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An accordion is an instrument that, when properly tuned and in good working condition, sounds good enough for a symphony orchestra. On the other hand, an old or poorly tuned accordion, can sound like it’s ready for the junkyard. So, what do you do when your old accordion sounds like it’s on its final note?
Accordion owners practically have two choices when faced with an aging instrument: sell it, or repair it. Of course, avid musicians who sell their accordions will want to replace them; so it may be more beneficial to have the old instrument repaired and tuned up. Otherwise, selling the old instrument will leave you in the position of looking for a newer (and more expensive) replacement.
An accordion is a musical instrument that belongs to the family of bellows-driven, hand held, free reed aerophone instruments. Also called a “squeezebox”, you play the accordion by expanding and compressing the bellows. This movement generates airflow across the reed. Just like some keyboard instruments, the accordion also has a series of keys that allow the musician to produce various tones.
Generally, being a sensitive reed instrument, the accordion has many parts that are extremely delicate and can be easily damaged if you’re not careful. In other words, don’t try to repair an accordion on your own. Ever. Do not even take the cover off. When you’re considering accordion repairs, do your instrument an act of kindness and take it to a qualified technician. If you are confident and careful enough to continue with your own repairs, take the accordion apart slowly. Make a record of every part carefully, and note of where each part comes from. This will guide you when you’re done with your DIY repairs and it’s time to put your accordion back together.
When conducting your own accordion repair, never take apart the bass mechanism unless you have been trained in the correct technique or you’ve successfully done it before. Each of the 120 buttons that make up the bass mechanism will fit in precise locations only, so repairing the bass mechanism requires a specially made fixture to allocate each button to its respective location.
Another thing that should never be tried is replacement of the reed skin with anything other than a proper skin from an accordion supply shop. Reed skin has very unique properties that cannot be found in other types of leather. The reed should never be tampered with or removed, as this can cause the note to play out of tune. You also have to be careful not to get dirt on the base of the reed block. You should never attempt to remove the reed block unless you’re very experienced or have an old accordion that you don’t mind damaging.
Accordions contain delicate networks of parts and pieces that work together to produce a joyful sound. Because of the intricate nature of these instruments, maintenance areas like waxing, tuning, and repairs should be left to the experts.
Tagged with: accordion repair
Filed under: Accordion