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Showing results for tags 'Lachenal layout non-standard'.
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A few weeks ago I acquired a 20-button C/G Lachenal, 'mahogany' ends, 5-fold bellows, right-hand handrest stamped with the Lachenal trademark leading me to think it has brass reeds, serial number indicating a date some time in the 1920s(?). It was in an 'unplayable' condition with at least two reeds not sounding, and one or two others badly 'out of tune'. All this on the left-hand end. Basically, the instrument needed some TLC Today, I decided it was time I had a look at it, and I had the left hand end off (yes, the reeds are brass) and gave all reeds a 'tweak', and pressed one reed frame home into its seating, with the result that all the reeds now sound. As a consequence of this, I realised that the reeds are not out of tune, but that the layout of the C-row is (push/pull): 5 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 5 C/G G/B C/E♭ E/F A/B♭ C/B E/D G/F C/A E/B Left Hand C-Row Right Hand Instead of the more usual: 5 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 5 C/G G/B C/D E/F G/A C/B E/D G/F C/A E/B Left Hand C-Row Right Hand The 3 and 1 buttons are 'non-standard'. The G-row is laid out as I would have expected... Is this common? Is there a good reason to lay the notes out like this? The only reason I can think of is that doing this gives a little flexibility by making a couple of accidentals available. Are Eb and Bb particularly desirable 'extra' notes to have on a 20-button C/G instrument? I can see that these notes make the keys of F and Bb available, but only in the one octave - is it 'worth it' - or am I missing something blindingly obvious? Thanks. Roger