Tedrow Concertina Customer Blog

from out West

2009-03-24T15:18:00.001-05:00

Bob,
It’s C. out here in the Denver Colorado area. How have you been? It’s been a long time since I’ve contacted you. My concertina that you built for me is still playing and looking great. I don’t think a day goes by without me picking it up and playing something. I was wondering about the carrying case that I wanted to order when you built my concertina and you said then that you didn’t like the design that you had come up with at that time. Has the design changed for the better and can I order a case from you now?

Best regards,
C

Keep up with the shop

2009-03-18T15:27:00.002-05:00

http://twitter.com/HomewoodMusic

Local music events; current projects here at Homewood Music; new products; brief and interesting.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-12-12T13:04:00.000-06:00

Dear Bob,

My Tedrow Standard Baritone arrived the day before Thanksgiving (as promised) and I have to say I felt just like a little boy at Christmas. Even though we had a house full of 20 kids and grandkids for the holidays, I closed myself away for the afternoon to play with my new toy.

I have read a number of posts from players who appear to be quite skilled and are moving from one professional grade instrument to another. That is not my story. I am a real amateur. I have had 4 concertinas over the past 44 years. The first three were 20 button, German made. The 4th was the Rochelle, you sent me in August (so I could get up to speed with the extra 10 buttons).

And now this. I have entered a new world. It is truly a thing of beauty and a joy to play. I am slowly learning the feel of the instrument and am having the time of my life. (And I made the right call in ordering the Baritone. I love the sound.)

I was concerned when I ordered it that at my playing ability it would be overkill. Wrong! It has done more to encourage me to improve my skill level in the past 2 weeks than I have accomplished in the past 10 years. If anything, I regret not upgrading sooner. On the other hand, if I had upgraded too soon I wouldn't have been able to get a Tedrow. So I guess everything works out for the best.

Thank you, Bob. You do great work.

Bill P
.

no stage fright here!

2008-11-08T10:05:00.002-06:00

Bob,

The baritone and I have adjusted to each other well, and your advice that the thousand parts need to get comfortable with each other and with me was sound.

I have always had stage fright issues when playing my fiddle but find the concertina very relaxing and play it in all sorts of public places.

The top story so far was last month when I had a trip to Washington D.C. on business. When I had time to kill I dropped by the Manassas battle field. Sitting under some trees for about an hour I could look over the park at the statues and the artillery batteries while I played out of the book "The Singing Soldiers". I think my favorite was Just Before the Battle Mother, but I can also play Dixie and The Battle Hymn of the Republic from memory and gave them a try. As always when I play the baritone I collected some audience. Despite my level of performance I have never had a negative comment from the public.

On the way home I got caught in Dulles airport by a canceled flight. To heck with this, I found an empty spot and got her out. I played for about an hour and had several people drop by and listen, including several children.

The fact that I could play in public, let alone an airport is a real testament to how nice the concertina is to play. Yours was a real star there.

G

to make your own adjustments to reeds

2008-10-10T08:21:00.003-05:00

Hi Bob,

I've *finally* had a chance to give the concertina a real
workout for a week.

It really is a fabulous instrument. Workmanship and
playability are great.

I love the custom key layout, it's even better than
I expected after working through many tunes with it.

Only one annoyance, and I'm pretty sure it's me, not
the instrument:

I play, and always have played on the quieter side,
-- it's just my nature. On the left side, many reeds
take a lot of air to get going, and I first noticed
it on the C-row, the G/A button. On the draw, the
A reed starts up noticeably easier than the G on the
press. I was having trouble on runs using those
notes because the G wouldn't sound. After some
experimentation I noticed that was the case on many
other of the reeds on the left side.

I have started adjusting my playing style to accommodate,
but I must admit I miss the ability to play a little
quieter.

My understanding is that there is a tradeoff in the
way reeds are set, so they can be played with better
action at either a low volume, or a high volume, but not
both. Is that really the case, and would it be possible
to adjust the reed setting on this instrument?

Thanks,
J
***************************
Hello Jeff,

Yes, correct, reeds can be set favor at high pressure or low pressure. This is an adjustment that you can make if you wish, or I can do that for you. By levering the reed up or down at the base, you can adjust the reed set.
see: http://hmi.homewood.net/reedset/ and this: http://hmi.homewood.net/rset/

Bob

*****************************

Hi Bob,

I just finished setting the reeds.

It's AWESOME!

I love it, love it!! Now I can hit the air button
more naturally while sounding a note too!

Thanks a million!

