Can't press the button

[chansherly212]

Hi all, nice to meet everyone (again after a long absence). Just got my Vintage C/G Anglo from the Irish concertina Company (vintage is just the model name, it is new)

My E/F key is getting stuck/locked sometimes, meaning that it cannot be pressed and correspondingly, no sound comes out.

 

It feels like the button itself sometimes catches on something, I'm not sure what, preventing it from going down. I don't think the problem is coming from the lever or pad, at least not directly. 

 

I notice that whenever the problem occurs, the E/F key is very slightly at an angle and sits very slightly higher than other keys, whereas other keys are straight and a hair lower. I'm not sure, does it mean the button is misaligned to the hole somehow? what may I do to fix it?

 

PS Most posts here seem to be about notes sounding when not pressed, or notes not sounding when pressed, which is different from my issue. If someone can lead me to a post with a locked button, it'd be great too.

[DaveRo]

I had this problem with my secondhand (5yo) Concertina Connection Peacock. The plastic buttons have a narrower section - a 'pin' - at the bottom which sits in a hole in the wood and keeps the button upright. One button was higher so the pin came out of the hole, the button fell sideways slightly, and wouldn't push down.

 

I emailed CC and Wim said to bend the lever slightly so the button end is lower. I did that, very hesitantly, with two pairs of pliers. It's better now, but that button is still slightly high and jams very occasionally.

 

If yours is new I'd get the seller to fix it.

[chansherly212]

😟bending levers.. not sure I can stomach that for now. Issue is occasional enough for the moment. if it gets worse I may contemplate taking things into my own hands or risk international shipping again (theres 10,000 km between kuala lumpur and dublin!)

[Mike Acott]

You will find that renewing the pad will rectify this problem in nearly all cases but also check the post in the action board is still fitted properly and is not lifting out of the wood

Mike

[AndyNT]

If it is reasonably new, I'd speak to Irish Concertina Company. They should be best able to advise as they made it.

[chansherly212]

Happy to report that Sean has sent me a replacement action board and everything's working brilliantly now! Really enjoying this instrument

[fred v]

I made 2 little bars with slots across them so I could bend the levers. I adjust the height of all the buttons to make them equal height. Makes a big difference. also adjust the felt washers on the bottom pin to make the buttons all push down the same. Lastly adjust the springs to have the same weight of push.

[DaveRo]

You make it sound easy. On my CC Peacock the levers are brass strips and I found them very hard to bend.

[gcoover]

From personal experience, on rare occasions it can be due to the lever post coming up ever so slightly and allowing the button pin to slip out of the receiving hole, so pushing the post back in can solve the problem without having to bend any levers.

 

Gary

[papawemba]

Irish concertina Company is quite enigmatic, they seem to produce great concertinas (I tried the Clare and liked it) but can’t find one vid on youtube with someone playing one of their concertina !

And it never show up on sale here…So they must be keeper.

Please let us know what you think about your Vintage !

 

Best

Nicolas

[Peter Laban]

22 hours ago, papawemba said:

can’t find one vid on youtube with someone playing one of their concertina!

You could try their website's  video page.

[papawemba]

5 hours ago, Peter Laban said:

You could try their website's  video page.

Thank you Peter...of course :-) but those are demo vids in shop (publicity)...I am talking about people who actually bought the concertina.

Nicolas