Bubinga Tree of Life Special

This is a photo of one of our latest Tree on Life Special models. This particular instrument is bubinga with bloodwood trim on the body and bloodwood capping on the cut away handles. It will be travelling to the Czech Republic very soon. If you would like me to work with you to create a special instrument just for you, contact me at fedgley@cogeco.ca . We can work out a layaway plan.

Professional with a Professional

Please read the article in the "Celtic Life Magazine",( see http://www.celticlife.ca/index.php/Magazine/Winter-2012/Keeping-up-with-the-O-Brynes.html ) as another pair of professional musicians use an Edgley Profession Model concertina. Fergus O'Byrne was a member of the well-known Canadian East Coast group, "Ryan's Fancy," which was a popular TV programme based on weekly television performances on CBC. They also toured and performed across Canada and elsewhere, and both father and son Fergus O'Byrne continue to this day. The article does not specifically mention the concertina, but I made this one for them and it appears in the photo.

http://www.celticlife.ca/index.php/Magazine/Winter-2012/Keeping-up-with-the-O-Brynes.html

Ebony with Curly Maple Concertina

This concertina was recently made with genuine ebony with curly maple trim on the body and curly maple capping on the handles. It will be sent off by FedEx or UPS sometime today, or tomorrow. I am really impressed with its tone and requested permission from its owner to use it on a recording I am in the process of making. This particular combination of woods make it another of the unique instruments to come from our shop. If you would like me to make an instrument which will be truly yours please contact me at fedgley@cogeco.ca .

Off to Moscow

This is a photo of a concertina which is on its way to Moscow. This will be the last bocote instrument until I can find some more of this distictive wood.
The concertina has arrived. These are comments from the new owner:
"Hello Frank
The concertina finally has arrived! So what can i say - i did not had much time to play it, but i can say - it looks and feels wonderful!I'm at work now and i can't wait to go home and play it more! :)"

A Recently Finished Concertina

These are photos of a recently finished curly maple concertina. The customer decided that matching handles would look nice.

A Few Unsolicited Testimonials

Usually, when an owner of a new concertina receives his/her concertina from me, they send a short e-mail. I have included a few here:
"Hi Frank;
I just wanted to say thanks very much for the excellent concertina, and the very nice packing work in boxing it up. It arrived safely a couple of days ago and it's been a pleasure to get acquainted with it. You do beautiful work,I'll treasure it. Thanks again and all the very best to you,
Dave"

"My new concertina arrived yesterday. Wow, what a truly beautiful instrument! The action is so quick and responsive and you got the tune just right! Thank you very much for the time and effort you put into building it.
Cheers
Paul"

"The concertina arrived a few minutes ago, and I've torn myself away from it just long enough to thank you, not only for arranging its prompt delivery but also the superb quality of workmanship you have displayed in building this instrument. It is even better than I had hoped - obvious care has been taken with each of its components; its action is fast, the bellows move easily, and the tone and timbre of each of its reeds, played singly or in chords, are in my view unsurpassed.
In short - I really like it! It's a great instrument, which I'll play with joy to the end of my days!
Thanks again, and best regards,
Bill"

Bocote Concertina Sold

The Bocote concertina, featured on my October 21st blog, has been sold to a concertina player in Moscow. I have shipped concertinas to players in many states in the USA (of course), most countries in western Europe, the Czech Republic, South Korea, Indonesia, and Australia. Time to place a dot on my world map onto Moscow.
Coming soon, a rosewood concertina, in C/G, Professional Model. Also coming soon will be one of my concertinas with brown bellows to match the wood of the body. fedgley@cogeco.ca

New Concertina Going to Ireland

This is one of my latest concertinas, which will be sent to Ireland in a few days. It is made of solid white oak. I think the black edging looks nice with the black bellows and buttons. One of the photos shows this instrument in one of the cases we make here, in the shop. Please contact me if you are interested in me making a simlar concertina and/or case for you at fedgley@cogeco.ca.

Player of the Week, Doug Barr

This is the first video contribution of an Edgley Concertina player. Thanks, Doug for this video. Who will be the next Player of the Week?

