Can I use a set of b\c melodeon reeds in a concertina layout

[Matthew o Casey]

I have the reeds from a hohner black dot double ray, is it possible to use these to create a different layout for a concertina ( Anglo) 30 button , please forgive my ignorance. I would like to build my own . 

Any help would be most grateful. 

 

thank you 

[Pistachio Dreamer]

Hi Matthew,

 

You could certainly use most of the C row, but after that things get difficult. A few of the B row reeds work in the accidental row, beyond that you will either need to find other reeds (a single G-row hohner perhaps?) and/or retune reeds that are closest to where you want them to be. You can also use the bass harmonising reeds to help, though sometimes these are made in a way that they speak a little quieter than the RH reed blocks.

 

As an example, you will need to repurpose a reed for the bottom C/G reed of the concertina, which doesn't turn up on a melodeon.  I do this in one of two ways. For a short scale application I find a reed tuned to upper G, and drop one side using solder to the C. If I want a long scale instrument with a powerful sound, I find a weighted base reed at the lower C and remove the weight on one side to get up to the G.

 

Good luck with your experiments!

Paul.

[Stephen Chambers]

2 hours ago, Pistachio Dreamer said:

... you will either need to find other reeds (a single G-row hohner perhaps?)

 

You'd need the G-row reeds of D/G Hohner to get them in the right octave, or the piccolo reeds of a 4-stop melodeon - both single-row G, and 2-row G/C, button boxes are pitched an octave too low.

[Matthew o Casey]

4 hours ago, Pistachio Dreamer said:

Hi Matthew,

 

You could certainly use most of the C row, but after that things get difficult. A few of the B row reeds work in the accidental row, beyond that you will either need to find other reeds (a single G-row hohner perhaps?) and/or retune reeds that are closest to where you want them to be. You can also use the bass harmonising reeds to help, though sometimes these are made in a way that they speak a little quieter than the RH reed blocks.

 

As an example, you will need to repurpose a reed for the bottom C/G reed of the concertina, which doesn't turn up on a melodeon.  I do this in one of two ways. For a short scale application I find a reed tuned to upper G, and drop one side using solder to the C. If I want a long scale instrument with a powerful sound, I find a weighted base reed at the lower C and remove the weight on one side to get up to the G.

 

Good luck with your experiments!

Paul.

Thank you Paul 

[Matthew o Casey]

1 hour ago, Stephen Chambers said:

 

You'd need the G-row reeds of D/G Hohner to get them in the right octave, or the piccolo reeds of a 4-stop melodeon - both single-row G, and 2-row G/C, button boxes are pitched an octave too low.

Thank you Stephen