Accordion plays note when no buttons pressed

[Ray]

I have a soviet pushbutton accordion (bayan) that plays 1 note quite loud and clean on key board side without pushing any buttons. Picture 2 shows that all buttons are closed so there should be no air flow going through. Please help what can cause this problem. We really need this instrument for our performance with a singing band.
Thank you.

 

[debra]

Despite the pallets appearing to all be closed there must still be an air leak. When pushing on the bellows (while not pressing any buttons) you might be able to hear and/or feel where the sound is coming from and where the air is leaking. If that doesn't work, open up the accordion, remove the reed blocks and shine a light from the outside and see where on the inside light is shining through. When light gets through air will do so as well. (You can also reverse the direction and shine from inside to outside.)
Overall it looks like there is very little padding on the pallets so you may need to install new felt+leather pads on the pallets.

 

[Pipemajor]

Surely all you need to do is identify which note is sounding, push the corresponding button, and that is the culprit.

 

[John Doe]

Surely all you need to do is identify which note is sounding, push the corresponding button, and that is the culprit.

A good, reliable, means of IDing where the problem is.

If it's only one note then the issue is almost certainly with the seal of the pallet on the foundation plate holes that allow air in to sound the reeds for that note; all accessible from under the grille with no further dissassembly needed.

The pallet could be seating poorly due to alignment issues from failing wax- or a bump to the mechanism, or wrinkling pallet covering. Your model seems to have small pallets which are easy to align though and less likely (though it can surely happen) to suffer from the alignment issues that can plague a LMMH of LMMMH model with very long pallets or a double set of pallets if it has a tone chamber- they both have to seal at the same time along their full lengths which can be a bit painful to sort out.

I'd start out figuring which pallet and then look closely under the pallet- you can probably do this with a little contortion without removing anything- and ascertaining whether the leather surface appears nice and even (with indentations from the holes of course) or whether it's coming loose or has gotten some piece of debris under it which would hold it open a bit. Truly, it doesn't take much.

Below is a sax pad which sealed poorly as a result of a misguided insect who managed to get squished twixt the pad and the tone hole ruining the response. The insect was not readily apparant to the player... I realize it's not an accordion but the same principle applies.

If it all looked OK, then try pushing gently on the offending pad with your finger while working the bellows- if the note stops sounding I'd just remove and then reseat the pallet- touching up the leather's nap with a toothbrush while it's off.

Good luck- Henry


Sorry for typos.