Cheers,
J

notes on a big baritone

2008-09-24T09:45:00.000-05:00

Bob,

I've had my custom baritone for a week now, and wanted to drop a note of appreciation for the instrument. A thing of beauty is a wonder to behold, and my Anglo is a wonder. This is a real work of art. I have only held and played one other concertina, a Rochelle, so I did not know what to expect. Wow, the bellows are supple and effortless, I just did not realize how much easier and quicker a quality instrument would play.

While the baritone is reasonably fast, I now see that I will be wanting a Standard one of these days for some songs, so expect to see me back.

Oh, and by the way, thanks for the help in some minor fine tuning, I now know a lot more about concertina mechanics than I did before, and realize that they're not that scary inside.

Here's the link to the video, in case it's not up on your site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4IOTStb6eA

My compliments again on a beautiful work of art.

G

From Italy

2008-07-29T07:22:00.001-05:00

Hi Bob
wonderful day today!!
I got the concertina and I am really ENTUSIASTA!!
A little bit difficult as I come from 15 years of Stagi but I'm sure I will succeed! The instrument is esthetically bellissimo! and the sound is really good. I want to thank you for this. I will certainly "sprad" your high professionality among my friends in the music environment. Thanks a lot.

Let me know if there is any special care I have to take concerning the maintenance of the instrument.
Let me also know your adress as I want to send you my last CD.
Ciao ciao
A

re bellows

2008-07-21T06:52:00.001-05:00

Hi, this post is just to enthuse about my new bellows. The original five-fold bellows on my 1937 Wheatstone treble English had gotten leaky again. I had already had them patched at the Button Box once, but they were leaking again, so I decided it was time to get new bellows. I had some concern about break-in time, as the bellows on my wife's early-1970s Crabb treble always seemed a little stiff to me, especially compared to the butter-smooth bellows on my Wheatstone, but after seeing some of Bob Tedrow's bellows on a visit to his shop (my wife has kin in Birmingham, AL, so I usually stop by Homewood when I'm in town), I decided to save up for some new bellows from him.

Now I have had my new bellows for three months, and, boy, am I satisfied! My original bellows were 5-fold, and between that and the leakiness, I was frequently running low on air when playing sustained chords. Not so now; my new bellows have 7 folds, which is unusual for an English. Between that and the airtightness, I have an almost ridiculous amount of air for any purpose. On top of that, I needn't have worried about the stiffness of the bellows, as they are as soft and quick as the old, original bellows had been. They lack _nothing_ compared to the Rosalie Dipper bellows on our Lachenal baritone, and have one more fold. All in all, I can't recommend these bellows highly enough. BTW, standard disclaimers, etc.

E

from our Nation's Capitol

2008-07-21T06:48:00.001-05:00

Had an opportunity to hang out with Bob Tedrow at a harp festival outside Washington today (never heard so many harps in my life; I thought I had died).

I've played a few of Bob's earlier instruments and they were nice and all, but didn't really grab me (I have a strong preference for the sound of traditional reeds).

But his new stuff is fabulous. The "Zephyr" he brought along had just superb action; no other way to describe it. As good a feel as any concertina I've played. Sound was outstanding, though I'd like to play one on the street with a bunch of rowdy Morris men dancing with bells an clashing sticks instead of a big hotel room with dozens of harpists playing funeral music. Very, very good bellows.

His square Dandy was surprisingly light and the sound and action were very good. Very nice workmanship all around.

I've noticed in the past few years the striking improvement in the sound and action of hybrid Anglos. This guy's stuff is really impressive.

J

(blush)

2008-05-19T12:41:00.000-05:00

Hi Bob,

Thought you'd like to know that I just posted a myspace bulletin about you that my online friends will be able to read.

Thanks again,
M

Sometimes it's easy to feel like our lives are being processed rather than lived. An example of that for me was yesterday, when a Blue Cross Blue Shield operator needed for me to give her three pieces of personally identifying information before she could tell me where to mail the form they had faxed to me once I'd completed it. Typical, isn't it?

Every once in a while we have a situation that reminds us that there are still real live human beings in this world. Here's a short (and true) story about one of them.

His name is Bob Tedrow, and he owns Homewood Musical Instruments in Birmingham, AL (hmi.homewood.net). Most of the instruments that Bob sells are concertinas he makes to order, but he also handles some vintage concertinas and beginner concertinas for newbies like me. Last week my new concertina arrived, and I've been wrestling with it ever since -- in a nice way, of course. I love it, but there is a vibration in one of the reeds. I notified Bob of the buzzing and he recommended what we both hoped would be an easy fix. It wasn't. So, he said he would send me a new one.

