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Got a new cheapie... It draws hard.


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It doesn't sound bad, but is a little hard to play. I'm hoping since it's new, the bellows will loosen up a little.

 

It's very hard to draw, and seems to want to pull against me. Is there anything I can do (besides buying an expensive instrument) that can help this?

 

Thank you,

 

Eric

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I had one of those cheapies but it don't see how it could be done easy. Maybe it will get better while playing, mine didn't). Try it out and get let us know how it went after playing 100.000 (long) tunes.

 

Fitting better bellows results in something that may be compared to a Citroen 2CV with a TGV train engine.

 

If I had to do something like that I would buy a replacement bellows kit with separated cards at www.concertina-spares.com, it is a nice project for Christmas. I suppose that it will cost you more than the whole instrument you have got.

 

But it will keep being a cheapy. Afterwards you could also start a project on enhancing the action and then you could consider to widen the holes under the pads if they are too narrow (I did that for the air release button), and if necessary, fit bigger pads.

 

In the same time you could perhaps have washed 100 cars in the neighbourhood and then you could buy a rochelle for the money you made. :P

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The bellows may not be the problem, or perhaps may be only part of the problem. Reeds and the design of the reed pan are among other factors that affect the responsiveness of the instrument.

 

Ray

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What cheapie you got?

I'm sure I've got biceps after playing mine. lol!

 

It's a Morelli. I did a bit of research and pretty much knew what I was getting into. But seeing them being sold on ebay for $69.00 (US) was just to much for me to pass up. I've watched some youtube videos and it does sound like a real concertina! I'm hoping with use, it will loosen up a little.

 

If I catch on to it well, I will certainly get a better model.

 

Eric

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Try leaving the bellows close to fully open for a day or two. That was a suggestion from Misha/m3838 a while back and it worked well on a new low-end concertina that I owned.

 

Daniel

 

It doesn't sound bad, but is a little hard to play. I'm hoping since it's new, the bellows will loosen up a little.

 

It's very hard to draw, and seems to want to pull against me. Is there anything I can do (besides buying an expensive instrument) that can help this?

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Try leaving the bellows close to fully open for a day or two. That was a suggestion from Misha/m3838 a while back and it worked well on a new low-end concertina that I owned.

 

Daniel

 

I was thinking about putting it on the concertina "rack" (as in Medieval torture device). Hang it up from the strap with a weight on the other end with the air button taped down. lol :ph34r:

 

Eric

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