Help please. Sudden reed problem.

[Mikefule]

Hi,

 

I have a Marcus Anglo. It has accordion style reeds. It was recently serviced by someone local whom I trust, and he retuned a couple of the reeds too. It has been working well since then. He's very busy and booked weeks ahead so I'd rather not trouble him again if I can avoid it.

 

Yesterday the reed was playing perfectly well.

 

Today, one of the reeds on the "push" has very suddenly started to behave oddly. It went away last night working perfectly and came out this afternoon working badly. It has not been subject to any knocks, spillages or big changes of temperature. It was stored in the closed box, so nothing has got in.

 

The reed in question is still in tune, but sounding very muffled. If I try to play it with a bit more force, it seems to "bend" a slightly flat.

 

Thinking it might be just some dust or a hair or something that's been drawn in, I've tried holding the key down and pumping the bellows a bit. I did notice that if I put sudden pressure on the bellows with no keys down, one reed is sounding very slightly, and I think it's the one in question. If so, I guess that may be some sort of valve problem.

 

I took the end plate off, and the next stage of exploration is two brass screws which appear to be holding a wooden bulkhead in place. Those screws are in pretty tight, and I don't want to try to undo them unless I know what to expect and what to do about it.

 

As I have only the one box, and it's a bass note that I use in almost every tune, the problem feels very urgent!

 

Any advice?

 

Thanks.

Edited February 15, 2009 by Mikefule

[Theo]

It was recently serviced by someone local whom I trust, and he retuned a couple of the reeds too. It has been working well since then. He's very busy and booked weeks ahead so I'd rather not trouble him again if I can avoid it.

 

If I'd done that repair I would be unhappy if you did not bring it back to me for immediate attention! And I'm booked up for months ahead.

[Ptarmigan]

I think Theo is quite correct.

 

You should contact the person who recently serviced it for you.

 

I imagine they would be very upset if you go elsewhere to have this reed looked at.

 

With any luck they will be able to fix the problem, while you wait, so it shouldn't hold them back.

 

Good Luck.

Dick

[Steve_freereeder]

Mike, I had a Marcus anglo up to a couple of years ago when I sold it on. It was a nice concertina. I can confirm it has accordion reeds. In my case the reed plates were held onto the reed pan by screws, the screw heads catching the edge of the aluminium reed plate and holding it down onto a leather gasket.

 

.

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Thinking it might be just some dust or a hair or something that's been drawn in, ...

This sounds a plausible cause of the problem.

 

I've tried holding the key down and pumping the bellows a bit. I did notice that if I put sudden pressure on the bellows with no keys down, one reed is sounding very slightly, and I think it's the one in question. If so, I guess that may be some sort of valve problem.

This sounds as if there is an additional problem, not necessarily related to the first.

 

I took the end plate off, and the next stage of exploration is two brass screws which appear to be holding a wooden bulkhead in place. Those screws are in pretty tight, and I don't want to try to undo them unless I know what to expect and what to do about it.

This doesn't sound quite right. You need to remove the main 6 end bolts in order to remove the entire end from the bellows frame. This will give you access to the reed pan. What you describe sounds as if you has merely removed the metal end plate which gives you access to the action, not the reeds. Or have I misunderstood your description?

[Mikefule]

This doesn't sound quite right. You need to remove the main 6 end bolts in order to remove the entire end from the bellows frame. This will give you access to the reed pan. What you describe sounds as if you has merely removed the metal end plate which gives you access to the action, not the reeds. Or have I misunderstood your description?

 

Thanks.

 

Further cautious exploration revealed that the leather valve had fallen off into the belows.

 

Glued it back on and it's cured both problems. Let's hope the glue holds.

Edited February 16, 2009 by Mikefule