gavdav Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 I'm just fettling a recently acquired G/D anglo and have some questions for the experts. The box has a left hand G/G drone, which is very useful, but presently seems a little weak. The air hole in the board has a donut of wood around it to decrease the diameter compared to the other buttons, but this seems to be making the air pressure disproportionately high when I give it a good squeeze and the note bends out of tune like an asthmatic cow. Would I be damaging the box irreperably if I removed this donut? The box plays pretty well with the drone "quietly" i.e. low pressure, but struggles as speed and volume are upped. Is this simply a side effect of such a low reed? (this is a traditionally reeded concertina.) Are there any other minor technical issues that could make a reed slow to speak. e.g. sticky valve, (levers are fine) as some of the other notes seem a little slow too and I'd like to bring it all up to speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavdav Posted April 25, 2009 Author Share Posted April 25, 2009 The air hole in the board has a donut of wood around it to decrease the diameter compared to the other buttons, but this seems to be making the air pressure disproportionately high when I give it a good squeeze and the note bends out of tune like an asthmatic cow. Would I be damaging the box irreperably if I removed this donut? Well, apparently not. Being impatient, I just removed this and the drone key is now working fine - I'm now simply puzzled as to why it might have been installed in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Prebble Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 The air hole in the board has a donut of wood around it to decrease the diameter compared to the other buttons, but this seems to be making the air pressure disproportionately high when I give it a good squeeze and the note bends out of tune like an asthmatic cow. Would I be damaging the box irreperably if I removed this donut? Well, apparently not. Being impatient, I just removed this and the drone key is now working fine - I'm now simply puzzled as to why it might have been installed in the first place. Of all the novelty buttons, bells, baby cries and squeakers, the asthmatic cow button is by far the rarest - and you have gone & wrecked it - Vandal!! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Day Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 The air hole in the board has a donut of wood around it to decrease the diameter compared to the other buttons, but this seems to be making the air pressure disproportionately high when I give it a good squeeze and the note bends out of tune like an asthmatic cow. Would I be damaging the box irreperably if I removed this donut? Well, apparently not. Being impatient, I just removed this and the drone key is now working fine - I'm now simply puzzled as to why it might have been installed in the first place. Of all the novelty buttons, bells, baby cries and squeakers, the asthmatic cow button is by far the rarest - and you have gone & wrecked it - Vandal!! Dave OH NO not the Rare Cow Mating call,sadly used once near a herd of buffalo and the poor player got trampled to death. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Levine Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Better than being bred! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavdav Posted April 26, 2009 Author Share Posted April 26, 2009 Of all the novelty buttons, bells, baby cries and squeakers, the asthmatic cow button is by far the rarest - and you have gone & wrecked it - Vandal!! Dave I have carefully preserved it, in anticipation of an upsurge in music hall, and it can be reattached at any time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.elliott Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Of all the novelty buttons, bells, baby cries and squeakers, the asthmatic cow button is by far the rarest - and you have gone & wrecked it - Vandal!! Dave I have carefully preserved it, in anticipation of an upsurge in music hall, and it can be reattached at any time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavdav Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 Ok - so in serious mode. I have a reed (D push on the left hand) which will not speak at all under high/fast pressure, but sounds fine under low pressure I have checked the slot, cleaned the reed, reseated the shoe and it seems to make little difference. Is it just a duff reed? should I have it retongued? Will it make any difference or is this a mechanical/build problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Those are the typical symptoms of a reed that is set too low. It may need to be gently raised by a small amount. Look at other reeds of similar pitch to get an idea of how it should be set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavdav Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 Those are the typical symptoms of a reed that is set too low. It may need to be gently raised by a small amount. Look at other reeds of similar pitch to get an idea of how it should be set. Ok - it seems too low, at first I wondered if it was fouling in the slot, but I don't know how to adjust it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Ok - it seems too low, at first I wondered if it was fouling in the slot, but I don't know how to adjust it. If its fouling the slot you usually hear a buzzing or tinkling sound. To raise the tip of the reed place a thin flat blade/shim etc under the reed and lift it just far enough to bend the reed tongue slightly. Go carefully, a little at a time. Once you have it speaking correctly you will almost certainly have to adjust the tuning too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavdav Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 Ok - it seems too low, at first I wondered if it was fouling in the slot, but I don't know how to adjust it. If its fouling the slot you usually hear a buzzing or tinkling sound. To raise the tip of the reed place a thin flat blade/shim etc under the reed and lift it just far enough to bend the reed tongue slightly. Go carefully, a little at a time. Once you have it speaking correctly you will almost certainly have to adjust the tuning too. It was too low, Dave Elliot very kindly helped sort the stalling reed out and it seems to be playing well! Phew! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 It was too low, Dave Elliot very kindly helped sort the stalling reed out and it seems to be playing well! Phew! I hope you have now bought his book! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.elliott Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 It was too low, Dave Elliot very kindly helped sort the stalling reed out and it seems to be playing well! Phew! I hope you have now bought his book! Nice one Theo, but Gav's Dad actually helped publish edition 1, its a small world Dave E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavdav Posted May 9, 2009 Author Share Posted May 9, 2009 It was too low, Dave Elliot very kindly helped sort the stalling reed out and it seems to be playing well! Phew! I hope you have now bought his book! Nice one Theo, but Gav's Dad actually helped publish edition 1, its a small world Dave E I did buy it, as soon as it was published all those many moons ago, and also recommended it to some US concertina sales persons, way back when Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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