I thought that was great, but what really made Bob a "Good Guy" in my eyes was that he didn't give me an RMA number to use when returning my concertina, or tell me that he would send the new one when he got mine. Nope, he told me to hold on to the one I have and keep practicing until I got the new one; then send it back.

I don't know about you, but I'm not used to being treated that way anymore. Sure is nice when it happens.

Thanks, Bob.

from the UK

2008-03-06T10:25:00.000-06:00

February 2008

2008-02-14T16:37:00.000-06:00

Bob, what a quality experience I have had as one of your customers. It started with our first phone conversation, continued with the visit to your shop and now I get to enjoy the quality of your work everyday. I love the new box. It plays like silk. The difference between my two early boxes and your concertina is like switching from driving a straight shift truck to a Lexus.

The ergonomics of the keys and the silky smooth bellows are a delight.

Thanks for the networking contacts that you shared. They have added to my enjoyment of concertina music.

I’ll stop by the next time I’m in Birmingham.

J

From North Dakota

2008-01-17T19:06:00.000-06:00

Hi Bob, The concertina arrived today at 12:18pm. I let it sit in the carton for a good 2 hours because our overnight low temperature was minus 15 (Fahrenheit). After opening the carton, I let it warm up inside the clear wrap for another half hour. I'm sure there's been no condensation on the reeds. I like the box - the workmanship is EXCELLENT & I love the tone!

M

from England

2007-11-29T10:37:00.000-06:00

Hi Bob

It was nice to talk with you and even better to receive the concertina, it's great.

If you could send a couple of your oval name tags to fit into the ends I
would very much appreciate them.

For my first concertina I am well chuffed. You might be interested to
know the group I am in (the Gloucestershiore Morris Men), see attached
photo. I have yellow flowers in my hat (crouched down behind the white
bearded Abe Lincoln lookalike). I'm sure the box will generate some
interest.

If you could price the gold mesh for under the fretwork I would
appreciate it.

long distance repair jobs our specialty

2007-11-29T09:35:00.000-06:00

Thank you for answering your cell phone - even though you were on vacation - and talking me through the clearing of a "stuck" reed. And thank you for making an instrument that has been played almost daily for 4 years without needing to be opened until this morning! It's a thing of beauty inside and out!

Cheers,
M

more.....

2007-11-17T09:47:00.000-06:00

Hi,Bob
I recieved the concertina yesterday, and have only put it down to eat and sleep. The look, feel, and sound are all that I could have wanted and more. I am amazed at how LOUD this box is! The action is so swift, and the response so lively that I will have to re-learn some habits that I developed on the third-hand Bastari that I learned on and have played for these last 5 or 6 years. The bellows are butter smooth, much to my surprise. I had expected to have to spend some time easing them in but that won't be necessary. The gold tooling adds just the right touch of elegance that I imagined it would. Beautiful work!

All said, I am delighted with my new box and I am sure that it will last throughout my lifetime and beyond.

A thousand thanks and may you live a long and satisfying life.
R

Two in one day! (albeit succinct)

2007-10-28T14:30:00.001-05:00

Hi Bob,

T here. The new concertina is great and I'm loving it. Even the dog, who has traditionally not been a fan of free-reed instruments, hangs around for a listen.

regards,

T

the very latest comment

2007-10-28T14:14:00.000-05:00

I just thought I'd drop you a note to mention that the Standard Tedrow
concertina I bought recently just had its first outing earlier tonight
when I took it to the 4th Saturday contra dance here in Salt Lake. I sat
in with the band for the second half of the dance.

An accordionist also sitting in with the band mentioned to me that on
the tunes I knew but he didn't, mine was the melody instrument he could
hear best and was following.

Another person sitting in with the band, who was playing banjo, is
learning Anglo concertina on a (insert Brand X here) borrowed from one of the
actual band members, who plays banjo and (mostly English) concertina.
They both had a look at my concertina and tried playing it, and I think
they both liked it - one of 'em spent a while playing it, and he
particularly liked the smooth bellows.

(I did have to take out the foam pads I installed so that other people
could try it: because of past wrist problems, I use Ken Coles' method of
putting foam pads cut from pipe insulation over the handles, described
at . On some concertinas this
makes it difficult to reach the lower buttons, but I can reach
everything on the Tedrow.)

Anyway, I'm quite pleased with the concertina's performance. It was
great fun to play and I'll be taking it there again next month.

