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Learning about basic accordion repairs

I always thought that "standard" CBA reed block config was in 3 row groups. "PA with CBA keyboard" boxes are less common, unless there's a cassotto?
In any case, it's not just the reed blocks - a 5-row CBA keyboard is quite a complex thing to take apart and put back together again. Even if you don't have to glue & unglue buttons :ROFLMAO: .

Looking back, I should have picked a diddley bow as my instrument. Easy to service & matches my musical talent level.
A 3+3 reed block configuration is common in French style accordions (with very small buttons) and in large bayans.
When you buy a CBA that has a PA relative (take for instance the Bugari 508 CBA versus Bugari 288 PA) you get exactly the same accordion, but with a button keyboard (where otherwise the PA keyboard would be) and all the positions on the reed blocks filled to give you 46 notes.
(I have an older Bugari 508/ARS/C which does not have the same body as the 288/ARS/C but this one still has 2+2 reed blocks.)
Contrary to what seems to be common belief a 5-row CBA is no more difficult to take apart and put back together whan a 3 -row. There is a clever hinging mechanism to couple row 1 and 4 and row 2 and 5 that is all in one piece per note. So the extra work is mostly in unscrewing about 65% more buttons (and screwing them back in).
 
I took the "Tier I" and "Tier II" classes together (and aim to go back for III and IV when I can take them together -- which might not be until 2025, since the only III-IV pair offered in 2024 already had one class sold out before I finished Tier II.)

In our 4 days of Tier I, we took apart and put back together a piano keyboard; we took apart and put back together a bass machine; we affixed new leathers and springs to old reeds; we practiced pouring wax (on test parts, not real accordions); we tried to tune single reeds (outside of an accordion); we had some show-and-tell about how bellows are built and how they might be repaired. In Tier II, we poured wax on real reeds, did a lot more tuning (and bending up/down or pushing sideways reeds that would not speak well), on reeds still attached to reed blocks, and took apart and put back together the register-switch mechanism.

There is an expectation that you spend several months attempting repairs on your own before you come back for an additional class. I picked up a whole closetful of cheap old accordions needing TLC last summer, in anticipation of needing something to practice on.

I am not aware of any similar class offered in the United States. There are individual "masters" who occasionally take on "apprentices" though the nearest of these to us that I know of is in Canada.

I had four months to intensively study Italian before I went. This was plenty to be able to buy food, navigate trains and buses, check into a hotel, etc, but not remotely close to enough to actually carry on a conversation with a random Italian. I definitely still needed most of the class material spoken in English (though hearing things twice in Italian and then English did improve my Italian quite a bit.)
Wow! Thanks for sharing. At least I know what to expect.
 
Yes, I think I need 3 for the keyboard side of the accordion. I'm not quite sure what they are though.
Check the opposite side and see if there are two blank spaces. If so, there were no reeds to begin with. If there are reeds on the opposite side then ping them to determine the pitch you need. Make sure that the front and back reeds are the same pitch. May be an octave apart, but the same. Have you removed the bellows and looked in the bass side. I have found reeds stuck in hard to find places before.
 
Check the opposite side and see if there are two blank spaces. If so, there were no reeds to begin with. If there are reeds on the opposite side then ping them to determine the pitch you need. Make sure that the front and back reeds are the same pitch. May be an octave apart, but the same. Have you removed the bellows and looked in the bass side. I have found reeds stuck in hard to find places

Thanks for the tips. Looks like on the bass side all reeds are there, except one fell out and I need to put it back in place. By the way, any thoughts on tuners? I don't own one yet.
 
Thanks for the tips. Looks like on the bass side all reeds are there, except one fell out and I need to put it back in place. By the way, any thoughts on tuners? I don't own one yet.
The best free tuning app (for Android) is DaTuner lite version 3.81. It is still available for download from a few sites. The latest DaTuner found in the play store is no longer free, but the old version is and is very good. You have to set the recording frequency to 48.000 Hz if you want to measure everything up to C#8 (the highest note for which reeds are being produced). With 44.100 Hz C#8 doesn't register (but C8 still does).
 
after the era of Strobotuners (Peterson and CONN)
for independent devices, KORG was the modern era best of breed
in sensitivity and accuracy. They have many models to date,
but one fun unit that is frequently available used most everywhere
is one of the Rack Mount Korg tuners made for Touring musicians
and guitar players with rack systems

tons were made and sold.. they were rugged and seldom failed
so are usually a safe bet to buy sight unseen.. often available
for $50 or so up to $100 top dollar for a used one

the visual is 18" wide with sweeping LED lighting that centers on pitch..
even old eyes with poor vision can see this display.. you can drop a
sensitive Mic over your work area and plug it into the Rackmount..
 
after the era of Strobotuners (Peterson and CONN)
for independent devices, KORG was the modern era best of breed
in sensitivity and accuracy. They have many models to date,
but one fun unit that is frequently available used most everywhere
is one of the Rack Mount Korg tuners made for Touring musicians
and guitar players with rack systems

tons were made and sold.. they were rugged and seldom failed
so are usually a safe bet to buy sight unseen.. often available
for $50 or so up to $100 top dollar for a used one

the visual is 18" wide with sweeping LED lighting that centers on pitch..
even old eyes with poor vision can see this display.. you can drop a
sensitive Mic over your work area and plug it into the Rackmount..
Well, you weren't kidding when you said there are lots of them! I found this one in the picture to be probably exactly what you described.
 

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any thoughts on tuners?

The tuner recommended to me and what I use the most on the iPad is PanoTuner. It agrees with several hardware tuners I have. Simple to operate and read. On the iPad I can see it easily from a distance. I also put n-Track Tuner on the iPad - it is more complex with more options. I can’t remember if these were free or if I paid.
 
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