celebris
Newbie
I am trying to purchase a complete set of treble reeds for a piano accordion.. This reed manufacturers in Italy dont do retail sales.. Does anyone know where to buy new accordion reeds Thanks John
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Getting Reeds for Piano Accordion
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SteveBox
Active member
There are many variables in the choice of reeds. They come in different quality grades and from several manufacturers. New reeds need to be waxed in, have valves glued on, and tuned. It's a job for an experienced repair person (who should know where to obtain reeds).
You might want to contact FRM Enterprises in Revere, Massachusetts. I have never done any business with them, but their website indicates they sell all kinds of accordion parts, including reeds.
Here is their components catalog. They sell Italian Salpa and Binci reeds.
You might want to contact FRM Enterprises in Revere, Massachusetts. I have never done any business with them, but their website indicates they sell all kinds of accordion parts, including reeds.
Here is their components catalog. They sell Italian Salpa and Binci reeds.
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celebris
Newbie
I tried FRM They cant get them
celebris
Newbie
Yes I know reed sizes vary... I build new blocks for what reeds I can get
celebris
Newbie
I talked with Mr FRM many times... His catalog doesnt reflect what he really can getThere are many variables in the choice of reeds. They come in different quality grades and from several manufacturers. New reeds need to be waxed in, have valves glued on, and tuned. It's a job for an experienced repair person (who should know where to obtain reeds).
You might want to contact FRM Enterprises in Revere, Massachusetts. I have never done any business with them, but their website indicates they sell all kinds of accordion parts, including reeds.
Here is their components catalog. They sell Italian Salpa and Binci reeds.
SteveBox
Active member
For forum members to help you, you probably need to give more details about what you are trying to do. Do you have a vintage accordion that you want to restore? Replacing all of the reeds would require a lot of work and a level of experience to be successful.
Have you tried contacting some repair shops for advice? I would suggest Liberty Bellows in Philadelphia. There are a number of forum members experienced with accordion repair that may respond with advice.
Two other sources often recommended in the forum for accordion parts are CGM in Scotland and Carini in Italy. I have never ordered from either of them. For Carini, you have to register and provide more information than you might expect before you can buy anything or see prices.
Have you tried contacting some repair shops for advice? I would suggest Liberty Bellows in Philadelphia. There are a number of forum members experienced with accordion repair that may respond with advice.
Two other sources often recommended in the forum for accordion parts are CGM in Scotland and Carini in Italy. I have never ordered from either of them. For Carini, you have to register and provide more information than you might expect before you can buy anything or see prices.
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I have not (yet) bought complete sets of reeds from Carini yet, but I have bought sets of piccolo reeds. During accordion repair I sometimes find piccolo reeds that have been hopelessly ruined by earlier repairers, so I keep a supply of piccolo reeds ready for when I need them.
celebris
Newbie
I have been trying to get reeds from Carini without success. I have supplied a complete specification of the reed frequencies and Sizes. i told them the target accordion was a Sonola SS10. I have spoken with them a number of times via phone.. They are not responding any more.. Dont know why.
I have refurbed reed blocks in the past.. I even build my own reed blocks from OAK. I was able to use reeds from donor accordions. Never tried to get new ones.. I have tuning equipment also
celebris
Newbie
Liberty Bell will not sell reeds sets . They may quote on replacing reeds at their shop
celebris
Newbie
Ventura
Been here for ages!
none of the original Sonola reeds were salvageable ?
i would think in general that a full LMMH 41 treble set of "the best" reeds
would cost more than an SS-10 could ever sell for.. most of these high end
buyers want the tone chamber and the few guys who prefer a straight
fulll-size box have a ton of used offerings to choose from, and the "same as"
SS-10 and Sonola hand made reeds seems to have become one of the most
name-dropped fictions in the no-name El Lardo brand Reverb accordion adverts
so you have a ton of competition, even though those claims are just self fueled internet disinformation..
i guess you have considered salvaging a set from a donor accordion
in bad physical shape ?
well, good luck with the project
i would think in general that a full LMMH 41 treble set of "the best" reeds
would cost more than an SS-10 could ever sell for.. most of these high end
buyers want the tone chamber and the few guys who prefer a straight
fulll-size box have a ton of used offerings to choose from, and the "same as"
SS-10 and Sonola hand made reeds seems to have become one of the most
name-dropped fictions in the no-name El Lardo brand Reverb accordion adverts
so you have a ton of competition, even though those claims are just self fueled internet disinformation..
i guess you have considered salvaging a set from a donor accordion
in bad physical shape ?
well, good luck with the project
SteveBox
Active member
My thought was that a repair shop could suggest a source for reeds. I would not necessarily expect them to sell complete sets themselves.
