Is it permissable to use any kind of instrument that comes to hand?

Isn't that what actually happened in the past? I get a strong feeling that there is a often a load of nonsense talked about what is traditional and what is not for playing folk music.

By the way, well done Cap'n. I suspect that you may have had to play better than an anglo player would to get the comments you did.

I tried the EC out before settling for the Anglo. It was simply I felt more comfortable with the Anglo. The one thing I learnt from the very brief contact is that although the two types of concertina may look and sound similar they are in fact two completely different instruments and that is not often appreciated.

By the way as a matter of trivia, the EC seems to be the dominant type here in NE England. It is possible to argue the influence of Alistair Anderson, but I wonder if it is more than that as the Piano Accordion seems to be more common than the melodeon.