Advice Re This Concertina

[david watkins]

Hi

 

Total beginner, no musical background, looking for a budget instrument to learn on, all I want is an anglo which will allow me some practice with finger positioning and knock out a passable tune till I decide if i want to continue and upgrade

 

I've been offered this Galetta, we think East German ( ? ), can anyone advise what it is, the seller doesnt know, and what I would expect to pay, it's supposedly in good nick and playable, thats all I need at this time. Should I buy it?

 

It seems quite large

 

Any help much appreciated

 

David

[Daniel Hersh]

Do you by any chance mean Galotta rather than Galetta? I've got a Galotta which is quite decent for a German concertina of its era, but that's comparing it to some pretty awful concertinas. Any idea what key it's in? Mine is in D/A, which is nice for my purposes but unusual. But for what you're trying to do, the key of your first instrument may not matter much.

 

This one may suit your limited purposes (as you describe them below) if it's in good condition and if you can get it for a low enough price. If it's in good shape and you can get it for no more than 50 pounds/$100 US it's probably worth your while. If the price is up in the 100 pounds/$200 range I'd recommend trying for something else. And if there's anything wrong with the condition (leaky bellows, reeds that sound when the bellows are pushed or pulled and no buttons are pressed, any buttons that don't make a sound on both push and pull of the bellows, etc.) I'd say don't buy it.

 

This is just my own opinion -- others may have different perspectives.

 

Daniel

 

Hi

 

Total beginner, no musical background, looking for a budget instrument to learn on, all I want is an anglo which will allow me some practice with finger positioning and knock out a passable tune till I decide if i want to continue and upgrade

 

I've been offered this Galetta, we think East German ( ? ), can anyone advise what it is, the seller doesnt know, and what I would expect to pay, it's supposedly in good nick and playable, thats all I need at this time. Should I buy it?

 

It seems quite large

 

Any help much appreciated

 

David

[david watkins]

Yes , it's Galotta, sorry about that, cant find a great deal about them on the web, anyway I may be able to get it for about 40UK / 80US so I'll probably take the risk.

 

If anyone else know much about this make I'd be interested to know.

 

Cheers

 

David

 

Do you by any chance mean Galotta rather than Galetta? I've got a Galotta which is quite decent for a German concertina of its era, but that's comparing it to some pretty awful concertinas. Any idea what key it's in? Mine is in D/A, which is nice for my purposes but unusual. But for what you're trying to do, the key of your first instrument may not matter much.

 

This one may suit your limited purposes (as you describe them below) if it's in good condition and if you can get it for a low enough price. If it's in good shape and you can get it for no more than 50 pounds/$100 US it's probably worth your while. If the price is up in the 100 pounds/$200 range I'd recommend trying for something else. And if there's anything wrong with the condition (leaky bellows, reeds that sound when the bellows are pushed or pulled and no buttons are pressed, any buttons that don't make a sound on both push and pull of the bellows, etc.) I'd say don't buy it.

 

This is just my own opinion -- others may have different perspectives.

 

Daniel

 

Hi

 

Total beginner, no musical background, looking for a budget instrument to learn on, all I want is an anglo which will allow me some practice with finger positioning and knock out a passable tune till I decide if i want to continue and upgrade

 

I've been offered this Galetta, we think East German ( ? ), can anyone advise what it is, the seller doesnt know, and what I would expect to pay, it's supposedly in good nick and playable, thats all I need at this time. Should I buy it?

 

It seems quite large

 

Any help much appreciated

 

David

[Daniel Hersh]

You might also want to take a look at this thread if you haven't already found it. It covers these concertinas pretty well.

 

Daniel

 

Yes , it's Galotta, sorry about that, cant find a great deal about them on the web, anyway I may be able to get it for about 40UK / 80US so I'll probably take the risk.

 

If anyone else know much about this make I'd be interested to know.