A very similar instrument to this one is nearing completion. It is possibly the last bocote concertina I will be making for a while as it is not that easy to get. It is a C/G Wheatstone, and should be ready to ship in two weeks or thereabouts. Send me an e-mail if you are interested or want information on this instrument. fedgley@cogeco.ca .

New Concertina

This concertina is not for sale. It has just been completed for a customer, who designed it himself to be unique from any other concertina. This concertina is ebony with bloodwood capping and a stripe of hard maple. It also has bloodwood capped cut away ebony handles. We have seen in the last year how an owner of an Edgley concertina was able to recover it after being stolen, when it was offered for sale on E-Bay, due to the fact that it was unique in wood choice and handle design. The police went to the seller of the purloined property and walked away with it minutes later, to return it to its rightful owner. If you would like to have me make an instrument for you which would be unique in some way, please contact me at fedgley@cogeco.ca .

Fabric for Concertina Cases

Here are some of the fabrics we chose at the upholstery fabric shop. All are very tough and should wear very well. These new cases can be selected with the order of your Edgley Concertina, or purchased separately for your vintage instrument. Contact me at fedgley@cogeco.ca for more information.

More Fabric Pictures

New Concertinas on the Bench

I don't have any photos of these specific instruments, yet, but there are similar instruments which can be viewed on this blog. This is what could soon be finished, as they are fairly well along in construction:

- C/G in bocote (see March 4, 2011 post)
- C/G in rosewood
- Ab/Eb (could be finished as a G/D) in rosewood

If you are interested in any of these instruments, contact me at fedgley@cogeco.ca . These would probably be in time for Christmas.

New Cases from Edgley Concertinas

After many years, Sean Fallon, of Fallon Cases has retired from the case making business. These have long been one of the best cases made for concertinas. He has turned the business over to Frank Edgley Concertinas and has kindly worked with us in the transition. We are now able to offer cases for sale to any concertina player, and not just the purchasers of one of our instruments. For the time being, we will not be making cases for large or unusual instruments, limiting our cases to those concertinas measuring between 5 and 7/8 inches and six and a quarter inches (measured across the flats) . This is the size of most instruments. The cases can be blocked for a secure fit depending on the measurement of each individual concertina from grill to grill. Measurements needed: three---(a) from flat edge across the grill to the other flat edge, (b) from grill to grill and (c) from corner to corner. These are very secure cases with a special locking mechanism which will not come open accidentally, or if the case is dropped. The interior is velour lined, blocked and padded to protect your concertina investment. A variety of colours to choose from will be available soon. Please contact me at fedgley@cogeco.ca for details.

Watch this Site!

Watch this site over the next few weeks (or sooner) for news that may interest all concertina owners.

Ebony with maple trim July, 2011

This is one of the latest instruments to come from our shop. The ebony with maple was at the request of one of our customers and received the number #343. Please contact me at fedgley@concertinas.ca for more information on this instrument or one of your own specifications.

Recently shipped Concertinas

I've posted photos of two of my recent instruments...a curly maple, and another eucalyptus burl. I will have to find some more of the very nice curly maple as I am now out of this fine wood. However, I still have enough of the eucalyptus burl for a few more instruments. I have a number of concertinas in the works of various other woods. Please e-mail me at fedgley@cogeco.ca if you are interested in one of these, or if you would like me to make one for you of eucalyptus burl. Once this wood is gone, I doubt I will have any more, as it is not easy to get or to work with. C/G Wheatstone or C/G Jeffries are available as standard. I also make Bb/F. I have one set of A/E Wheatstone reeds, as well. A/E is a great key range. It provides a very mellow tone for singing, and is a great solo or solo plus guitar because of the tone and quickness of response. fedgley@cogeco.ca

Watch this Space

Photos of newly completed instruments will shortly be posted.

An Approaching Milestone

After a very humble beginning, and eleven or so years, we are now in the process of building instruments in the 340s. Number 350 will be completed in the near future.

