Slow To Speak Reed Norman Concertina

[William]

I recently purchased a Norman Conertina--I really like it--but I I've started having a problem. On row II, the G button (#10) going "in" responds well if played slowly --but if I play it quickly with some force, it chokes up----mostly no sound at all, other times the sound becomes barely audible as the concertina is near fully compressed.

 

The leather valves at the G/A button look OK. The pad covering the air hole is fine, that is it lifts as high as the other pads and there doesn't appear to be any leakage. I've taken a dollar bill and gone through the G/A reeds--they seem clean. (They're brand new) I even got a can of compressed air and blew out the reeds. Still, after taking it apart a half dozen or more times trying to fix the darn thing, I can't. There's no air leakage, no wheezing or other extraneous sounds. All other buttons, in either direction are just fine.

 

I'm trying to save myself the trouble of shipping it back to the store of purchase for repairs or a replacement.

 

Any ideas? I sure would appreciate any input.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Bill

[d.elliott]

The main symptoms are: a reed that is slow to speak, and stalls when put under pressure, such as when you want to play louder?

 

I would suggest that you have a look at the 'set' of the reed tongue with espect to the reed frame. Reeds are made so that the tip of the reed tongue has a gap between its underside and the top surface of the reed frame or carrier. If the gap is too big then the reed is slow and breathy, too narrow then it can be quick and muted, or it can have a tendency to stall, making it slow and erratic.

 

I recommend that you compare the gap on the offending reed with others of the same general size in the instrument. The gap probably is too small. the picture attached might help

 

Dave