d.elliott

Theo, I would not do any of this even on the most recalcitrant of big reed valves, but I have turned green wood and made simple furniture, it is actually quite difficult, hence the artfull bodger??

Thanks Alex, yes the clamp is the bar that clamps the reed tongue into the frame at the widest part of the reed frame or shoe. If you look at a reed assembly there is a vent or slot that runs under the reed tongue allowing it to vibrate freely (free reed) at each end of the vent the shoe is solid and any sideways compression cannot squeeze the reed frame into the path of the reed tongue. Any shims are place between the flank of the reed frame and the edge of the slot, but on the 'strong areas' of the reed frame. Some times I glue a strip of paper full length and than cut out the bit parallel with the vent, some times it just needs a bit of paper at the clamp end, some times I use a bit of thick wood shaving and re-cut the reedpan slot side. Often you will see that a reed pan slot has been eased in manufacture, particularly on bigger reeds, where on first set up the pressure on the reed frame caused a problem Dave

I think that fag papers are too hard for this short of shimming, I just use normal printing paper with the wood side face soaked in Gum Arabic. I usually ship as close to the reed clamp as possible and then at the toe of the reed frame, on the flank but not encroaching too much along the length taken up by the vent Dave

Yep Gum Arabic, I also add a few grains of wine stabiliser, or fermentation stopper (home brew types will understand) it allows the gum to hold in its jar without scum forming, for ever! I also use gum for fitting valves, and the gasket around the inside of the bellows frames, as well as fixing bellows papers, indeed most non permanent tasks Dave

I have had two or three concertinas with doctored valves in this way, plus one recently with only say 25% of the low end valves 'helped' in this manner. I have also seen some of the accordion reeded instruments also decked out with accordion valves, which sort of sounds not unreasonable. On big reed instruments I have seen matched valves glued together 'fluffy' side to 'fluffy' side, others with two, even three valves glued together in a stepped arrangement, my own baritone was fitted with valves cut from a tyre inner tube. Nothing would surprise me when it comes to valves and the tricks some people get up to/

I too have known Murray for a long time, when he first joined the music room. I have always respected him and have sent people to him on the quest for thier next concertinas

I had long discussions with Doug at BB, he will advise, sell you tools that don't require de-waxing etc. I seem to remember he had a video clip too. Talk to Doug, or email him at the BB

If the instrument has been sat, un-played for 20 odd years, the valves will have probably hardened and if it was stored in a box/ bag that stood the instalment with the bellows axis vertical then some of the valves will have probably curled as well as hardened, I would look at a full re- valve as a matter of principle. Dave

agreed, completely agreed

Sometimes it's a bit like tuning baking foil, especially on piccolo concertinas

I am not aware of anyone making or selling these caps, I would suggest you make some wooden bits just to get you going. Delrin/ Nylon I don't think will glue very well.

You will spot that the reeds are clamped into place so that reeds were removable for ease of maintenance. At the time the may fair was being developed virtually all concertinas had access to reeds on bellows pull and push, the waxed construction does not permit this. The extended chamois on chamber walls and indeed the extra chambers would indicate that the jigging was probably intended to be versatile, different numbers of keys & layouts etc. Dave

Might also be a good idea to check the tuning on the upper notes. I have repeatedly found that when instruments were re-pitched from old to modern concert pitch, some tuners either ignored the upper octave or so or only rough tuned them. They can sound really odd and would make life difficult for you.

If corners are collapsed/ collapsing then please check the condition of the inner bellows hinges, if they are split you may have a bigger problem. If they are repaired then you have an explanation, split hinges are easy to repair, but to consequential damage may be less so.

could be a basic leather baffle would do the job, but probably at the cost of the projection from all the other reeds. I would try the following: move the reed to a different position to see if the harshness migrates (as suggested above) if the tone moves with the reed, check the reed set or replace the reed. if the problem is the location then check the the length of the chamber, try fitting a temporary chamber end stop, to shorten the chamber, or removing the end stop and fitting another on a bit further from the reed tip