Cleaning pearlite?

[jeffjot]

Hello! So GenXer here and my grammy used to play the accordion at parties when I was a kid in the 70s.... so I have these memories and finally ended up picking up one at a resale shop. I know nothing about them really, I looked it over carefully and all the keys seem to work and the mechanics look good to me.
It was one of those situations where I had to decide on the spot, or let it go.
I am rather afraid though about the white keys in front, which I can't seem to get to do anything.... my grandma passed away decades ago and no one I know plays, so I am not sure what the function of these are for and if they are actually working. I hope so but I had to take the chance. Can anyone help? Sorry for being so new.

Also I would like to restore it.... it has a lovely blue green case, which I have discovered is called Pearlite, but has quite a bit of tape residue stuck on it, apparently it was wrapped up in tape in storage. Can anyone tell me what would be safe to remove this tape and gunk from the case, without damaging the Pearlite. From experience I've found Goof Off (which I have) is rather chancy, and damages a lot of stuff..... though maybe Goo Gone, or alcohol might be ok with this material?
And yes I would like to learn how to play it. I included the label, which looks possibly Russian or Greek? I'm happy with the sound and it looks to be quality made, so I'm hoping this isn't a bad or manufacturer but if so I'm good with it. Thank for any pointers!

 

[Ventura]

hi

actually i think you have an old 3 row Bayan from Russia

so the surface, cellulose/celluloid, similar to what they made old movie film from,
will react with acetone or anything like a solvent,.Test an inconspicuous
spot with any cleaner you feel is harsh and maybe not water based before you
rub something on everywhere

if the surface is strong,, you can also just press scotch tape on the gooey stuff
and sometimes it will lift off, may take a lot of tape..

for refurbishing, at that age much will be dried out.. so leathers felts gaskets,
and as you can see some of the keys are turned toward each other so there
was a bit of warpage in the wood too.

the bass section mechanism in some Russian Bayans is held together
merely by springs, and if jarred or dropped hard, can collapse
like a game of pick-up-stix, so be careful when you go to work on the bass

have fun !

 

[jeffjot]

Doesn't sound like anything is safe to use! I wonder what those white keys are supposed to do.
I can't figure it out. Not an easy thing to find on Google, surprisingly.

 

[Rosie C]

actually i think you have an old 3 row Bayan from Russia

I would say so - 30+ year old Russian skills so more than a bit rusty, but I make out

USSR RSFRS (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic)
Leningrad CHX
Vologodskaya (Vologda)
Fabrica bayanov (Makers of Bayans?)

[edited to fix error - I thought the 'F' was a logo]

 

[Gonk]

I often use Goo Gone, with no ill effects. But avoid alcohol; it can haze the celluloid.

 

[Dingo40]

I love the way they sound!
FWIW

Another?

Last one?

 

[Dingo40]

what those white keys are supposed to do.

The large white levers to the player's right are treble coupler switches which act to combine selections of treble reeds to play in unison according to predetermined arrangements.
Here's a link to an old thread on Russian bayans :

Anyone here familiar with the Russian bayan?

Hey folks, thanks kindly for having me on your forum. Novice accordion player here. I have a 120 bass accordion - though badly beat up to the point of having tape hold some part together - still plays :) My nicer accordion is back at home. Was thinking recently to sit down and formally study how...

www.accordionists.info

 

[jeffjot]

@Dingo40 I like the way it sounds too!
As far as the white levers, can you elaborate? I am not quite understanding.
What does 'combine selections of treble reeds to play in unison according to predetermined arrangements mean'. I'm more confused that I was LOL
I need things nice and simple. Like you press the button and it warbles? Nope doesn't warble. How are they supposed to change the sound. I don't notice anything different when I press them. I hope they aren't broken.
The accordions in the videos you attached, have no white buttons I can see.... so I guess they aren't vital, but it would be a bummer anyway.

 

[jeffjot]

I would say so - 30+ year old Russian skills so more than a bit rusty, but I make out

USSR
Leningrad CHX
Vologodskaya (Vologda)
Fabrica bayanov (Makers of Bayans?)

Thank you! Cool that this is from the Soviet Union, obviously before 1991..... I would have to say it was well made because by all appearances its still working great after all these years. I have yet to find anything that doesn't work on it. Except for the white buttons as I said, but I may not be working those correctly. Also someone referenced warping, that may have been the photo. I don't see any warping anywhere. Just the tape gunk on the Pearlite. I will probably venture to try Goo Gone, I've got some downstairs.

 

[debra]

I don't know the material. From the photos it looks like the body is just covered with celluloid but who knows...
I clean glue/tape residu off accordions using benzine (called "wasbenzine" over here), a liquid based on hydrocarbons, made specifically as a cleaning agent. It does not harm celluloid in any way and is quite effective for cleaning accordions. But if the surface of this bayan is something else, who knows what happens...

 

[Scuromondo]

@Dingo40 What does 'combine selections of treble reeds to play in unison according to predetermined arrangements mean'. I'm more confused that I was LOL
I need things nice and simple. Like you press the button and it warbles?

All accordions have at least two sets of reeds. Some have three, four, or five. Those “levers” (register switches) are meant to select which sets of reeds are engaged at any given time. In the simplest case for example, if an accordion has two sets of reeds with the first set tuned to a low octave while the second set is tuned one octave higher, then the registers would provide the ability for the player to select the low octave set, the higher octave set, or both simultaneously. The “warble” tone you mention (vibrato) is the result of another set of reeds that is present on some accordions which is not tuned to a different octave but instead, intentionally (slightly) detuned.

So the short answer is, yes, you should definitely hear a difference in tone as you select each individual register switch. You should not attempt to press multiple switches simultaneously, as this can damage the internal switching mechanism. From your description, it sounds like this mechanism may have already suffered damage.

 

[Dingo40]

What does 'combine selections of treble reeds to play in unison according to predetermined arrangements mean'.

The sound emanating from the Bayan or accordion is generated by sets of tuned reeds called "voices".
The sets are tuned to produce tones in a range of pitches corresponding to those produced by wind-organ pipes of lengths of 16 feet (low pitch), 8 feet (medium pitch) and 4 feet (high pitch).
An instrument may be equipped with one to six sets (voices) of treble reeds and two to as many as six sets ( voices) of bass reeds.
An ingenious device of slides is used to combine the playing of the various voices in unison to make the instrument produce a variety of different aural effects said to resemble the bassoon, oboe, flute, organ, saxophone, horns, violin and others, the exact number depending on the voices available to play with () in a given instrument.
The switches that actuate the combination of the voices (your white switches) are called " register, or coupler switches ".
Google "accordion register (or coupler) switches ": there's quite a bit of information.
Like Scuromondo said, do not press more than one at a time, as they would be acting in opposition and liable to damage!
See here:

Accordion reed ranks and switches - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org