 

Cheers

 

David

 

Do you by any chance mean Galotta rather than Galetta? I've got a Galotta which is quite decent for a German concertina of its era, but that's comparing it to some pretty awful concertinas. Any idea what key it's in? Mine is in D/A, which is nice for my purposes but unusual. But for what you're trying to do, the key of your first instrument may not matter much.

 

This one may suit your limited purposes (as you describe them below) if it's in good condition and if you can get it for a low enough price. If it's in good shape and you can get it for no more than 50 pounds/$100 US it's probably worth your while. If the price is up in the 100 pounds/$200 range I'd recommend trying for something else. And if there's anything wrong with the condition (leaky bellows, reeds that sound when the bellows are pushed or pulled and no buttons are pressed, any buttons that don't make a sound on both push and pull of the bellows, etc.) I'd say don't buy it.

 

This is just my own opinion -- others may have different perspectives.

 

Daniel

 

Hi

 

Total beginner, no musical background, looking for a budget instrument to learn on, all I want is an anglo which will allow me some practice with finger positioning and knock out a passable tune till I decide if i want to continue and upgrade

 

I've been offered this Galetta, we think East German ( ? ), can anyone advise what it is, the seller doesnt know, and what I would expect to pay, it's supposedly in good nick and playable, thats all I need at this time. Should I buy it?

 

It seems quite large

 

Any help much appreciated

 

David

[Samantha]

Daniel has given you some very sound ( ) advice here. I bought a Scholer in playable condition (also a simple, German make, plywood ends, paper bellows) for £40 with the same aims as you, to find out whether the note layout was something I could learn/enjoy playing on. Within three months (would have been sooner but I was living abroad) I had bought myself a modern, "hybrid" instrument (a 30-button Norman, but it could equally have been a Tedrow, Herrington, Edgley, Morse had I stumbled upon one of those instead).

Upside - the £40 purchase enabled me to feel confident that spending 20 times as much was not going to be a mistake;

downside - the £40 purchase has a resale value of 0, but the Norman held its value when I sold it to finance purchase of another concertina n the fulness of time.

Samantha

[Larry Stout]

The concertina featured in

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zeMfpcAkXA0&fmt=6

looks like the one you have pictured.

[david watkins]

The concertina featured in

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zeMfpcAkXA0&fmt=6

looks like the one you have pictured.

 

Hi larry,

 

Yes, nicely spotted, thanks, it looks exactly the same, which drives to to go ahead and get it, if it's good enough for this band...

 

Cheers

 

David

[m3838]

The concertina featured in

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zeMfpcAkXA0&fmt=6

looks like the one you have pictured.

 

Hi larry,

 

Yes, nicely spotted, thanks, it looks exactly the same, which drives to to go ahead and get it, if it's good enough for this band...

 

Cheers

 

David

It may look the same, but I assure you it's as far from the off the shelf Galotta, as it gets. It is tuned, action re-tinkered with, valves and pads are re-installed, and the reeds may have been replaced as well, though it may not be needed.

Bellows and gaskets are worked on to stop leakage.

If I had this instrument, I would open it up and:

1. replace all the "leather" pads with real leather or even with sandwich of leather and felt.

2. pour the molten wax along all the seams, even if they don't look like leaking.

3. replace the synthetic soft button padding with firm leather on a piece of wood and lessen the button travel

3. re-tape the bellow folds, if they are worn.

4. bring it to the tuner for fine-tuning and replacement of all the reed valves, tweaking the setting and fixing all the buzzing and choking.

5. replacing the wrist straps with wider leather ones and

6. optionally, install the buffers under the "grille" on each side to soften the sound a little.

Now we're talking!

[Stephen Chambers]

Daniel has given you some very sound ( ) advice here. I bought a Scholer in playable condition (also a simple, German make, plywood ends, paper bellows) for £40 with the same aims as you, to find out whether the note layout was something I could learn/enjoy playing on.

