Hi

Got a problem developing which I'm sure you chaps will know how to resolve. It probably only happens once in ten tunes but I don't want to damage my concertina by ignoring it.

One of my keys sticks intermitently but in an unusual way. Basically playing a tune and this key works fine, then you press it and it depresses as normal, but no sound is made unless you squeeze the bellows with more pressure. The note does not then sound clean, but has a kind of bag pipe quality. After it has "freed" you can then continue playing the tune and the note will not stick. I have never had this problem on any other note, and have not had this problem on the same key on the pull. I'm sure this has nothing to do with it but the note is E on the push on the C row (left hand).

I first noticed this in a tune littered with triplets and thought it was my fingers tiring - but it is definitely a physical issue with the concertina.

BTW it is a 1997 Andrew Norman 30 Key C/G Anglo.

thanks in advance,

Peter

Sounds as if the valve (little leather flap) for the reed in question gets sucked into the little slotted hole that it's supposed to cover. Like a rag shoved into a hole, it gets stuck, but enough pressure from the other side can blow it free.

It must get sucked in when you play the same button in the opposite direction, though not necessarily every time. I'd guess that it's more likely to happen if you play the two in quick succession while holding the button down, but I don't know that for sure. The solution is almost certainly a new valve, though temporary relief might be had by "curling" the leather away from the slot or by respostioning it slightly.

(I think this Topic is another candidate for the Construction and Repair subForum, by the way.)