How to lighten a heavy accordion

[Rosie C]

Not everyone can do this, there are people out there with physical limitations and that must be respected, but if you can... DO IT your body will thank you with greater longevity and ability to play accordion for a much longer time...

Absolutely. I have issues with my back and some soft tissue problems, but there was a quasi-medical coach at the gym who helped plan a programme and ease me in and help me do what I was able to do. I feel lucky that I caught things just in time.

 

[Mike t.]

my dear Acorn.. i want to caution you about the hanging of your
heavy boatanchor of an accordion off of a skyhook..

our legs, shoulders, bodies, act as shock absorbers when
holding and handling our accordions, which is why the
backstrap system works, but hanging a heavy item off of
a hook or other fixed point (think of the Speaker cabinets
hanging off a chain in a church) requires a very strong point
of contact.. the typical backstrap metal bracket(s) on the top of
an accordion are probably not strong enough to handle
the accidental shocks.

you may need to find some thick available section of the body top,
where you can mount a stronger bracket of eyebolt, and
use some custom washer to distribute the pull force over as wide
a section of the frame as possible

in the bass chamber will be some electrical switching components
which could be sacrificed, and there will be a somewhat thick
cable/wire sort of thing that connects to a connector that feeds
another cable through the bellows that could also be removed..
since it is unlikely the original organ components actually still
work, sacrificing/cutting out this stuff is no real loss

good luck

I retired four years ago and we had a cable retractable tool balancer that was great for taking some of the weight from tools at a work station. Before getting a nine pound lighter accordion I had thought of making something along these lines to take half the weight of the beast. It would not be portable and only good in a permanent location-practice room. The thought of lifting the heavy accordion from its stand to “put it on” always made me grimace. Once seated the weight was no issue. Looking at fishing gear rigging/tackle it still could be done but… new accordion, nine pounds lighter, why bother! Not to mention carrying it from the car to a jam.