Use it or lose it

[artelagro]

I have now gone for the best part of two years without playing my box and yesterday, when I saw the post with the Swedish ‘Boggie Woggie’ clip, I was tempted to try again. R’n’R beat is all repetitive bass work, so ideal to get that left hand working. Pretty good (considering), and now to add the right hand. This is where it went downhill – six white keys and a couple of black keys stuck in their ‘open’ position. Nothing else for it but to strip, clean and reassemble the treble side. I will also have a look inside and check the reeds. Fortunately the bass end appears to be trouble free.


The accordion is two voice with double cassotto. It is 9 or 10 years since its last service and it has been stored at floor level with one of these plastic covers each time my practice session ended. There is only minimal heating in the bedroom except in the coldest parts of the year and the concrete floor probably didn’t help either.

When the first axle rod was fully withdrawn, all the black keys should have sprung out – this didn’t happen. The second axle rod released the white keys that weren’t as sticky so I reckon it was caught just in time. The keys had all been numbered in the Borsini factory so now it was over to me to fully clean them, clear the locating slots with a vacuum cleaner and toothbrush then reassemble, checking each one before moving on to the next. I stopped for a coffee when I saw the finishing post with only five keys to go. This is usually the time mistakes are made.


Well, that’s it all back together and no extra parts, but have I got the pech to play it?

Ca canny
Garth

 

[TomBR]

Good man Garth! Thanks for telling the tale, with photos too. Hope you'll be in good playing form very soon.
Cheers
Tom

 

[JerryPH]

Wow! good job! That's a good looking accordion too, now start playing it a little more!

 

[artelagro]

It happened again - One of the piano keys started playing silly beggars again. I was quite methodical when I stripped/cleaned it a couple of days ago and am not convinced that I would improve matters by repeating.
Aberdeenshire has had its wettest spring/summer in recent times and this is probably the main cause. However, today saw some real blue skies and sunshine so I opted to take it outside for the first time for an airing. The offending key decided to behave but the big difference I found was the tone from my box - It (the tone, not the playing) sounded much fuller than I could remember. Has anyone else noticed this from their box?
Garth

 

[JerryPH]

On my acoustic boxes, the sound in warmer temps does seem to make the accordion a bit happier and it shows it by sounding just as you say, a bit "fuller", but it is really, really subtle, at least in my case on my accordions.

 

[Soulsaver]

Good work, Garth. :tup: and nice box.. How long have you had that?

PS I see the chucks are doing a good job, too?

 

[artelagro]

Thanks boys, that's been my main box for the best part of 10 years now. A £200 Ebay purchase from a London charity shop - I think I landed lucky.
Fraid the vet sent one of the girls to the great chicken coop in the sky last Friday, but the other two are still producing the goods.
Ca canny
Garth

 

[artelagro]

The end of the (this) road.
'Fraid the revival just didn't happen and I felt more and more guilty each time I passed it without playing. I sent a text to my old music teacher asking if she could find a home for all the gear. I felt this would be a better move than putting it into a charity shop where it may have been picked up by someone who wouldn't appreciate the quality of the box. Sounds snobbish, I know, but I did give it a fair bit of thought. However, the next day, I dropped off the accordion with its case, gig bag, cover, music stand with LED lighting (remember that one?), piano stool and all my music books, metronome and accessories. There is now a big empty space in the bedroom.
I still have the Atlantic lV which is about the 98% state of finish and the two little 'Child Prodigy' boxes which will all be found new homes when complete, but I see these as mechanical, not musical, repair projects. A new, at this stage unknown, hobby will appear but I need to completely clear the decks first because when I get overloaded everything goes at a snail's pace (or even backwards).
I haven't been following the forum for a couple of years now and trust you are all going from strength to strength. I hope I have contributed something to it and not stood on too many toes throughout the years. I may catch up with some of you again on the fishing, or gardening, or whatever forum the path takes me but in the meantime :-
Ca canny everyone
Garth

 

[maugein96]

Hi Garth,

I suppose I'm probably not far off emptying the house of accordions myself. I nearly did it earlier this year, but got a second wind, if you like.

I often go for a long time without playing much at times, and when I start up again it is like starting all over. I'm only 65 but sometimes feel I no longer have what it takes to coax a decent tune out of a box.

Hope you find another suitable hobby to while the hours away. If you're still into music would a keyboard not be an idea? You don't have to strap it on. You did mention you were having a wee issue with the auld memory, and if that is the reason why you've given up then I'm very sorry to hear that.

I used to be a keen gardener, but we moved to a house with a corner plot over 20 years ago, and you get no peace to enjoy it. Never tried the fishing, as I never had the time, or the patience.

Anyway, look after yourself, and grow old(er) gracefully.

Cheers,

John Walker

 

[JerryPH]

In my heart, I hope this day never happens, and I kind of doubt I ever will, knowing myself, but just because you don't have any more accordions does not mean that you cannot come back and do a little keyboard chin-wagging with us!