Anomalous reed sound

[Anglo-Irishman]

Folks,

I am, on the whole, very happy with my wood ended 48-key Lachenal Crane/Truimph. Specifically, I don't seem to be having the problem that others report from duets, namely that the LH accompaniment drowns out the RH melody notes.

 

Except for one RH note, the high G.

 

This concertina has a nice sharp edge to the timbre - not enough to be harsh, just enough to give the sound a "cutting edge". The RH high G, however, lacks this edge. It's perfectly in tune, and not noticeably quieter than its neighbours, and doesn't buzz, gurgle or anything. It would sound nice if the other notes sounded the same - but they don't. So the high G does get drowned out by the accompaniment if I'm not careful.

It's apparently not a problem of one reed, because the press and draw sound the same.

 

So what could it be?

 

A problem with the pad not rising high enough?

The reeds (by chance, both of them) not seated properly in the reed pan?

A pair of different reeds inserted in the course of some earlier overhaul?

...

Any ideas?

 

Cheers,

John

[malcolm clapp]

Folks,

I am, on the whole, very happy with my wood ended 48-key Lachenal Crane/Truimph. Specifically, I don't seem to be having the problem that others report from duets, namely that the LH accompaniment drowns out the RH melody notes.

 

Except for one RH note, the high G.

 

This concertina has a nice sharp edge to the timbre - not enough to be harsh, just enough to give the sound a "cutting edge". The RH high G, however, lacks this edge. It's perfectly in tune, and not noticeably quieter than its neighbours, and doesn't buzz, gurgle or anything. It would sound nice if the other notes sounded the same - but they don't. So the high G does get drowned out by the accompaniment if I'm not careful.

It's apparently not a problem of one reed, because the press and draw sound the same.

 

So what could it be?

 

A problem with the pad not rising high enough?

The reeds (by chance, both of them) not seated properly in the reed pan?

A pair of different reeds inserted in the course of some earlier overhaul?

...

Any ideas?

 

Cheers,

John

 

Could be the valves on these reeds are a little too thick or stiff and therefore not lifting sufficiently?

Or a bad seal at that point between the reedpan and the bellows frame gasket?

Or it could be any of the three problems you have already mentioned.

Or, indeed, any combination of them!

 

Good hunting.

 

MC

[Stephen Chambers]

Could be the valves on these reeds are a little too thick or stiff and therefore not lifting sufficiently?

Seeing that it's the high G, the problem could be simply having a valve on it at all?

[ragtimer]

Folks,

I am, on the whole, very happy with my wood ended 48-key Lachenal Crane/Truimph. Specifically, I don't seem to be having the problem that others report from duets, namely that the LH accompaniment drowns out the RH melody notes.

 

Except for one RH note, the high G.

 

This concertina has a nice sharp edge to the timbre - not enough to be harsh, just enough to give the sound a "cutting edge". The RH high G, however, lacks this edge. It's perfectly in tune, and not noticeably quieter than its neighbours, and doesn't buzz, gurgle or anything. It would sound nice if the other notes sounded the same - but they don't. So the high G does get drowned out by the accompaniment if I'm not careful.

It's apparently not a problem of one reed, because the press and draw sound the same.

 

So what could it be?

Cheers,

John

My guess is that the chamber for that pair of reeds just happens to resonate with the fundamental frequency, or a low harmonic, of that pitch, and is acting as a resonant filter to boost that frequency at the expense of other harmonics of the reed -- the harmonics that give it that reedy bite.

 

Much like when a harmonica player cups his hands around the instrument and makes the tone fuller.

 

To test this theory, can you temporarily switch the hig-G reed(s) ao another place in the reed pan, and see if the timbre changes?

 

If this is the problem, maybe it can be fixed by "stuffing" that reed chamber with some putty or whatever, to change its volume (space) a little. That will shift the resonance off the high-G's harmonics.

--Mike K.