Edgley C/G Concertina

A Stunning New Concert-Pitch Concertina From Frank Edgley

Web Site by Tom Lawrence

Bold and Striking

I liked the Edgley A/E concertina I got so much that I immediately ordered a concert-pitched C/G from him. For something different, I chose a very light colored wood. Originally I picked the sycamore depicted on his web site, but he told me he had a great piece of curly maple that would look really good with a clear finish, so I switched to that. It is indeed beautiful with a lovely flame and iridescence under the light.

The A/E has subtle, dark coloring, so I thought it would be neat to go with something very bold for the C/G. The black, metal, and very light wood looks really striking. I can pull this one out in sessions and get everyone's attention before I play a single note. Of course, I'm really happy with it!

Now I did not have the services of my excellent photographer David for this, so I took the pictures myself, but hopefully they do justice to the instrument. Blondes are notoriously difficult to photograph and this is no exception - if the pictures don't do it justice, just know it looks gorgeous in person!

Easy To Play

Just like the A/E, this instrument has Frank's best action. The buttons are a bit larger than the typical concertina, which I really like. The slightly matte finish on the surface of the button helps act as an anti-skid surface compared to metal buttons, plus the reduced weight makes for a bit lighter action. In addition, the levers are sprung lightly. For my hands, the button position and row skew is ideal. It all combines to create what is the easiest to play concertina I've ever tried.

Audio

Near completion of the instrument Frank called me up and told me he had improved the reed pan design which had made the tone purer. "It would cost a bit more, though," he said. Well, naturally I said "Of course, sign me up!" The result is an instrument with a very sweet, refined tone. In my opinion, this "Italian-reeded" instrument produces a tone just as good as the best "concertina-reeded" instruments from Jeffries or Dipper. I'm proud to play it anywhere people are listening. It is just so much fun to play. These days, my only dilemma is whether to pick up the A/E or the C/G!

The Ash Plant, Scatter The Mud (Jigs) - Two of my favorite jigs, learned from the playing of three of my favorite concertina players. The first jig is as played by Kitty Hayes on A Touch of Clare. The second seems to be my own hybridization between how Mary MacNamara played it on The Blackberry Blossom and Tommy McCarthy's playing on Sporting Nell.

The Sligo Maid's Lament, Down The Broom (Reels) - Two of my favorite, powerful reels.

Selected Links

http://concertinas.ca - Frank Edgley's web site

http://www.concertina.net - A comprehensive source of information about concertinas, and a very friendly discussion board

I am Tom Lawrence (tom at concertinatom dot com), amateur Irish-style concertina player in the Seattle area. If you email me, be sure to put "concertina" in the subject line to avoid my junk-mail filter.

Concertina Acquired: Nov 2004
Created: Dec 2004
Last Updated: Feb 2006

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