are de-clubbed to allow B/C style playing across the rows. 

__.  Mike, are the zinc plates the "strip" type plates (i.e. with a line of individual reeds rivited to a long plate) or the more usual individual type (one pair of reeds per small plate)?  If it's the long strip type, it would mean removing rivits and moving reeds around; the individual type would be much easier.  Of course, whatever type of reeds, you're stuck with the old question of whether you move existing reeds and buy reed pairs to "fill in the resultant gaps" or modify existing reeds' pitch "in situ".  Maybe the most optimum system would be to find two boxes -- one in excellent condition and one "only good for parts", one in C/F and the other in Bb/Eb; then use the "C" reed blocks and "Bb" reed blocks (touched up to "B") in the best chassis/bellows.

__.  And, also as usual, if you're working with a club box, you can expect that its a very good chance it will want new leathers/valves, wax etc. 

__.  But as you said, an interesting winter's project, with the usual money/time/quality thing.  One is a snap, two are pretty easy, all three ... well, that's when things get more difficult.

[mikesamwild]

Hi Bruce
Thanks
They are indivdual plates wax mounted, I have a few reed blocks to go at so can afford to make afew mistakes. Has anyone done it?
Mike

[Pete Dunk]

Mike, I'm in the middle of overhauling and converting a C/C# pre-Corso box to B/C. See this thread. The bass end has been the biggest nightmare from a tuning point of view but a great many (ITM in particular) B/C players never go near the basses anyway. Bruce's idea of two donor boxes is excellent and will save you a lot of work. Good luck with it.

Pete.

[mikesamwild]

Thanks for the good advice.
I've been thinking about what the 4 accidental row could consist of as well
Mike

[BruceHenderson]

(snip)  Bruce's idea of two donor boxes will save you a lot of work.

__.  And if you have two working boxes, the possibilities are bewildering.  If you use the C reedblock from one and the Bb reedblock from another, then you could take the other two and have the world's first F/E box.  Since the Iroids have gone from B/C and C#/C's to C/D#'s and finally D#/D's (somebody said that this is to spoil other people playing along in sessions but that can't be right ...), an F/E (or E/F ?) would be a likely next step.  But what keys would be on push and which would be on pull?

__.  I think I'll go lie quietly in a darkened room for a bit.

BH, NC USA

[mikesamwild]

Thanks Bruce the Bb and  C block option looks interesting