G
goldtopia
Guest
I had a private message from someone asking how much it cost to change the tuning from dry to wet tuning. This information may be of interest to anyone else who wants to know, so I have put it on the forum. When I had the German 32 bass Royal Standard 2 voice retuned which was already wet tuned and only a little out of tune, it cost me £80 which I think is his minimum charge. When I had the Italian 72 bass Pigini 2 voice completely retuned from dry tune to wet tune it cost me £100 there was no other maintenance work on it. A bigger accordion which is 3 or 4 voice would cost more. Also if its an old accordion there is the possibility of further work, such as bellows, wax replacing, etc. Alan Young on the Isle of White will ask what kind of wet tuning you want. I said I would like it like the Weltmeister Achat which is a 3 voice 72 bass. I played it to him over the phone in 2 voice and said I would like it like that. He said it is French tuning. He can wet tune it French, Scottish, Bavarian, Tyrolean, etc however you like. Dry tuning is a single voice with both sets of reeds tuned the same, any difference beween them, even very slight makes them souind squeely not like the natural sound of an accordion. Dry tune is said to better suited for Morris Dancing .
Alan Young distrusts couriers because of the possibility of damage and prefers an accordion to be sent securely wrapped and placed in a thick cardboard box. He said cases can get damaged because the corners get knocked. He delivered it back to me himself at a meeting place whilst he was on his way somewhere else. The I.O.W. is the most expensive stretch of ferry water in the world. I don't remember what the postage was but it was quite a bit more than normal post.. He said it cost him £30 just to get his car to the mainland. There are many dealers who sell accordions, many would pass the work onto an accordion specialist like Alan Young and put their own profit on it. I would recommend going direct to a such a specialist tuner who would advise you of your options. It may be the work on an older accordion would be more extensive and cost than the value of the accordion. A music shop not conversant with accordion repairs and tuning may just send your accordion off without even examining it properly.
Alan Young distrusts couriers because of the possibility of damage and prefers an accordion to be sent securely wrapped and placed in a thick cardboard box. He said cases can get damaged because the corners get knocked. He delivered it back to me himself at a meeting place whilst he was on his way somewhere else. The I.O.W. is the most expensive stretch of ferry water in the world. I don't remember what the postage was but it was quite a bit more than normal post.. He said it cost him £30 just to get his car to the mainland. There are many dealers who sell accordions, many would pass the work onto an accordion specialist like Alan Young and put their own profit on it. I would recommend going direct to a such a specialist tuner who would advise you of your options. It may be the work on an older accordion would be more extensive and cost than the value of the accordion. A music shop not conversant with accordion repairs and tuning may just send your accordion off without even examining it properly.
