castiglione piano accordion reed repair

[SeanF]

We just bought a used accordion for our son and he and I need to repair the reeds (we REALLY don't want to pay for the repair as it is extensive).  It is a 41 key Castiglione piano accordion, and almost all of the treble reeds have fallen off (the Bass reeds seem to be good).  

The Reeds themselves look okay and we want to try and Beeswax them back on ourselves as a father son project project.  The problem:  Which reeds go where?  He is very musical and with his tuner he has found out the note for each reed.  

The treble side has 4 switches, 2 marked "Master" (on of each end of the switches), 1 marked Violin, and 1 marked Bassa.   

Is there a way to figure out where we should put each reed?  

I'm afraid this repair could cost us more than the accordion is worth and it doesn't look difficult to actually attached the reeds....

 

Thanks for any help!

 

Sean

[Lester Bailey]

Whatever happens do not use beeswax, it will run everywhere and make a mess. You need proper reed wax.

http://www.cgmmusical.co.uk/CGM_Musical_Services/Reed_Wax_Nails.html#1

[Wolf Molkentin]

Based upon the register inscriptions my guess would be that it‘s an octave-tuned instrument with just two sets of reeds, probably organised in two separate reed blocks. You would then have to assemble two sets of 41 reed pairs, with the second  starting an octave higher (violin) than then first (bass) does. Find out which reedblock is for the lower voice by setting the switches to „bass“ and watch where the windways have been opened (and possibly larger spaces for the reed plates too).

 

Good luck with your project - ?

[Devils' Dream]

Sean: Not sure why you have bought this piece of junk project box, but in the condition it's in you might only be at the beginning of a long road of problems you don't know you have (i.e. pads, valves, springs. bellows, etc.) Maybe you got this for free.  Or you LOVE to tinker.

But if you and/or son actually plan on learning to play, you can find learner piano accordions ready to play nearly for the price of decent wax!

And since you are here on concertina.net, why are you wanting to learn to fix/play this monstrosity anyway !!!!!  

CGM is the best, but if you are in the States, there are wax and parts suppliers here too.   Sometimes with shipping/exchange, CGM still has a better price and selection, don't know how he does it.

 

[SeanF]

Thanks everyone for your help!  We have Reed wax on the way so hopefully we can work on it this weekend!  I'll let you know how it goes. Maybe this will convince him to switch to a concertina :).

[Robin Harrison]

Quote

 Maybe this will convince him to switch to a concertina :).

      But maybe not.............piano accordions, like all free reed instruments,  are great and might get him interested enough in to the extent that he wants to spend 150-250 pounds on a 2nd hand but excellent one. There are loads of them around; just do a eBay search......( not a really popular instrument just now) 

  Worth making the point again that if your son has a gift for music ( but even if he doesn't ), trying to learn on a clunker is tough sleddin'.

                         Now if you only lived in Ontario, I  have one he can have for  free.................you can come and collect if you like ! Stay over .

Cheers

Robin.....................

[Devils' Dream]

Robins point should be well taken: PA's are cheap as dirt, especially lower end ones, and learning on clunkers is no fun.