I'd agree with Daniel too, and add that (regardless of the brand name) this Galotta was also made by Scholer, who seem to have supplied all the Klingenthal accordion factories with "own brand" concertinas in post-war years. Accordingly, it almost certainly has "long-plate" brass reeds, which tend to break easily and are not readily replaceable.

[stevejay]

The concertina featured in

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zeMfpcAkXA0&fmt=6

looks like the one you have pictured.

 

That sounds like a Cajun 2-Step.

[Daniel Hersh]

My Galotta (it actually doesn't have a maker's name on it, but it looks just like photos I've seen of some others with the Galotta name) has waxed-in laid-flat steel accordion reeds, not long-plate brass reeds. And I've got a Scholer that's got those accordion reeds too, though in that case they're mostly set up in reed blocks rather than laid-flat. It's been my impression that sometime in the post-WW2 period the German small concertina industry switched from long-plate to accordion reeds. I've assumed that this was because accordion reeds were readily available at that point at low prices and the long-plate ones were not. I've heard that Arno Arnold, the only German post-WW2 maker of Chemnitzer concertinas, used accordion reeds too, unlike the long-plate reeds of the pre-war makers.

 

Stephen, does this sound plausible based on what you know? And are you sure that Scholer made all of these? When I compare my Scholer and my probable Galotta I see a number of differences in construction technique: in bracing, gasket material, the way the ends fit onto and attach to the bellows, etc. Though there are similarities too, especially in the bellows design and the design of the fretwork/vents in the ends. I can't easily compare the actions as they're both very difficult to access (I suppose that could be seen as another similarity).

 

They're both decent concertinas that I occasionally play. I like the Galotta for its D/A tuning and the Scholer because it's double-reed (triple-reed on the left hand C row) and has a great low honking sound. I've heard that some German concertinas from this era aren't even playable, but these two aren't bad.

 

Daniel has given you some very sound ( ) advice here. I bought a Scholer in playable condition (also a simple, German make, plywood ends, paper bellows) for £40 with the same aims as you, to find out whether the note layout was something I could learn/enjoy playing on.

I'd agree with Daniel too, and add that (regardless of the brand name) this Galotta was also made by Scholer, who seem to have supplied all the Klingenthal accordion factories with "own brand" concertinas in post-war years. Accordingly, it almost certainly has "long-plate" brass reeds, which tend to break easily and are not readily replaceable.

Edited April 1, 2008 by Daniel Hersh

[david watkins]

Hi

 

Many thanks for the info in the last two postings, I took the plunge and bought it unseen for 27UK Sterling, so when ( if ) it turns up it'll be interesting to see what it's like. I'm hoping it'll be good enough to at least get me through learning the rudiments from scratch...

 

I was fascinated by what you would do to upgrade it and would ask if you thought that ( other than changing/tuning the reeds ) it could be done by a competent amateur ( Me ) ...and what sort of wax and tape would you use for any repairs, leather shouldn't be a problem as i work close to that industry...

 

( in fact if anyone needs any small bits of leather give me a shout, I've lots of offcuts in different colours etc, might be able to help )

 

Cheers

 

david

[m3838]

Hi

 

Many thanks for the info in the last two postings, I took the plunge and bought it unseen for 27UK Sterling, so when ( if ) it turns up it'll be interesting to see what it's like. I'm hoping it'll be good enough to at least get me through learning the rudiments from scratch...

 

I was fascinated by what you would do to upgrade it and would ask if you thought that ( other than changing/tuning the reeds ) it could be done by a competent amateur ( Me ) ...and what sort of wax and tape would you use for any repairs, leather shouldn't be a problem as i work close to that industry...

 

( in fact if anyone needs any small bits of leather give me a shout, I've lots of offcuts in different colours etc, might be able to help )

 

Cheers

 

david

 

The wax is accordion wax. You can buy it from any accordion shop. It's Bee's wax mixed with rosin and something else in certain proportion. So it's hard, has higher melting point and sticky.

