billyboy

Thanks for the response. so if a 'long reed' are slower to sound their pitch, then does that mean they can be made to sound slightly flat (when using a bit less bellows pressure) and perhaps make a more legato sound?

Hi - i noticed on the Dipper concertina website that they talk about 'long scale reeds'. Does anyone know the what/why of this? thanks, bill

Hi - i have not combined AC with a PA, since i am a beginner at PA. but i have combined AC with my mandolin and guitar. quite fun. Also i'm trying an AC with a baritone AC.

i agree on the 'no mirror'. i find that my left hand has a tendency to drift up the strap, so to speak, so i loose my position. something i need to work on. gluing in a rhinestone is a novel idea, but i think i'll fight thru it for now. but thanks for the idea.

Hi - well, i went ahead with a new Hohner Bravo 72. it sounds great (to this beginner PA player). it a little bigger and heavier than i thought it would be. i am still figuring out how to see the bass buttons. speaking of which, the "C" button of the fundamental bass row is slightly concave, but my guitar callous fingers can't really feel it. so i am fingering blind so to speak. any ideas on how i can either see the bass buttons or put something on the "C" button so i can feel it? thanks, Bill

Wow - great input from everyone, thanks! i am looking at the Hohner PA as my 'first' PA. Assuming i progress as i did on the AC, then i would upgrade from the Hohner to something else. My AC path was a Buttonbox 'ceili', then an Edgely 'professional', finally a Suttner A2-32. All were/are absolutely great for the what i needed. for a PA, they all seem to advertise/emphasize on how many bass buttons. But doesn't how many treble keys a PA have as equal or even more important? or am i not seeing something? Bill

Hi - again, thanks for the responses. JimmyG - much thanks for the pic of the bass range. It really helps clarify things. I am investigating a CBA but a PA seems simpler (as i play a little bit of piano). I was looking at the boxes on ButtonBox - the "Hohner Bravo III 72" in particular. Bill.

Hi - thanks so much for your replies. i am a long time AC player of irish trad. Recently got a Saltarelle B/C button accord. Also diatonic, it's a great sound and works for nicely irish trad. But now i want to expand into non-trad music like waltzes, mazurkas, etc. in different keys. it seems better to get a PA for the different keys instead of looking for a BA that can accommodate many different keys. but i am still a beginner in the accordian world so maybe i am not seeing something. and, yes, also wondering if the 'change in bellows' between AC and PA would be a proble

Hi - anyone out there that play both anglo concertina AND piano accordian? If so, is it hard to get used to the difference in when to push/pull the bellows? thanks, bill

Mike - woohoo! that seemed to help a lot. my suttner has square reed chambers and the chamois gasket is pretty thin, so i just used the edge of my fingernail as i was afraid of messing something up. curiously, the chamois fabric around the hex outside edge is even thinner and more narrow for some reason. But your suggestion worked so thank you so much! Bill

Hi, i have a Suttner A2-32. i have recently noticed that air seems to be leaking from where the pad board meets the bellows. Sorry if my nomenclature isn't correct. I had to take the action box and pad board off about a year ago to look at a muffled reed. What is the best way to stop this air leak? Thanks, Bill

hi, you are likely correct about the muffling not being dust related as it looked very clean inside. i have not checked the valves very closely so i will look at those. i was mostly thinking it was a reed thing. bill

Hi - i used a can of compressed air and very gently sprayed the reeds in question. this seemed to do the trick for the reed that did not sound. for the reeds that were muffled, it worked for a bit and the reeds sounded fine. then the dust particles or whatever it was came back. so, i am viewing this as fixed over all, as i now know how to get to the reeds. thanks everyone so much for the input and help! bill

hi - several things. thanks for everyone chipping in here. i really appreciate it. -- i did get an email returned due to something on his end about an IP address failing to respond. But i will continue sending email. -- this is a metal end concertina. -- i did get the face plate and pad board removed - thanks the Lawrence R's suggestion. so i can see the reeds. -- to clarify, there are 2 buttons on left hand that sound muffled or like something is causing them to not vibrate freely. one button is on pull an the button next to it is on the push. also, there is one b

I cannot see the reed pan. i remove the 6 screws but the face plate still seem attached. the pad box does come loose. In the middle of the face plate there are several other screws, do any of these need to be removed? Also, i live in Milwaukee, WI.