Reed not sounding with leather valve?

[evaneacenteidolon]

I'm repairing an old crucianelli pancordion I recently received as a gift, and found one of the reeds simply wouldn't sound no matter what I did. Eventually I took the valves off to clean it more thoroughly, and I found that it works fine without the valves; but the second I put the valves back on it stops working. With the valves on it either makes no sound or a very faint muffled sound. I'm not terribly well versed in accordions, so any help would be immensely appreciated.

 

[debra]

This sounds like a voicing issue. For each reed the reed tip sits a small distance above the reed plate. The rule of thumb is that this distance should be about the same as the thickness of the reed, but it varies a bit (although not much). When the reed tip is too close to the reed plate the reed has trouble starting when it gets sucked into the hole and "chokes". Also, it will make a softer sound than when the reed tip sits higher and more air can pass through.
The effect of removing the valve is that air is spilled through the opposite reed (that does not play). The spilled air reduces the pressure on the reed that should play and it has less trouble starting. It will sound higher and sharper though. With very low notes a note may still note start because way too much air is spilled through the non-playing opposing reed. With very high notes a bit of spilled air is always needed for the reed to play (start) well, that's why the highest notes (in the M and H reed banks) normally do not have valves. The cut-off is around C6. Depending on the make (and age) of the accordion the first note without a valve can be C6 (on old Crucianelli accordions for instance) or C#6 or D6.
So... the solution is not to remove the valves from the offending reeds, but to adjust the voicing.

 

[evaneacenteidolon]

Thanks! So how do I fix this? I've tried to slightly bend the reed both up and down and neither has produced much of a better result. It is a bit better, but I can't seem to get a clear tone at first. It always either has to work up from a very low pressure, or gives a squeaky sound at first. The issue is mainly with drawing air through.

 

[Dingo40]

It always either has to work up from a very low pressure, or gives a squeaky sound at first. The issue is mainly with drawing air through.

Like Paul said, it sounds like a voicing issue: the reed is choking and needs opening up

 

[debra]

Thanks! So how do I fix this? I've tried to slightly bend the reed both up and down and neither has produced much of a better result. It is a bit better, but I can't seem to get a clear tone at first. It always either has to work up from a very low pressure, or gives a squeaky sound at first. The issue is mainly with drawing air through.

If you need to work up from a very low pressure it means the reed is prone to choking, so the opening needs to be a bit larger. And if there is a bit of a squeaky sound at first the reed tip may not be perfectly centered over the hole it has to go through. When the issue is mainly on pull it means the inside reed is the one that needs opening up a bit (by pushing it down *gently* from somewhere in the center). You need to be gentle to not bend the reed and you need to check that as you push the tip isn't touching the back wall of the resonance chamber as then you are even more at risk of bending the reed.