Tape is bellows tape, sold in those same accordion shops or on the Ebay (and wax too, but that's tricky).

I'd just tape over existing worn spots. May not be pretty, but easy and holds for a long time. It may make existing bellows pleats thicker, but marginally.

When you get your instrument, don't be afraid to open it, take the picture and post here. Many people will be able to comment on needed improvements, that are easy to do and help alot.

Main are reed setting and re-valving.

BTW, I may need some thick black leather, some two sheets of 6x9 or equal amount. I'm about to make a handle for my EC and the leather I have is a little too soft.

[david watkins]

OK, the Galotta / Klingenthaler just arrived and looks barely used, still in it's box, very little wear on the straps etc. I havent a clue what tuning it is, nothing on the box and nothing on the leaflet inside which illustrates several possibilities. The label has the following which may/may not help.

 

Kr 221/88 III 3 1 84/3953/88 15.0

 

No, I dont know either!

 

I'll carefully undo the ends and check it inside later, maybe if I post some pics you guys can assess it.

Anyway lots of fun coming up

 

Any help appreciated

 

David

 

 

Hi

 

Many thanks for the info in the last two postings, I took the plunge and bought it unseen for 27UK Sterling, so when ( if ) it turns up it'll be interesting to see what it's like. I'm hoping it'll be good enough to at least get me through learning the rudiments from scratch...

 

I was fascinated by what you would do to upgrade it and would ask if you thought that ( other than changing/tuning the reeds ) it could be done by a competent amateur ( Me ) ...and what sort of wax and tape would you use for any repairs, leather shouldn't be a problem as i work close to that industry...

 

( in fact if anyone needs any small bits of leather give me a shout, I've lots of offcuts in different colours etc, might be able to help )

 

Cheers

 

david

 

The wax is accordion wax. You can buy it from any accordion shop. It's Bee's wax mixed with rosin and something else in certain proportion. So it's hard, has higher melting point and sticky.

Tape is bellows tape, sold in those same accordion shops or on the Ebay (and wax too, but that's tricky).

I'd just tape over existing worn spots. May not be pretty, but easy and holds for a long time. It may make existing bellows pleats thicker, but marginally.

When you get your instrument, don't be afraid to open it, take the picture and post here. Many people will be able to comment on needed improvements, that are easy to do and help alot.

Main are reed setting and re-valving.

BTW, I may need some thick black leather, some two sheets of 6x9 or equal amount. I'm about to make a handle for my EC and the leather I have is a little too soft.

[Daniel Hersh]

I'd suggest trying to play it first! Try each button on push and pull and see if you get a decent sound for each note.

 

Daniel

 

OK, the Galotta / Klingenthaler just arrived and looks barely used, still in it's box, very little wear on the straps etc. I havent a clue what tuning it is, nothing on the box and nothing on the leaflet inside which illustrates several possibilities. The label has the following which may/may not help.

 

Kr 221/88 III 3 1 84/3953/88 15.0

 

No, I dont know either!

 

I'll carefully undo the ends and check it inside later, maybe if I post some pics you guys can assess it.

Anyway lots of fun coming up

 

Any help appreciated

 

David

Hi

 

Many thanks for the info in the last two postings, I took the plunge and bought it unseen for 27UK Sterling, so when ( if ) it turns up it'll be interesting to see what it's like. I'm hoping it'll be good enough to at least get me through learning the rudiments from scratch...

 

I was fascinated by what you would do to upgrade it and would ask if you thought that ( other than changing/tuning the reeds ) it could be done by a competent amateur ( Me ) ...and what sort of wax and tape would you use for any repairs, leather shouldn't be a problem as i work close to that industry...

 

( in fact if anyone needs any small bits of leather give me a shout, I've lots of offcuts in different colours etc, might be able to help )

 

Cheers

 

david

The wax is accordion wax. You can buy it from any accordion shop. It's Bee's wax mixed with rosin and something else in certain proportion. So it's hard, has higher melting point and sticky.