Here's another comment

2007-09-28T16:56:00.001-05:00

Dear Bob,

A bit tardy in delivering this note, but thank you so much for the hospitality when I visited your shop in July. I went away the proud owner of the rosewood C/G Anglo you had available that day. The instrument is admired by all I show it to, and its intonation praised by my musician friends. I am now the envy of them all! In another couple of weeks, the voice of this lovely concertina will be wafting notes over the waters at Catalina Island's annual Buccaneer Days from aboard the sailboat Mara Skye!

Thank you again,
TB

New owner comment

2007-09-28T16:51:00.000-05:00

Dear Bob,
It was a wonderful present to open, try, play, and smile at my first
attempt at playing the beautifully crafted concertina you sent to me.
It is a magnificent instrument, and I thank you for your craft, your
artistry, and your musicianship.

I look forward to many years of enjoyement.
Sincerely,

CM

fifteen minutes of fame

2007-08-26T22:39:00.001-05:00

Here is a little local TV clip of the shop. hmm, click one one of those bars above to see the clip

from the UK

2007-08-26T17:32:00.000-05:00

Hi Bob,
Just had a week at the Whitby Annual Folk Festival and I took along my
second hand Tedrow G/D. It stood the sessions very well. Plenty of
volume in pubs with literally 50 plus instruments playing at the same
time and I could actually hear myself playing for a change.

Now this may sound like brown nosing but believe me when I state the
following:
I visited the various musical instrument stalls which are a feature of
the festival (Hobgoblin, MusicRoom et cetera) and tried many different
types of concertina both new and vintage. I even had a few tunes on a
Jeffries on sale at £4000 (UK pounds). With hand on heart and my girl
friend can vouch for me as she was with me, I did not find one
concertina that was as vibrant and as responsive to play as my Tedrow
G/D and you may quote me if you wish on your website. The Jeffries came
close but if I had been blindfolded during my time at the stalls my
Tedrow would have won easily. In addition, of the one or two friends I
allowed to have a tune on my Tedrow, every single one was pleasantly
surprised at the responsiveness and playability of my G/D and all agreed
that I own a very musical box and that any limitations are on the
player, not the instrument. The only minor critisism came from a
concertina purist one who commented "...it's not concertina reeded
though, is it?"
Well to be perfectly honest Bob, I am not all that impressed with
concertina reeded instruments and my tastes are for the type of reeds
you use. So all in all it boils down to individual tastes (and
concertina snobbery perhaps).

Jody Criskall (not sure of the spelling) was there as a quest artist for
a few events and he seemed to be having a good time. He's very good on
the concertina.
Anyhow, how's the new G/D progressing you are making for me. Everything
still ok for February 2008 delivery? Also, are the original requests
still feasible? For example raised metal ends, 8 or 12 sided and then
the really tricky one possibly the 'g' drone & 'd' drone with some kind
of locking/latching facility so i don't have to keep my finger on the
button when using either one of them.
If you could give me some kind of up-date it would be appreciated.
Well Bob, that's it. Feel free to use any part of this email for
whatever purpose you think fit.
Best wishes,
Mike (UK).

The "Green" Tedrow Anglo Concertina http://hmi.homewood.net/green/

2007-06-05T14:45:00.000-05:00

Hi Bob
I received your Green Concertina yesterday and words can't describe how
wonderful it is. First thing that struck me was how light it was when I
picked it up. The pictures on your website were good, however the Green
was more brilliant in person like you said it would be. The sunburst green
really looks good with the gold tooling! The pictures in the folds in the
bellows really look great also and the extra bellow you installed makes a
difference when playing. Thank You! This is my 3rd concertina I have
purchased and I must say it far exceeds the previous ones. It was well
worth every penny! The other concertinas I had to fight with them to sound
good yours just responds to every move I make with ease; the response to
when I push the buttons on your concertina is truly remarkable and I am
able to play my songs a lot faster now. I immediately played some songs
for my mother and some of my friends and they all loved how well it
sounded. I played all of my Irish tunes and also some of my favorite
church hymns which actually sounded a lot better then the old guy we have
in my church that plays the organ on Sunday. I just wanted to thank you
once again for all of your help in our venture together in getting me a
concertina that I needed and which far exceeded all of my expectations!
Thank You.

sincerely
A

one more

2007-05-17T18:29:00.001-05:00

Hi Bob,
I received the concertina. It's a beautiful work of art. How did I rate the felt bushings? I decided to learn it the way you did, without an instruction book. Thanks again. I can't keep my hands off it.

Mxxxxxxx

just one more...

2007-05-13T17:13:00.001-05:00

Hey Bob!

Love the instrument. Lots of fun to play, and it sounds GREAT!

Sorry I've not told you sooner that you're the man.

What's the lowest-pitch 'tina you make, out of curiosity?

S