Weighting Reeds

[varney]

Has anybody had much experience with weighting reeds to lower their pitch?

 

I've been restoring two lachenal 30 key anglos which are now playing very well after being overhauled. I've switched my attention to the poor old discarded 20 key Lach which was cannibalised for parts and reeds along the way. As it's for the kids to play away on I've fitted it out with the leftover steel reeds plus some other brass ones from a broken English concertina which I bought for parts.

 

Managed to kit the 20 key out with a full ( hotch potch) set of reeds but am missing a low B. I was wondering if I could try weighting one of the bigger brass reeds from the English to get it down to this note, but I'm not sure if this will work. Rather than ruin any trying I thought I'd float the idea here and see if anyone has done this before? If so, what would be the best reed from an English concertina to use - a low C sharp? Would solder work for this on a brass reed? How do you figure out how much to put on and is it filed to bring the reed to pitch in the usual way?

 

Michael.

[Chris Ghent]

Has anybody had much experience with weighting reeds to lower their pitch?

 

I've been restoring two lachenal 30 key anglos which are now playing very well after being overhauled. I've switched my attention to the poor old discarded 20 key Lach which was cannibalised for parts and reeds along the way. As it's for the kids to play away on I've fitted it out with the leftover steel reeds plus some other brass ones from a broken English concertina which I bought for parts.

 

Managed to kit the 20 key out with a full ( hotch potch) set of reeds but am missing a low B. I was wondering if I could try weighting one of the bigger brass reeds from the English to get it down to this note, but I'm not sure if this will work. Rather than ruin any trying I thought I'd float the idea here and see if anyone has done this before? If so, what would be the best reed from an English concertina to use - a low C sharp? Would solder work for this on a brass reed? How do you figure out how much to put on and is it filed to bring the reed to pitch in the usual way?

 

Michael.

 

I don't think there is any rocket science in reed weighting. In your case I would choose the reed that needed the least modification and put as little lead on it as you can and then file the lead to bring it back up to pitch. Give the area to be soldered a rub with something abrasive first soyou have a clean surface to solder to. Lead weighting is mostly reversible so not too much to worry about.

 

Chris

[Greg Jowaisas]

Has anybody had much experience with weighting reeds to lower their pitch?

 

I've been restoring two lachenal 30 key anglos which are now playing very well after being overhauled. I've switched my attention to the poor old discarded 20 key Lach which was cannibalised for parts and reeds along the way. As it's for the kids to play away on I've fitted it out with the leftover steel reeds plus some other brass ones from a broken English concertina which I bought for parts.

 

Managed to kit the 20 key out with a full ( hotch potch) set of reeds but am missing a low B. I was wondering if I could try weighting one of the bigger brass reeds from the English to get it down to this note, but I'm not sure if this will work. Rather than ruin any trying I thought I'd float the idea here and see if anyone has done this before? If so, what would be the best reed from an English concertina to use - a low C sharp? Would solder work for this on a brass reed? How do you figure out how much to put on and is it filed to bring the reed to pitch in the usual way?

 

Michael.

 

I don't think there is any rocket science in reed weighting. In your case I would choose the reed that needed the least modification and put as little lead on it as you can and then file the lead to bring it back up to pitch. Give the area to be soldered a rub with something abrasive first soyou have a clean surface to solder to. Lead weighting is mostly reversible so not too much to worry about.

 

Chris

 

I like to have a piece of stainless shim under the tongue and a piece of metal on top and behind the tip being soldered. Both pieces of metal serve as a heat sink so the tongue does not get too hot and lose its temper. Best to have everything ready to go and not linger with the soldering iron any longer than is necessary.

 

I'd recommend using lead free solder.

 

Greg

[david fabre]

Hi

Three years ago I asked the same question and got excellent advice from Dana Johnson.

See there :

 

http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5959&st=0&p=55787&hl=weighting%20reeds&fromsearch=1entry55787

 

I did as he specified for two reeds. The change was successful but the reeds were a little bit slower to respond.

Last year My instrument was fully renovated by Colin Dipper who put two new reeds instead.

 

David