Used Edgley Professional Model

This instrument is less than three years old, in the 200 series, and is in excellent condition. It is ebony with seven fold bellows, and angled reedpans. It comes with a hard case. Asking price is $2400 O.B.O.
Contact me by e-mail at fedgley@cogeco.ca . THIS INSTRUMENT HAS BEEN SOLD.

A Few New Instruments

Here are a couple of new instruments, just recently completed. One is a birdseye maple with pau forro trim. It was recently shipped to a customer in Yokohama, Japan. The other instrument is a wooden ended special Professional Model, of bubinga with pau ferro and bloodwood trim. Here are the comments of the new owner:
"Hi Frank,
Just wanted to let you know the concertina arrived safely yesterday afternoon and we love it ! We thought the pictures you posted on the web site were beautiful and of course it's even more so in person. Thanks very much for your fine work. The bubinga wood and the trim woods are great and we love the way you oriented the grain on the ends and the way you did the handles, beautiful stuff. Now it's on to learning to
play it. Would it be possible for us to get a copy of your concertina tutor ? Once again, thank you for building us a beautiful musical instrument>"
Joe

Bocote Concertina

This instrument is still available for immediate sale & shipping. If you will notice, the pattern on this instrument matches side to side (bookmatched). This is not only a great looking instrument, but really made me want to sell my own and take this one...great sound. Contact me at fedgley@cogeco.ca for details.....special price available! This instrument has been SOLD, but please check out the instruments below. A few are still available.

A Recent Concertina

Here are photos of a eucalyptus burl concertina recently finished at my workshop. The eucalyptus looks a lot like amboyna, doesn't it? It is destined for someone in Michigan. I have a very limited amount of this wood, but could make one for a couple of interested people. In fact, I really like it, myself, so I think one of these will become mine in the near future. If you would like one of these beauties, call me at 519-991-3100 or send me an e-mail at fedgley@cogeco.ca .

On the Workbench

The following instruments are currently on the workbench and are available for sale when completed (Updated on March 3rd):

1/ Birdseye Maple with Pau Ferro trim, Professional Model with angled reedpans. Hand-polished stainless end grills. Bellows with seven deep folds. SOLD

2/ Indian Rosewood with bubinga trim, Professional model with angled reedpans. Hand-polished stainless end grills. Bellows with seven deep folds. AVAILABLE

3/ Ebony, Professional model with angled reedpans. This is the basic traditional look, with genuine ebony body. Hand-polished stainless end grills. Bellows with seven deep folds. SOLD

4/ "Special" wooden-ended "Tree of Life" model. This instrument is constructed of African Bubinga, with pau ferro and bloodwood trim and special handles. Professional Model with deep seven fold bellows and angled reedpans. This will be a very distinctive instrument. (see May 3, 2010 for design appearance) SOLD

5/ Sapele Wooden-ended Tree of Life concertina. Sapele has a subtle grain and is of a walnut hue. Professional model. This instrument should have a warm tone. (see May 3, 2010 for design appearance) AVAILABLE

All the above instruments may be configured as either Jeffries or Wheatstone C/G or Bb/F. All are made using specially designed hand-made reeds by Voci Armoniche. At this point in time, the angled reedpans have not been installed, so these instruments may be finished as Performer's Models, if requested. The key can be changed to G/D Wheatstone if the requst is made before reedpans are installed. A "Fallon" custom case is available as an option.

Please contact me at fedgley@cogeco.ca for details and prices, or call 519-948-9149.

Did You Know?

I have thirty-five years experience with concertinas. I started out repairing vintage instruments many years ago. I wrote a regular maintenance and repair article for the "Concertina & Squeezebox" magazine for several years. For the past eleven years, with the years of experience behind me, I have been making concertinas. Some of the hundreds of instruments I have made have gone to places like Ireland, Germany, England, France, Belgium, Japan, Australia, South Korea, and Indonesia, as well as the USA and Canada, of course.

Sapele with Rosewood

Thanks to this blog and a vigilent customer, my confusion about the Sapele with Rosewood instrument has been corrected. Thank you for getting back to me!