Restoration of old piano accordions
- Reed overhaul and fixing air leaks and malfunctioning bass and treble keyboard.
- A reed overhaul normally entails removing and cleaning reed plates (with ultrasound), replacement of an damaged reeds, valve replacement, refit, maybe with reed wax, and tuning.
- Tuning analysis and reed tuning.
- Repair of bellows.
- Custom made new bellows.
Full Answer
How do you repair an accordion?
Button clunks on the way up *Replace bass valve facing The most commonly needed repair is changing reed leathers. A standard 120/41 LMMH accordion has about 380 leathers in it, and given enough time they will all eventually need replacing.
Does my accordion need tuning?
This can make you think your accordion needs tuning, but simply replacing the bad leathers will probably bring it back into tune. If leathers hang open between 1/4 and 1/8 inch, they may eventually close, but only after their adjacent reeds have begun to sound.
How are accordion reeds tuned?
While it is true that tuning accordion reeds involves removing metal from the reed tongues (see the chapter on Putting File to Metal), the real essence of tuning lies in investigation, analysis, and planning.
How do you set up an accordion with a pad?
Set the accordion on its feet and position the pad where you want it. Make sure you have the right size pad, as they come in various sizes. The pad should not be so large that it sticks out past either end of the accordion, and it should probably be at least large enough to reach within one inch of either end.
How do you fix a broken accordion?
0:574:19DIY Accordion Repair - How To Fix A Raised Key - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThat's a little gasket washer. And then pull up and on this one you slide it off you need to cleanMoreThat's a little gasket washer. And then pull up and on this one you slide it off you need to clean your corners. Put that over the side.
How much does it cost to repair an accordion?
It may look fine on the outside, but unfortunately - components inside an accordion do not age gracefully. Hundreds of reeds are attached with beeswax that gets brittle; tiny leather reed-valves can curl or fall off. Cost to restore can range from $750 to $1500 or more.
How do you restore an old accordion?
6:5424:45How to restore an accordion PART 1 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThese little pieces go right here. But everything else has been sanded. So let me just start fixingMoreThese little pieces go right here. But everything else has been sanded. So let me just start fixing these areas right here I also have a big opening right there and that it's starting to come apart.
How do you repair an accordion part 1?
1:507:50How to dismantle & repair an accordion (part 1) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd put them under pressure. And then we'll see what happens I think we'll fill that one first asMoreAnd put them under pressure. And then we'll see what happens I think we'll fill that one first as well so we'll fill the holes back. In put these splits glue all these splits back together.
Are old accordions worth money?
So - how much is your accordion worth? The short answer is, it's worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
Are old accordions valuable?
120 bass piano accordions in good condition start at about USD 300, but you might find old, 2-voice instruments for about USD 100; on the other hand, full size, 3/4, 3/5 or 4/5 reeds, 120 bass instruments of a good brand are a bit more expensive.
Can you fix an accordion?
Some accordions have screws in place of the pins, in which case you will spin them out with a screwdriver. Keep the screws and/or pins in order, as they are often not all exactly the same length or diameter, and they should be put back into the same holes they came from.
What can I do with an old accordion?
Some of those places include:Community music schools.High schools.Instrument petting zoos.Make Music events.Loans to qualified players who need professional instruments.
How do I fix my accordion bellows?
0:002:42TUTORIAL #7: REPLACING ACCORDION BELLOWS TAPEYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFirst want to see which is your longest strip that you're going to need. For me that looks aboutMoreFirst want to see which is your longest strip that you're going to need. For me that looks about right. And then just put some wood glue on there press it on let it dry and move on to the next.
What are the parts of an accordion?
The accordion has three main components: the right hand side, a piano or button keyboard; the bellows, which act like a bow; and the left hand side, which has 120 buttons. To produce sound, Ksenija says, the basic motion is to “pull and press”.Feb 18, 2020How does the accordion work – and how do you tune it? - Classic FMhttps://www.classicfm.com › instruments › accordion › ho...https://www.classicfm.com › instruments › accordion › ho...Search for: What are the parts of an accordion?
How do you replace accordion reeds?
3:3910:13DIY Accordion Repair: Fix a weird sounding note (simple ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis one side just loosen it a bit you don't even have to fully unscrew it then you can set asideMoreThis one side just loosen it a bit you don't even have to fully unscrew it then you can set aside the set aside this guard guard here and just take out the block now remember you want to be careful.DIY Accordion Repair: Fix a weird sounding note (simple ... - YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com › watchhttps://www.youtube.com › watchSearch for: How do you replace accordion reeds?
How do you test accordion reeds?
0:292:47How to Test the Keys of an Accordion - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd do both a bellows pull and a bellow squeeze. For each key so kind of like. This. Right i'm justMoreAnd do both a bellows pull and a bellow squeeze. For each key so kind of like. This. Right i'm just i'm testing every key both on the inhale. And the exhale of the bellows.How to Test the Keys of an Accordion - YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com › watchhttps://www.youtube.com › watchSearch for: How do you test accordion reeds?
What can I do with an old accordion?
Some of those places include:Community music schools.High schools.Instrument petting zoos.Make Music events.Loans to qualified players who need professional instruments.
Can accordions go out of tune?
That said, accordions will eventually go out of tune and need to be tuned by a professional. Total 448 Reed tongues that need to be playing the correct pitch! A proper tuning requires that the reeds first be serviced so that the wax, valve and tongue on each side are positioned properly.
