Bass linkage question before I tear into it…

[32251]

pretty little whirlitzer 34/111 accordion I would guess from the 30s. Two rows of bass linkage is stuck down. This is resulting in several tones not sounding in the bass when buttons are pushed. Interesting that even though these two rods and all the associated linkage is in the down position, when you don’t push any buttons down….there is no sound….surely with all these in the down position, there should be all sorts of pallets ope and sound, but none is produced. The rest of the buttons are working fine and linkage is fine.

Any advice is appreciated. The rods are not moving at all. Just stuck in the position they would be if a button was pushed down. Many thanks.

PS. Is there no end to the calamities that can be found in old accordions? ;-)

 

[32251]

More info. I removed the Reed blocks. Two of the pallets cannot be pushed down from the Reed side. All the rest open fine.

 

[Ventura]

ahh.. kind of too late, i mean have said it many times
that Wurly accordions are simply to be avoided

they had a lot of their own unique design and engineering
that was not in line with general industry practices, which
translates to parts incompatability, having to re-learn/figure out
what is usually simple known mechanicals

so where one can get the hang of typical 70 year old
accordion repair, what is usually needed, how much
time will be invested, a Wurly throws that into the ditch for you

Wurlitzer exited the accordion market much earlier than most,
so cannabalizing for any unique parts is also far more difficult

of course, you seem to be able to fix anything, but i will
guess after fixing this one, you too may choose to avoid Wurlitzer
accordions in future

good luck !

 

[32251]

ahh.. kind of too late, i mean have said it many times
that Wurly accordions are simply to be avoided

Some women are like that too….but this thing is just so pretty…..as are the women impossible to avoid.

 

[Dingo40]

have said it many times
that Wurly accordions are simply to be avoided

This is a great pity.
Made in the USA?
There are several on display on YouTube and they sound great to me!
Here's a small sample/

 

[32251]

I’m going to remove the four rows of buttons closest to the strap. Two screws is all that holds them on. See what I can find.

 

[boxplayer4000]

It is recommended you have a safe, orderly place to store dismantled bass parts. There's an awful lot of them, all different.

 

[32251]

Found an issue. Two of the shafts had “jumped” out of alignment where they engage the linkage to the pallet. This can happen if a button is severly depressed. Also the return springs needed to be addressed. Look at the pic and you will see a rod under a rod. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. If the button is depressed too far, the lower rod that pushes up will let the upper rod now pop under it and now the linkage shaft will fall forward and all the little fingers no longer work.

 

[Tom]

Found an issue. Two of the shafts had “jumped” out of alignment where they engage the linkage to the pallet. This can happen if a button is severly depressed. Also the return springs needed to be addressed. Look at the pic and you will see a rod under a rod. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. If the button is depressed too far, the lower rod that pushes up will let the upper rod now pop under it and now the linkage shaft will fall forward and all the little fingers no longer work.

Great work! These bass repairs are the worst!

 

[32251]

It is recommended you have a safe, orderly place to store dismantled bass parts. There's an awful lot of them, all different.

The buttons come out in two fully intact sections. Here are pics of the chord and bass sections. Wish me luck slipping these back in!

 

[32251]

Bass section reinstalled and working!

 

[Tom]

Bass section reinstalled and working!

Congrats!!!!!!

 

[boxplayer4000]

Well Done. He who dares...........!!

 

[Squeezebox Of Delights]

This is a great pity.
Made in the USA?
There are several on display on YouTube and they sound great to me!
Here's a small sample/

Most of them were made in the USA, but that one is actually a rebadged Hohner! Hohner seems to have done a lot of rebranding instruments for other companies, and that one is identical to one of their late 1920s/early 1930s models. One of my American friends has one.
I think the main difference between Wurlitzers and more conventional boxes is that the keys on the American-made ones are attached to the body with individual wooden hinges, very similar to those found in piano actions. I personally think it seems quite sensible, but I have never experienced a Wurlitzer in person so that's just speculation. I do understand that it might make spare parts hard to source though!

 

[Ventura]

yep, thats the main achillies heel, the funny
(looks like a spinet piano drop action)
has a lot of parts and motion points that wear and equals
more ways to get loose as a goose than anything you have
ever seen in an accordion

hey Wurlitzer was an amazing company.. there were factory stores,
unbeLIEVeabale Theater organs, Jukeboxes, Piano's, and the factory in New York
making accordions before WW2 (not quite sure when they ceased production there
but eventually the location was purchased and used by Pancotti and Deffner
to create PanCordion)

not suprized that they would also act as a jobber, they did supply a lot of
general merchandise to mom and pop music stores too, so why not
have Hohner or others do some price points or styles for them,
but i couldn't tell you from looking at the outside of a wurly what came out of
New York and what didn't.

so just be careful when you see one on ebay that you can't check out
in person first, it could be hiding unpleasant and fatal suprizes

 

[32251]

Bass section back in order and playing nicely. I learned a lot taking this apart and repairing it. All I need to do is attach the felt lined flat metal piece that acts as a stop for the button rods. I will add some felt so the problem won’t happen again.

Now for the build. 34 keys over 14 3/4”. 111 bass. The music in the case was dated late 20s, so I am guessing 30s/early 40s. Am I close?
This would make a fine instrument for a child beginner or a person with small fingers. Aesthetically it is really pretty MOP celluloid. Sound is very nice. I would much rather have this than some of the other student 12 bass units I come across. I attribute the build quality to being made in the 30s. Good craftsmen and good materials. You may give Wurlitzer a bad rap, but I can’t do that on this accordion.

I have to say that I’m glad there was no need for pallet work on the bass side. To remove all the button linkage was no problem, but to remove the axles and get to the pallets would not have been so easy.

One more saved from the trash/storage/thrift store/display______ whatever.
/

 

[32251]

The little Wurlitzer accordion sold today. Went to a family that wants to learn how to play. Perfect starter instrument for them. One day it’s worthless and with some tweaking it’s now being used again. On to the next one.

 

[Ventura]

you are a wizard