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improve sound

M

Marije

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Hi all!
I have a Mengascini Aurora IV, for playing 'in the wild' where I don't want to bring my big accordeon. I like the sound of the bass side, but the sound of the keys is quite harsh and not pleasing... I'm deciding whether I want to keep the instrument or try to sell it (which would definitely loose me some money).

Is there a way to improve the sound, either by myself or by an accordion repairer?
Thanks in advance for your insights!

Warm greetings, Marije from Netherlands
 
Welcome! Are the keys like making a clacking noise and is that what you find unpleasant?

If so, that may suggest that you need to have the pads replaced or even perhaps that your playing technique is too harsh and that a possibly softer touch is needed.

But also remember the accordion *is* a noisy instrument, full of sounds other than the musical tones, it is all part of each instrument!

Just a couple of thoughts. :)
 
My overall experience with the sound of non-cassotto accordions is that they benefit a lot from putting a wide strip of felt under the grille, near the front of the instrument (i.e. furthest away from the keyboard). I have done this on a number of accordions (different brands) and it really takes away the worst "harshness".
 
thanks for your throughts, especially tcabot of course ;-)
@JerryPH : the keys themselves are working fine, thankfully... it is about really the sound of the notes..

@debra : Very interesting, with the felt. I have indeed experimented with placing cloth over the outside of the grid, will try with the felt on the inside now.

I was also wondering if there is anything that can be changed in the tongues so they sound more 'sweet' or 'smooth'..
 
Paul DeBra had an excellent suggestion for that... you see, the thicker the cloth, the more the higher pitched notes are reduced but the bass are less affected. Playing with the reed tongues will only likely change the tuning of the accordion, so that won't much improve it... unless it is out of tune. :)
 
i understand, thanks!
My other accordion is a Serenellini Regina Gold, with cassotto, and I guess I'll also have to accept that this one sounds different, haha. Experimenting with the felt will be interesting!
 
Has anyone tried putting a reflective blocker into the grille instead of felt? Like a sheet of very thin plexiglass?
Felt deadens the sound and will probably muffle all of the frequencies, including the middle and the bass. A reflective screen will probably make the sound waves bounce all over the place under the grille, perhaps acting more like a cassotto chamber?

Just a thought.
 
indeed, haha!
I was of course not expecting the same honey-filled sound as from my big one...... but definitely on the path to find something different yet acceptable to my ears..
😄
 
hello marije

so you have an excellent Serenellini !
then you understand about Quality and having really good reeds

did you get it directly?
do you have a relationship with them ?

because Luciano will do some repair work for his customers,
and you could easily send him (or drive down on Vacation)
your Aurora and get him to install a better set of reeds on your treble side

if your Aurora is "Meusette" then only swap out the (L) Bassoon set,
as that may be enough..

the meusette M M+ is more forgiving and masks harshness to some degree
because of the chorusing effect

it depends on your willingness to invest a bit in the Aurora, but it
may be a good option
 
PS Hypothetically, there might be some gains in significantly increasing the reed chambers (don't ever tell anyone you've heard it from me though, as it seems to be blasphemy in accordion circles) , as was documented on a German accordion forum a few years ago.
The problem is that you have to increase them about 5 times compared to their traditional sizes. Which only makes this a viable solution for the highest pitched reeds.
I've done a little bit of experimenting with an adjustable chamber, and I've got a pair of new oversized reed blocks almost ready to go into my Accordiola next month (all things going well), so can't yet report on how they actually behave in the box.
However, the effort going into making experimental blocks, fitting them to an existing box, making new blocks if the first experiment fails, etc, is hardly justified unless you are a confirmed masochist.
So fitting some felt into the grille it is ;)
 
@tcabot, interesting idea with the metal.. I will experiment with different materials! Dampening the trebles too much might cause the basses to be overbearing and also reduce the projection. I'll be needing the presence and definition that the higher frequencies give..

@Ventura: I didn't buy it directly at Serenellini.. but always happy to hear about the people who make the instruments. Sometimes I am in Italy for my work, so I could consider to pass by!
 
If the horrid tone is when two M reeds are oscillating together then it's gonna be the tuning that's an issue....ie you don't like the breadth....if the single reed in cassotto sounds fine then it's not the box ....
 
tcabot said:
Has anyone tried putting a reflective blocker into the grille instead of felt? Like a sheet of very thin plexiglass?
Felt deadens the sound and will probably muffle all of the frequencies, including the middle and the bass. A reflective screen will probably make the sound waves bounce all over the place under the grille, perhaps acting more like a cassotto chamber?

Just a thought.
Click to expand...
If you place thick felt under all of the grille it will "deaden" the sound. Definitely not a good idea. My idea is to place a not so thick layer of felt under the no more than half of the grille, the half that is furthest forward. So the sound can still come out but is dampened a bit for the reeds that are under the strip of felt. What this does most is even out the sound between the black keys and the white keys (because the sound of the black keys is already dampened somewhat by these reeds being under the part blocked by the register mechanism.
 
Marije said:
i understand, thanks!
My other accordion is a Serenellini Regina Gold, with cassotto, and I guess I'll also have to accept that this one sounds different, haha. Experimenting with the felt will be interesting!
Click to expand...
That's a very nice accordion. I once got a Serenellini (unmarked model) in for minor repairs and tuning. it was one at least as good, with Salpa hand made reeds. Very very nice sound. You cannot expect a simple non-cassotto accordion with any measure to improve the sound to approach the sound of your Serenellini. But a strip of felt may be a small first step to reduce the harshness a bit.
 
Walker said:
You should get a sticker for your Aurora accordion case saying:

You know, show 'em who's boss down the old Amsterdam accordion scene...

Just sayin' :D
Click to expand...
In the old Amsterdam accordion scene people would be more impressed by "My other accordion is a Hohner Gola".
It may not refer to a better accordion, but much better known. And it would be very rare for such a sticker to actually tell the truth. ;)
 
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