Reed not sounding ( fix-it tip)

[96Bass]

The highest d# was not sounding on the push. I called Petosa and they gave me a solution to fix it without opening up the accordion. They instructed me to choose the master switch (in my case 4 reeds) and then play the d# and the adjacent reeds ( c#, d, d#, e, f ) all simultaneously with substantial air going through the bellows and then make forceful bellow direction changes. This blew out what was ever causing the reed to not sound, problem solved.

 

[debra]

Glad it worked for you.
The standard approach is to open up the treble side, locate the offending reed and then "ping" it using a thin blade (a "feeler"). This can be done without removing reed blocks when it's not a cassotto accordion.
To find the highest D#: the reed blocks with the black keys have a few gaps between the D# and F# notes and between A# and C#, so you have 3, 2, 3, 2 and then the rest. Check for the first one after the last gap. Even when you don't have absolute pitch you should be able to tell whether this is an F# in which case the D# is the fifth one in that row, or whether it is a high C# in which case the D# is the next one. You just ping each note in sequence and will find the D# in any case.
The ping trick works because the reeds for "push" are on the outside of the reed block.

 

[dak]

Another "dislodge" technique is pressing/registering the problematic button in the treble, and registering Master in the bass, pressing as many bass&chord buttons as you can cover with the left hand and then pumping as hard as you can. The bass vibrations may have a bit more of a chance at dislodging some lint.

 

[JerryPH]

Know what, after decades in IT, the one thing that stood out for me was that when resolving issues, start with the simplest and easiest test and solutions and move up towards the more complex and stop once the issue is resolved. Awesome to see that the same train of thought applies to accordions!

I am no repair person, but the few times I have needed to resolve issues, the easy solutions have so far worked well for me. Until I decide to get a little more well practiced on low quality boxes, I leave the harder stuff to the experts.

Good little tip, thanks for sharing!

 

[Pipemajor]

Know what, after decades in IT, the one thing that stood out for me was that when resolving issues, start with the simplest and easiest test and solutions and move up towards the more complex and stop

Also known as the KISS tecknique (keep it simple, stupid!)

 

[Keymn]

purchased excelsior accordion at a local auction…my bid of $25 won…It was useful at first, but after sitting in the closet for a couple years it sounded out of tune. One of the notes did not sound. Sounds like some good tips to get it fixed. Want to give it to a friend whom wants to play accordion.

 

[JerryPH]

purchased excelsior accordion at a local auction…my bid of $25 won…It was useful at first, but after sitting in the closet for a couple years it sounded out of tune. One of the notes did not sound. Sounds like some good tips to get it fixed. Want to give it to a friend whom wants to play accordion.

One tip that I would like to share is that I've had the opportunity to get an accordion that wasn't played for a long time. They alwyas sound a bit out of tune and had not been played for a good 5-10 years.

Don't go out and invest money in getting them tuned until you play them long and often and with a bit of gusto. My Imperator arrived and a lot of the notes sounded off, I immediately started the "Imperator tuning fund", but within a few hours of playing, it settled right down (that surprised me as at one point, I was playing things sounded good and I was like "I am sure this note sounded a touch off before, what's happening? ).

I had a couple stuck notes too, but the reed "pinging" trick worked, along with some gentle shots of a can of compressed air applied from about 18 inches distance.

 

[Ventura]

hehehe.. getting the dust out... exercising the old leathers..

well i pop the reed-blocks, and take my old shop Electro-Lux
and hold the intake hose about 6 or 8 inches away from the bottom
and just sweep from stem to stern a few times..
then switch the Hose to the blower port and do the same

if you go too close, you might vacuum off some weakly held leathers,
but good riddance !

any reluctant reeds are usually coaxed back to life too, and focusing on them
for a bit seems to help as they somehow benefit from the excercise
and vigorous flexing

 

[Keymn]

This accordion will have a new home soon…maybe play some good ole Cleveland style polkas to breath some air into it first?…thanks for the advice…
Living in Arizona, wonder what the dryness tolerance is?

 

[Keymn]

One tip that I would like to share is that I've had the opportunity to get an accordion that wasn't played for a long time. They alwyas sound a bit out of tune and had not been played for a good 5-10 years.

Don't go out and invest money in getting them tuned until you play them long and often and with a bit of gusto. My Imperator arrived and a lot of the notes sounded off, I immediately started the "Imperator tuning fund", but within a few hours of playing, it settled right down (that surprised me as at one point, I was playing things sounded good and I was like "I am sure this note sounded a touch off before, what's happening? ).

I had a couple stuck notes too, but the reed "pinging" trick worked, along with some gentle shots of a can of compressed air applied from about 18 inches distance.

Yes and played it a bit, it sounded better. But on the way to a new home in Tucson, Arizona. Hope it gets played…