Tape is bellows tape, sold in those same accordion shops or on the Ebay (and wax too, but that's tricky).

I'd just tape over existing worn spots. May not be pretty, but easy and holds for a long time. It may make existing bellows pleats thicker, but marginally.

When you get your instrument, don't be afraid to open it, take the picture and post here. Many people will be able to comment on needed improvements, that are easy to do and help alot.

Main are reed setting and re-valving.

BTW, I may need some thick black leather, some two sheets of 6x9 or equal amount. I'm about to make a handle for my EC and the leather I have is a little too soft.

[Stephen Chambers]

I'd agree with Daniel too, and add that (regardless of the brand name) this Galotta was also made by Scholer, who seem to have supplied all the Klingenthal accordion factories with "own brand" concertinas in post-war years. Accordingly, it almost certainly has "long-plate" brass reeds, which tend to break easily and are not readily replaceable.

My Galotta (it actually doesn't have a maker's name on it, but it looks just like photos I've seen of some others with the Galotta name) has waxed-in laid-flat steel accordion reeds, not long-plate brass reeds. And I've got a Scholer that's got those accordion reeds too, though in that case they're mostly set up in reed blocks rather than laid-flat. It's been my impression that sometime in the post-WW2 period the German small concertina industry switched from long-plate to accordion reeds. I've assumed that this was because accordion reeds were readily available at that point at low prices and the long-plate ones were not. I've heard that Arno Arnold, the only German post-WW2 maker of Chemnitzer concertinas, used accordion reeds too, unlike the long-plate reeds of the pre-war makers.

 

Stephen, does this sound plausible based on what you know? And are you sure that Scholer made all of these? When I compare my Scholer and my probable Galotta I see a number of differences in construction technique: in bracing, gasket material, the way the ends fit onto and attach to the bellows, etc. Though there are similarities too, especially in the bellows design and the design of the fretwork/vents in the ends. I can't easily compare the actions as they're both very difficult to access (I suppose that could be seen as another similarity).

Daniel,

 

I missed your post previously - I was busy in Seattle at the time!

 

Your query raises some interesting points about the accordion/concertina trades in both Italy and Germany, in that it is not uncommon for some instruments by even the most famous and respected makers to be built either entirely, or at least partially, by others, and that has certainly been the case in Klingenthal. It is also not unusual for a manufacturer/exporter to market instruments under the brand name of another firm it has taken over, as well as under it's own, so as to be able to supply additional import/wholesale companies in a given market without breaching "exclusive" contracts - hence the survival of the Galotta brand long after the closure of G.A, Schlott & Sohn (I wonder where they got the name from ).

 

Instruments branded Scholer that were sold in Britain were supplied by Hohner London, who may have had such an "exclusive" arrangement, but identical ones were also sold there under the Rosetti "Rambler", Galotta and other brands, and I have no doubt at all that David's Galotta was built by Scholer. In my experience the cheap wood-grained red (single-reeded) and yellow (double-reeded) Scholers always have brass reeds on long aluminium plates - but maybe they built them with steel reeds on individual plates for the US market? Certainly they did make some more expensive models with such reeds.

 

Bandoneon reeds are another story: In high quality instruments steel reeds were mounted on long[er] zinc plates up until the Second World War, when Gebr. Dix A.G. of Gera became the only company allowed to make reeds (under rationing) in German-occupied Europe, and Alfred Arnold was therefore forced to switch to their individual accordion reeds.

Edited April 17, 2008 by Stephen Chambers

[Daniel Hersh]

Thanks for the info, Stephen.

