Save the threatened Harmonéon! (from moldy smell)

[AccordionUprising]

'Ware the proverbial, "Great deal, but..." I got the harmonéon we talked about on here a bit ago. Thanks for the help and advice getting it.

Not a scam (thank goodness) sold by a person who loved it in their childhood, but it has issues. I think it's salvageable, but has a bit of that moldy smell . Nothing is perfect, for 1/3 the price others are asking. If a bit of effort saves it, it's worth it to me. Better than seeing such an unusual instrument go to waste.

So, my "Save the Harmonéon" campaign begins.

I saw @JIM D.'s advice on this classic "smelly accordion" thread, to use a 50/50 vinegar/rubbing-alcohol mix and (careful not to damage the bellows etc) clean the whole thing.

Over on Reddit somebody recommended against cleaning with alcohol because it might damage the celluloid parts? So maybe I'll only use it on the interior. They suggested alternating vinegar and hydrogen peroxide rather than the alcohol. But a warning: Don't Mix the Vinegar and H2O2. (I'm barely smart enough to have looked that up before I tried it.)

I'm thinking I'll try alternating cleaning the insides with the alcohol/vinegar mix, and drying before using the H2O2. Repeating a few times With lots of airing with fans blowing over them. If I had UV light equipment I'd try that too.

Any further advice is welcome. It's a pretty cool instrument. No bellows-locking strap . But very well-sealed bellows, so it almost holds itself together? Never seen that before. It's a smaller instrument so maybe a bare bones model. Does anybody regularly leave off bellows fasteners?

Also, the lower shoulder-strap bracket is attached on the belly-side, rather than the bottom. Is that a common feature anywhere? Seems less stable, and gouges into your belly, doesn't it? I might want to move that to the bottom. Are these common features on French accordions? I've only ever dealt with Italian, German, and a few Russian designs and am aware the French have unique designs.

Continuing a pleasant adventure! Someday I can start considering actually learning to play the thing.

 

[Tom]

Actually learning to play the thing will reduce the odor . Congratulations! Seriously, try the things you're doing, play the heck out of it and leave it out in the wind and sun as much as possible. Throw away the case.

 

[godgi]

The business of the shoulder strap on the bottom mounted on back instead of the bottom I have come across this. My only issue is that the strap can tend to twist at the bottom
and scratch the paintwork. I would not relocate it personally as it's part of the design. I think Gianluca pica sells a leather fitting to help this stop happening. A kind of flat piece of leather that u insert the strap through. You could perhaps make up something similar.
godgie

 

[Dingo40]

AU,
Congratulations on your new acquisition
I would suggest you simply allow the disassembled instrument to air in a well ventilated, warm, dry space: do not moisten any cardboard/wooden bits. These can be brushed with a clean house-painting brush. Results will be gradual and take time, but it will happen!
Celluloid is waterproof: wipe ( not soak) with dampened soft cloth using water only. Additives only add to the "bouquet".
The lower strap anchor position will be just fine (I have a 41/120 four voice Scandalli like that: not an issue!)
The case too will (eventually) respond to airing, but here you can also try leaving an uncovered sardine-tin full of sodium bicarbonate (baking section of supermarket) shut up inside for two or three weeks: that should do the trick! Just don't spill it by accident!

 

[godgi]

The Reed quality on the Maugein should be excellent a mano I suspect really good response at high end really lively.. I have an Export model and it's lively but French sounding. If u want some free base scale fingering I might have some. It's easy peasy just always make sure u have a finger to play the next note!
Godgi

 

[Ventura]

while Oxygen is one of natures best natural disinfectants
(because free O2 is very reactive, combining and oxidizing and killing bacteria etc.)
but H2O2 is still vastly just water... water and wood and paper and old
strips of leather do not get along well at all

there are better ways to deliver free oxygen to a surface

meanwhile, it takes a strong Acetone to mess with your celluloid / cellulose surface,
alcohol dampened on a clean rag will just clean it and evaporate quickly so don't worry
( and use 70% or better spec alcohol... look at the label ) and the added vinegar does help

the belly mount lower bracket was common on lighter weight student and smaller scale boxes

 

[Dingo40]

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a strong bleaching agent: I wouldn't advise using it unless you're willing to put up with bleached patches of colour!

 

[AccordionUprising]

Good advice as expected, thanks!

The range on this is quite something, 52 notes I think? It goes really really high, and they balance well with the deep lower left hand that goes an octave lower. The instrument does sound "French" somehow, even without any kind of musette. A significantly brighter sound than my similarly-sized Giulietti CBA. Interesting to compare the two.