Maybe salvaging some from a donor accordion would be the most expedient thing to do.
SteveBox
Active member
The only thing I know about Carini is what other forum members have said. However, my impression is that they are a primary supplier to professional accordion builders and repair shops (thus their registration process). They may not want to deal with you if they perceive you are an amateur. Some forum members who have had experience buying from them may have advice.
Also, repair shops may be suspicious of a request for a full reed set and would rather be hired to do the work than supply parts. I think a customer wanting to buy a complete set of reeds to restore a large piano accordion themselves is unusual. Few people not in the business would want to do all that work or would even be successful at it without a lot of prior experience. I think it is even rarely done by professional shops, because of the high expense.
That said, if you keep calling repair shops, one of them may help you. A member a while back compiled a list of all known shops in North America. (Follow the link in the first post, which has another link to the spreadsheet.)
Current Map of US and Canada Accordion Shops/Repairpeople - Input needed
On a whim today, I started a custom google map of all of the accordion sale and repair places in the US and Canada that came to mind or showed up on a quick google search. Here is the link. It is necessarily incomplete, and I would appreciate any help in adding spots that you have a website for...
www.accordionists.info
I would have suggested calling the Button Box, but they are now out of business. Maybe first try the other five repair shops listed in New England (CT, MA and VT).
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Ventura
Been here for ages!
i have seen complete reedsets in reserve at both Petosa and Deffner/Busso
and that is because they still do some portion of final assembly on special
orders (as different from the normal final quality checks and adjustments
they make on their branded instrument lines)
Investing in reedsets is exorbitantly expensive, but gives a great advantage.
both these companies have evolved from their early days, both retain
their institutional knowledge and abilities to some degree as they
have been continuously and fully in business all these many decades
newer companies that market accordions and import them have limits
and learning curves and can only focus so much investment on
the behind the scenes parts of the accordion business, and may never
really fully flesh out their repair departments, or need to become adept
at full reed exchange or initial full tuning and fitting of reedblocks
and that is because they still do some portion of final assembly on special
orders (as different from the normal final quality checks and adjustments
they make on their branded instrument lines)
Investing in reedsets is exorbitantly expensive, but gives a great advantage.
both these companies have evolved from their early days, both retain
their institutional knowledge and abilities to some degree as they
have been continuously and fully in business all these many decades
newer companies that market accordions and import them have limits
and learning curves and can only focus so much investment on
the behind the scenes parts of the accordion business, and may never
really fully flesh out their repair departments, or need to become adept
at full reed exchange or initial full tuning and fitting of reedblocks
SteveBox
Active member
Liberty Bellows lists these PA reed blocks with new Cagnoni TAM reeds at what looks to be a very good price. They may not be all you need, and you may need to put them in your own (custom) blocks, but it is a start.
NEW Italian Cagnoni Treble Reed Blocks - Tipo a Mano Reeds for 41 120 Piano Accordion
Brand: Cagnoni Type: Treble Reed Blocks (Clarinet + Piccolo) For 41 Key 120 Bass Piano Accordion. Size of Largest Block: 9(45.5cm) x 1.5(3.5cm) x 2.25(5.5cm) Made in Italy
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I am an amateur and had no issues whatsoever to order from Carini or to buy stuff in their physical store. Yes you need to register, but you do not need to have a business. They sell to people from all over the world.
Carini sells complete sets of reeds for different size accordions (from really small up to a 64 note bayan) and in different qualities. Their site does not list for each set who actually made the reeds.
As an amateur you are more likely to have trouble ordering a set of reeds directly from a reed maker, but Carini will happily sell them to you (at a somewhat higher price of course).
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