How can you tell if an accordion is good?
4:2010:48What to look for when buying a used accordion - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou're looking for keys that don't stick you're looking to make sure that all the registers makeMoreYou're looking for keys that don't stick you're looking to make sure that all the registers make noises. And that they make different voices if you have registers on the left hand to try the same.
What is the best brand of accordion?
The top 11 best accordion brands in the world are:Hohner.Borsini.Roland.Weltmeister.Pigini.Rossetti.Brandoni.Paolo Soprani.More items...
How to separate the bass from the accordion?
To separate the bellows from the bass side of these accordions, first remove the bass cover, then release the two thumb clips and remove the bass machine and bass button board as an assembly, and finally, remove the five screws that fasten the bass cabinet to the bellows.
What are accordions made of?
Some accordions are now made with plastic reed valves (ventilli) rather than the more traditional leather. Is this an improvement in accordion quality and performance, or just a cheaper way to build an accordion?
What to do if you push too hard on a shoulder strap?
Make sure you have the best fit for all pins before forcing any pin into any hole. Finally, reinstall any bellows strap screws you may have removed, and put on the shoulder straps and back pad.
Why use plastic reed valves?
Plastic reed valves have some apparent advantages. They are lighter and more flexible, and therefore may open under less bellows pressure. If this were to allow the reed to respond more quickly, it would improve accordion performance. After all, rapid reed response is one of the highly desirable characteristics of reeds. But if the amount of air flow required to open the leather reed valve is already less than that required to sound the reed, then a valve that opens even earlier would offer no real advantage.
How many bellows pins are there on a bass reed?
For better access to the bass reed blocks, remove the bellows from the bass section as well, but not before noting how it goes back together. If there are four bellows pins on the front of the bass section and three on the back, then it will be obvious which way the bellows goes back on.
Where are the bellows pins on an accordion?
Once that is done, locate and count the bellows pins on the treble side of the bellows. There will usually be three or four on the back and three or four on the front, but there may also be one on the top and one on the bottom. Avoid marring the pins or the plastic finish on the accordion when you pull the pins.
What is a bass button?
Bass terminology: The button is on the end of a piston which has pegs or tabs that engage levers on bellcranks (also called cams or pipes). When pushed by the peg on the side of a piston, a lever rotates the bellcrank to which it is mounted. The rotating bellcrank has another lever on it (the actual cam) which engages the lifting arm on the valve, o pening the valve as the bellcrank rotates. Remedies marked with * require totally removing (and in most cases this means disassembling) the bass machine for access.
How to tune a clarinet accordion?
For the sake of efficiency (to avoid opening the accordion hundreds of times) measure the tuning of all the reeds in one set ( bassoon, clarinet, or piccolo) at one sitting and make a chart showing the amount and direction of the required correction for each reed tongue. Then test those same reeds on the tuning bellows (still mounted in their reed blocks, naturally, and with leathers still installed), and note on the chart how far out of tune each one appears to be on the tuning bellows and in which direction. You will not be tuning to eliminate this indicated error, as it will probably be different from the real error noted while the reed block was in the accordion. You will use this tuning bellows reading only as a base line for calculating your tuning bellows target value for each reed tongue.
Why practice accordion of little value?
Practice on accordions of little value in order to learn to systematically avoid all these pitfalls before tuning an accordion of value. Even if you have got everything right so far, and are tuning the correct reed tongue in the right direction toward the correct target value, you are still not out of the woods.
What is A440 on clarinet?
A=440? - The first step of your investigation is to learn or decide whether this is or will be an A440 accordion or whether it is or will be tuned to some other value for A. An A440 accordion has the A above middle C (the second A up in the clarinet reed set) tuned to 440 hertz, and all other notes follow from that. You will find accordions tuned to A440, A441, and A442, as well as other values. I found one 1933 model tuned to A446.
Why do accordion tuning bellows vibrate?
This is due to several factors including reversed air flow on the tuning bellows and differences in physical surroundings. Although the reeds will have to be tuned outside the accordion on your tuning bellows, you will want them to be in tune when installed in the accordion. You must establish a tuning bellows target value for each reed tongue that will put it in tune once it is back in the accordion.
How to tune a tuning bellows?
Calculate the desired tuning bellows target value by applying the correction factor determined while the reed block was still mounted in the accordion, and note the tuning bellows target value on your chart. Then tune the reed tongue to that target value on the tuning bellows. Use the tuning bellows just to measure the amount of correction being made. The tuning bellows target value will not be zero (zero cents out of tune) unless the reed happens to have the same frequency inside the accordion as it does on the tuning bellows, which is uncommon.
How to tune a reed?
Step 1: Determine the basis of its tuning (A=440, etc.). Set your electronic tuner to this standard, and save the setting (or the next time you turn it on, it may revert to the default setting). Step 2: Check all reeds for security and condition (wax, leathers, rust, grime), and remedy any defects. Step 3.
What is tuning in a book?
Tuning is mostly about investigation, analysis, planning, organization, focus, and perspective, so it is appropriate that most of this tuning chapter has been dedicated to those critically important ingredients of tuning. However, that brings us to the remaining ingredients, which are skill, dexterity, and judgment, and this is where we finally put file to metal.
