NEWS 

With most, if not all concertina makers in North America ceasing their operations, we have received a lot of orders. This has made the wait period longer. We ask for you patience. Thank you.

 COMMUNICATIONS

I have had various emails over the years. fedgley@cogeco.ca is the one I have used for quite a while. But recently, on two or three occasions it has become unusable. I am not really a computer literate person, able to fix things in a flash! So, from now on, please send all emails to me at frankedgley@gmail.com .

AN UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL

My new “New Model” Edgley concertina is bringing me great joy!!  Since I began my traditional Irish music journey over 20 years ago, I have owned a few concertinas and tried out others.  After all this playing, I regard this New Model as the perfect instrument!  It is perfect for sessions because it has a lovely clear voice: honey against a banjo, sauce for a flute, soul-mate for a fiddle.  With a commanding volume, this instrument is a compelling member of the session even when uilleann pipes are in the mix.  The buttons are all sharply responsive, so that musical phrases ring out clearly and precisely at any speed I can achieve. The concertina is also extremely comfortable to play (not a given and important for someone who plays hours a day), never causing a hint of strain on fingers or wrist.

However, like many players, for me, session playing punctuates hours of solo practice or (fortunate, I know) duo playing with my husband (banjo, mandolin, mandola). A most pleasant surprise with the New Model is the dynamic range of the instrument.  Any musician is limited in musical expression by the physical characteristics of an instrument, having but a handful of tools to work with. I’ll bet I’m not the only one who loves playing concertina because it is so generous in expressive arrangement offerings:   notes (always in tune) can be short or dramatically long, while chords, bass or even counter-melody can be added as fits the tune and situation. The New Model adds the tantalizing option to use dynamic expression to convey musical meaning. This is a “wow” that I only hope I can live up to.  Thank you, Frank, for putting your decades of experience towards the creation of this instrument. 

Cathy K

May 3rd 2024

 The "New Model" Edgley Concertina

After making several of the "New Model" concertinas, let me convey to you that I am very pleased on all counts. These new reeds have excellent concertina tone and volume. Our original order of 11 sets of "New Model" reeds from the maker have all been spoken for, so we will have to order more. Everyone who has received a New Model Edgley Concertina has been very pleased with the tone and volume. Personally, I have used it for our monthly sessions and monthly Scottish Ceilidh Dances, at least as often as my use of my Heritage instrument.

The Edgley Concertina 

What makes these concertinas some of the best?

1/ Solid construction. This is in the design and materials. I have recently seen and played the first instrument I ever made over 20 years ago. The concertina was in good shape, except it needed a bit of tuning.

2/ The Button Action. There is no concertina made, no matter how expensive which is faster or quieter than the Edgley Concertina. Unlike other concertinas, it will not develop bothersome clicks when played in a vigourous manner. With other makes, the rivets eventually wear creating some looseness. This wear causes the "clicking sound" that many players find irritating. I have even heard this on CD recordings of some of the greatest players. This will never happen on an Edgley concertina.

3/ Pad replacement. All concertinas will need the pads replaced eventually. They compress and get thinner from the pressure on them, over time. The problem is that you may not get replacement pads which are the same thickness as the originals. This is a problem! If the replacement pads are thinner than the originals, the buttons will stick up higher and may even pop out of the guide holes underneath the buttons. If the replacement pads are thicker than the original pads, the pads will not lift off the holes sufficiently, affecting the tone or volume. The fulcrums on Edgley Concertinas are threaded into the action board at 64 threads per inch. If the replacement pads are thicker than the originals, simply back off the fulcrum one or two turns. If the pads are thinner than the originals, screw the fulcrums down one or two turns. This is way better than bending the arms which could be disastrous!

4/ Fastening. You may have noticed that all Edgley concertinas have the endbolts (screws)  in the corners instead of the middle of the flat edges. (the flats) This, also is for a very good reason. Over time, the pressure of the screws in the centre of the flats can cause leaks at the corners due to the pressure on the centre of the flats, causing leaks at the corners. New gasketing can help, but often not enough and the concertina will be more difficult to play as air leaks out at the corners. I have seen this many times when I used to do repairs on antique instruments This type of leak never happens with the end bolts at the corners.

5/ Grills. Instead of the grills being made of nickel silver, Edgley Concertina grills are made with polished stainless steel grills. All it takes as a piece of cloth to remove and fingerprints, if you can even notice them. Other makers use nickel silver which contains NO silver. This nickel silver material is easier to work with initially, but the acid from your fingertips causes a type of corrosion which at the very least causes the grills to turn grey. This cannot be just wiped off, and is very difficult to get it back to a shine.

6/ Reeds. We use the best reeds available. Yes, we could make our own, but the learning process would take years, and the customer would have to take an inferior sounding instrument until the craft was mastered. I have heard and played early concertinas made by well known and respected concertina makers of today. Either the tone, or response would not be considered the best as of today, Instead we purchase the best quality reeds from reed makers who have been making reeds for many decades. This is their only business and can focus on the most important thing.....tone and response. 

7/ We make concertinas with concertina reeds and also those using accordion type reeds. Some maker of concertinas using accordion-style reeds just screw them down onto the reedpan. This affects the tone, and could contribute to a loss of air pressure getting to the reeds. Even worse, some makers just use melted wax to hold down the reeds. This could be a problem if the concertina is left in a hot car. It also makes them more difficult to work on the reeds for tuning or adjustment. the reeds must be cut out and the wax remelted to reinstall them. All our reeds are screwed down to the reedpan with leather gasketing for better tone air-tightness and easy removal and replacement.

7/ Experience. I have over 40 years of experience with concertinas. Twenty years repairing and over 20 additional years making. We at Edgley Concertinas always strive to make the best concertinas we can!

 THUMBSCREWS

 I have had made up extra brass thumbscrews for my concertinas. I have extra sets available for anyone who needs them for repairs etc. These will come with stainless threaded inserts so repairers don't have to worry if they will fit older antique instruments they are restoring. Solid Brass, modeled after traditional thumbscrews. They can be in the mail in a day or two after ordering. Email me at frankedgley@gmail.com   .

 

   ANNOUNCEMENT

     Effective immediately, we will be taking orders on our newest offering...The Edgley New Model Concertina! Our New Model Concertina offers genuine concertina tone. This is because the reeds have two ground-breaking features: (1) Brass reed frames. Brass conducts the tone more effectively. (2) Real Concertina reed tongues. Concertina reed tongues ensure that these New Model concertinas will have genuine concertina tone. Accordion-reeded concertinas have differently shaped reed tongues and slightly different harmonics which can be very nice, but different than that of concertina-reeded instruments. Our New Model Concertinas have genuine concertina reed tongues and brass reed frames, With the New Model Concertina it’s the sound, the lightening fast response and the sound!

       If you are interested  in learning more about an affordable concertina with lightening fast action and reed response AND with genuine concertina tone, please send us an email at frankedgley@gmail,com for more information. 

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