 

For what it's worth, here's a pic that includes my "Galotta" (in between the giant red Bastari and the probable Crabb that I bought from you about a quarter century ago):

 

 

I bought the "Galotta" (a single-reed D/A) from someone in England, so it was likely built for the British market. I don't know where my Scholer was originally sold -- I bought that one here in the US from another c.netter and I'm not sure where he got it. But it's my impression (not based on hard data though) that the German builders didn't make much of an effort to sell to the US in the postwar period, leaving the market such as it was to Bastari. My Scholer might have been one of the more expensive models that you mention below -- it's got a combination of double and triple reeds and I believe that it plays significantly better than most Scholers. It's got red pearloid [aka MOTS] ends.

 

A minor point re long-plate reeds: I know that at least some of the German Chemnitzer/Bandoneon/Carlsfelder builders were using aluminum rather than zinc plates for their steel reeds by the 1930's. I've got a Chemnitzer (possibly made by ELA) that's got them.

 

Daniel

 

I'd agree with Daniel too, and add that (regardless of the brand name) this Galotta was also made by Scholer, who seem to have supplied all the Klingenthal accordion factories with "own brand" concertinas in post-war years. Accordingly, it almost certainly has "long-plate" brass reeds, which tend to break easily and are not readily replaceable.

My Galotta (it actually doesn't have a maker's name on it, but it looks just like photos I've seen of some others with the Galotta name) has waxed-in laid-flat steel accordion reeds, not long-plate brass reeds. And I've got a Scholer that's got those accordion reeds too, though in that case they're mostly set up in reed blocks rather than laid-flat. It's been my impression that sometime in the post-WW2 period the German small concertina industry switched from long-plate to accordion reeds. I've assumed that this was because accordion reeds were readily available at that point at low prices and the long-plate ones were not. I've heard that Arno Arnold, the only German post-WW2 maker of Chemnitzer concertinas, used accordion reeds too, unlike the long-plate reeds of the pre-war makers.

 

Stephen, does this sound plausible based on what you know? And are you sure that Scholer made all of these? When I compare my Scholer and my probable Galotta I see a number of differences in construction technique: in bracing, gasket material, the way the ends fit onto and attach to the bellows, etc. Though there are similarities too, especially in the bellows design and the design of the fretwork/vents in the ends. I can't easily compare the actions as they're both very difficult to access (I suppose that could be seen as another similarity).

Daniel,

 

I missed your post previously - I was busy in Seattle at the time!

 

Your query raises some interesting points about the accordion/concertina trades in both Italy and Germany, in that it is not uncommon for some instruments by even the most famous and respected makers to be built either entirely, or at least partially, by others, and that as certainly been the case in Klingenthal. It is also not unusual for a manufacturer/exporter to market instruments additionally under the brand name of another firm it has taken over, as well as under it's own, so as to be able to supply additional import/wholesale companies in a given market without breaching "exclusive" contracts - hence the survival of the Galotta brand long after the closure of G.A, Schlott & Sohn (I wonder where they got the name from ).

 

Instruments branded Scholer that were sold in Britain were supplied by Hohner London, who may have had such an "exclusive" arrangement, but identical ones were also sold there under the Rosetti "Rambler", Galotta and other brands, and I have no doubt at all that David's Galotta was built by Scholer. In my experience the cheap wood-grained red (single-reeded) and yellow (double-reeded) Scholers always have brass reeds on long aluminium plates - but maybe they built them with steel reeds on individual plates for the US market? Certainly they did make some more expensive models with such reeds.

 

Bandoneon reeds are another story: In high quality instruments steel reeds were mounted on long[er] zinc plates up until the Second World War, when Gebr. Dix A.G. of Gera became the only company allowed to make reeds (under rationing) in German-occupied Europe, and Alfred Arnold was therefore forced to switch to their individual accordion reeds.

Edited April 16, 2008 by Daniel Hersh

[david watkins]

Hi again

 

Heres a few shots of my new concertina if it helps identify it further, I dont know the model no. or what it's tuned for. I'm hoping to go to the Yorkshire Concertina meeting on Sunday where I'm sure I'll get some more info, but in the meantime if you guys can advise further, most grateful

 

Cheers

 

David

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the info, Stephen.

