danp76
Active member
Did factories ever apply scratches to reeds for tuning? If so, was this always done on the backside of the reed? I have an Excelsior with scratches on the reeds and the previous owner said that it hasn't been tuned.
Reed tuning question
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Some manufacturers scratch the backside of the reed to keep the shiny outside untouched. But it is quite common to have marks from files or scratchers on the outside of reeds in a brand new accordion.
As a factory does pre-tuning of reeds (before they go on the reed block) and that can all be done on the invisible side of the reeds the only scratch or file marks you see are those of the final tuning. The better the factory gets at the pre-tuning (making more of the same model of accordions allows to get better and better at the pre-tuning) the less work they still need to do in tuning inside the finished instruments.
As a factory does pre-tuning of reeds (before they go on the reed block) and that can all be done on the invisible side of the reeds the only scratch or file marks you see are those of the final tuning. The better the factory gets at the pre-tuning (making more of the same model of accordions allows to get better and better at the pre-tuning) the less work they still need to do in tuning inside the finished instruments.
danp76
Active member
Hard to say. When tuning marks of clearly different types are present then you know different tuners have worked on the accordion. I see only one type of mark in these pictures. When an accordion is well maintained then it will have tuning marks from tuning every few (3 to 5) years or so. But some people use their accordion for 30+ years and no matter how bad it sounds they still think it is fine and is not out of tune...
Dingo40
Been here for ages!
That sounds like me, Paul: 30+ years without re-tuning (other than spot-tuning the odd reed).
Well, it's good that many people do not get their accordions serviced regularly because if everyone did there would be a serious shortage or accordion repairers.That sounds like me, Paul: 30+ years without re-tuning (other than spot-tuning the odd reed).
danp76
Active member
What makes the reeds go out of tune? I can see how leathers and wax can fail, but what fails on the reeds?
Dingo40
Been here for ages!
As I see it, the reeds, in use, undergo an amazing amount of flexing at hundreds of times per second. With time, metal fatigue sets in and work hardening (eventually a crack) sets in causing a change of pitch: the greater the use, the faster the effect.
I would imagine this process to be accelerated at the sites of tuning scratches near the rivet end of the reeds.
Other factors: pollutants in the air being drawn past the reeds adhering to the reed surface, eg dust, smog, fibres (and, historically, tobacco smoke tar), and rust causing moisture.
Just my musings
I would imagine this process to be accelerated at the sites of tuning scratches near the rivet end of the reeds.
Other factors: pollutants in the air being drawn past the reeds adhering to the reed surface, eg dust, smog, fibres (and, historically, tobacco smoke tar), and rust causing moisture.
Just my musings
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There’s a cool video somewhere showing the inside of an accordion that is being played. It’s absolutely amazing how much vibrating the reeds actually do, and leathers flying open and closing. It’s a lot over time so that’s the change in tuning I’m guessing too, like dingo40 said.
How’s the sound of those reeds in the excelsior symphony?
How’s the sound of those reeds in the excelsior symphony?
Dingo40
Been here for ages!
Paul said:
...there would be a serious shortage of accordion repairers.
Something like what we already experience now, Paul?
...there would be a serious shortage of accordion repairers.
Something like what we already experience now, Paul?
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Seems like if there were more demand, there would be more people able to get into it..... I guess it's like accordion playing in general, if it were easy, everyone would do it.Paul said:
...there would be a serious shortage of accordion repairers.
Something like what we already experience now, Paul?
It largely depends on where you are whether there is a shortage of accordion repairers or not.Paul said:
...there would be a serious shortage of accordion repairers.
Something like what we already experience now, Paul?
But in places where there are enough repairers there are mostly two kinds: the ones who butcher accordions and the ones who get to fix what the others have done wrong. Sadly the former category is larger than the latter...
Here is a quick example of what I got in this week: reed plates held in place with all-purpose glue instead of wax.
Here another example: reed tip bent upwards.
In the first picture you can also notice that some former repairer found it necessary to scratch (roman) numbers into the reed plates in order to remember in which order they should go on the reed plate...
There is more demand, but there are not enough people with the right skillset. Doing repairs in the proper way and doing accurate tuning... it's a skill that requires a long time (and good ears) to master. There are too many bozos wanting to make a quick buck and delivering shitty work, doing more harm than good to the accordions.
danp76
Active member
When the wax gets a dark color, does that indicate it’s nearing failure?
Wow, it’s like Software Engineering: they get paid to put the bugs in the code, then later on they get paid to take them out!
A definite case for a National Apprenticeship training in musical instrument maintenance. The UK is starting to get better at apprenticeships again but there are a couple of missing generations.
Dingo40
Been here for ages!
Scuromondo,
"Wow, it’s like Software Engineering: they get paid to put the bugs in the code, then later on they get paid to take them out!"
This reminds me of when I worked in the office of a section of our national department for posts and telegraphs which also included the telephone system.
The pay system for telecommunications technicians had the provision that a casual callout to fix a fault out of normal hours would net the technician a minimum two-hour's pay no matter how short the time actually taken,
So, the technicians took to inserting a toothbrush handle in a Siemens rotary connecting switch in the telephone exchange, at random, when going off duty.
Sometime during the night, when a caller tried to access the number affected, the toothbrush would jam the switch, blocking the number and triggering the alarm to call out the technician who would go straight to the problem, remove the offending toothbrush and collect two hour's pay for very little effort!
Where there's a will, there's a way!
"Wow, it’s like Software Engineering: they get paid to put the bugs in the code, then later on they get paid to take them out!"
This reminds me of when I worked in the office of a section of our national department for posts and telegraphs which also included the telephone system.
The pay system for telecommunications technicians had the provision that a casual callout to fix a fault out of normal hours would net the technician a minimum two-hour's pay no matter how short the time actually taken,
So, the technicians took to inserting a toothbrush handle in a Siemens rotary connecting switch in the telephone exchange, at random, when going off duty.
Sometime during the night, when a caller tried to access the number affected, the toothbrush would jam the switch, blocking the number and triggering the alarm to call out the technician who would go straight to the problem, remove the offending toothbrush and collect two hour's pay for very little effort!
Where there's a will, there's a way!
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Scuromondo,
"Wow, it’s like Software Engineering: they get paid to put the bugs in the code, then later on they get paid to take them out!"
This reminds me of when I worked in the office of a section of our national department for posts and telegraphs which also included the telephone system.
The pay system for telecommunications technicians had the provision that a casual callout to fix a fault out of normal hours would net the technician a minimum two-hour's pay no matter how short the time actually taken,
So, the technicians took to inserting a toothbrush handle in a Siemens rotary connecting switch in the telephone exchange, at random, when going off duty.
Sometime during the night, when a caller tried to access the number affected, the toothbrush would jam the switch, blocking the number and triggering the alarm to call out the technician who would go straight to the problem, remove the offending toothbrush and collect two hour's pay for very little effort!
Where there's a will, there's a way!
The backbone of Australian society - the spivs and charlatan decendents of the profiteers, the exploiters, genocidal politicians and policemen, and the scum of British society who got a free passage amongst the transportees sent by the "justice" system.
The mantra "close enough is good enough for Government work" still rings loud in my ears 40 years after retiring.
Dingo40
Been here for ages!
Even so, Ffingers, would you live anywhere else?
Here's something to cheer you up:
Here's something to cheer you up
:
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