Remounting Reed Plates

[festrunka]

I don't know anything about accordions, but I've always wanted to play and decided I'd try to get a hold of one this summer. I found one on ebay and bid on it, and it looks as if i'm going to win. However, I realized after I bid that the descriptions says seven reed plates have fallen from their mounts and have been retrieved, wrapped in plastic, and placed inside the instrument. Seeing as I can't retract an ebay bid, if I win and want to actually be able to play the instrument, I'll need to fix it first. I can't take it or send it anywhere due to cost, but I have no idea how to actually remount reed plates. If anyone could tell me how, it would be greatly appreciated. I know it involves wax, which I'm about to get, but that's about the extent of my knowledge.

 

Thanks so much for any help!

[TomB-R]

If you are lucky the wax that held these reeds may be still in place and you may be able to just press them back into place then soften/almost-melt the wax with a warmed/not-too-hot knife blade to hold them in place.

 

Being more pessimistic, if some have come loose this may mean that the wax has hardened generally due to age and so others will need doing. If that's the case then age means valves are likely to need replacing too......

 

Concertinas don't use wax and the concertina/accordion worlds tend to be a bit seperate (although there are plenty of people who play both.)

You may get more responses if you ask the question over at melodeon.net and there is a lot of helpful info in previous discussions in the "Construction and repair" forum there.

[Pete Dunk]

First of all the wax isn't just any old wax, it's accordion reed wax so don't go trying to put the reeds back with a lump of plain bees wax.

 

If you give us your rough location you might find that there's someone nearby willing/able to take a look at it for you. If you're anywhere in Kent or East Sussex I'll put the reeds back in for you and give it a general look over while I'm at it.

 

As has already been said, checking in at melodeon.net is a good idea too

 

Pete.

[festrunka]

Sweet deal, thanks for the advice. I'm going to be on the move in the next few months, but I'm spending a month or two in New Hampshire and I've found an accordion shop that does repairs. If the wax seems to have hardened to a point where I can't soften and stick them back on I'll most likely just take it there.

 

Thanks again!