 

For what it's worth, here's a pic that includes my "Galotta" (in between the giant red Bastari and the probable Crabb that I bought from you about a quarter century ago):

 

 

I bought the "Galotta" (a single-reed D/A) from someone in England, so it was likely built for the British market. I don't know where my Scholer was originally sold -- I bought that one here in the US from another c.netter and I'm not sure where he got it. But it's my impression (not based on hard data though) that the German builders didn't make much of an effort to sell to the US in the postwar period, leaving the market such as it was to Bastari. My Scholer might have been one of the more expensive models that you mention below -- it's got a combination of double and triple reeds and I believe that it plays significantly better than most Scholers. It's got red pearloid [aka MOTS] ends.

 

A minor point re long-plate reeds: I know that at least some of the German Chemnitzer/Bandoneon/Carlsfelder builders were using aluminum rather than zinc plates for their steel reeds by the 1930's. I've got a Chemnitzer (possibly made by ELA) that's got them.

 

Daniel

 

I'd agree with Daniel too, and add that (regardless of the brand name) this Galotta was also made by Scholer, who seem to have supplied all the Klingenthal accordion factories with "own brand" concertinas in post-war years. Accordingly, it almost certainly has "long-plate" brass reeds, which tend to break easily and are not readily replaceable.

My Galotta (it actually doesn't have a maker's name on it, but it looks just like photos I've seen of some others with the Galotta name) has waxed-in laid-flat steel accordion reeds, not long-plate brass reeds. And I've got a Scholer that's got those accordion reeds too, though in that case they're mostly set up in reed blocks rather than laid-flat. It's been my impression that sometime in the post-WW2 period the German small concertina industry switched from long-plate to accordion reeds. I've assumed that this was because accordion reeds were readily available at that point at low prices and the long-plate ones were not. I've heard that Arno Arnold, the only German post-WW2 maker of Chemnitzer concertinas, used accordion reeds too, unlike the long-plate reeds of the pre-war makers.

 

Stephen, does this sound plausible based on what you know? And are you sure that Scholer made all of these? When I compare my Scholer and my probable Galotta I see a number of differences in construction technique: in bracing, gasket material, the way the ends fit onto and attach to the bellows, etc. Though there are similarities too, especially in the bellows design and the design of the fretwork/vents in the ends. I can't easily compare the actions as they're both very difficult to access (I suppose that could be seen as another similarity).

Daniel,

 

I missed your post previously - I was busy in Seattle at the time!

 

Your query raises some interesting points about the accordion/concertina trades in both Italy and Germany, in that it is not uncommon for some instruments by even the most famous and respected makers to be built either entirely, or at least partially, by others, and that as certainly been the case in Klingenthal. It is also not unusual for a manufacturer/exporter to market instruments additionally under the brand name of another firm it has taken over, as well as under it's own, so as to be able to supply additional import/wholesale companies in a given market without breaching "exclusive" contracts - hence the survival of the Galotta brand long after the closure of G.A, Schlott & Sohn (I wonder where they got the name from ).

 

Instruments branded Scholer that were sold in Britain were supplied by Hohner London, who may have had such an "exclusive" arrangement, but identical ones were also sold there under the Rosetti "Rambler", Galotta and other brands, and I have no doubt at all that David's Galotta was built by Scholer. In my experience the cheap wood-grained red (single-reeded) and yellow (double-reeded) Scholers always have brass reeds on long aluminium plates - but maybe they built them with steel reeds on individual plates for the US market? Certainly they did make some more expensive models with such reeds.

 

Bandoneon reeds are another story: In high quality instruments steel reeds were mounted on long[er] zinc plates up until the Second World War, when Gebr. Dix A.G. of Gera became the only company allowed to make reeds (under rationing) in German-occupied Europe, and Alfred Arnold was therefore forced to switch to their individual accordion reeds.