New tuning for my LMMM Excelsior

[pitzelberger]

I know that this is a very subjective question, but nevertheless:
I want to overhaul my 1982 build Excelsior 911 LMMM, which I have bought second hand a few years ago. As part of this want to change its current -18/+18 tuning to a more modern one. Browsing the internet, I see many modern LMMMs coming with something like a -5/+15 tuning, which I as well found an interesting option, since it would let you choose between a dry option (5 cents) and several more sharp ones (15 and 20 cents and the full musette). However, this can't be realized on my 911, since it has no register switch for -M/M (only M/+M, -M/+M and full musette), so I would miss the dry option. As a compromise, I though about a -8/+8 tuning, so that I would be able to choose between a 8 cents (still kind of dry) and a 16 cents tuning (quite sharp), plus the full musette.

Music vise, I am not limited to a single style. I want to use it whenever I feel a none tone-chambered accordion fits better than any of my tone-chambered ones.

What are your thoughts?

 

[PhiliGol]

Greeting from Bavaria to Berlin

If there's any way I wouldn't go for a compromise on such vintage instrument.
If you have a strong desire for -5/+15 but don't have a M- switch is there any chance to add an extra switch (a shifter directly accessing the register lever)?
I did this years a go on a 1984 Morino - maybe it's an easy mod as presumably they're built the same way.

 

[Dingo40]

What are your thoughts?

I, personally, would prefer to tune it rather dryer than wetter

 

[Ventura]

well, are you going to do the tuning yourself ? or have it done ?

much easier DOi to just tune the M and M+ in to themselves and then
simply carefully sharpen the M- upwards to a sound you like

 

[pitzelberger]

Greeting from Bavaria to Berlin

Greetings to you too!

I did this years a go on a 1984 Morino - maybe it's an easy mod as presumably they're built the same way.

Well done. Something like that might be possible with my model too. I am not sure though, whether I can have it that nicely integrated looking.

well, are you going to do the tuning yourself ? or have it done ?

yes, I will do it by my self.

much easier DOi to just tune the M and M+ in to themselves and then
simply carefully sharpen the M- upwards to a sound you like

So in this case I would tune the M and M+ to a dry tremolo (e.g. 5 cents) and then adjust the M- to my likings? That might make sense

 

[debra]

A tuning like -18/0/+18 is mostly a thing of the past. Especially the -M/+M ("Musette Vivace" as it is sometimes called) is really awful.
In many of my recordings you can hear my Morino (made by Excelsior) playing with the MM at 0/+8 tuning and in one song the MMM at -8/0/+8.
The song with MMM is "Cent Mille Chansons", on YouTube at .
Many songs on my playlist are MM (0/+8). Here is a nice example: "Tanzende Finger", on YouTube at .
You can judge for yourself whether you find the choice between 0/+8 and -8/0/+8 pleasing or not. What you can tell quite easily is that 8 cents is definitely not "still kind of dry", but I find it pleasing.

 

[debra]

...
Well done. Something like that might be possible with my model too. I am not sure though, whether I can have it that nicely integrated looking.
...

What I have done on my Morino and another one of a friend is not as professional-looking, but is more unobtrusive:

This is my friend's accordion (mine is CBA). The switch enables/disables the -M reeds.

 

[Ventura]

So in this case I would tune the M and M+ to a dry tremolo (e.g. 5 cents) and then adjust the M- to my likings? That might make sense

i was thinking more, just make the M to M+ as perfectly tuned as
you can finesse it first, not lowering the + set at all

because it is so much easier to sharpen a reed in miniscule amounts
(as opposed to the torture of finding the right spot and lowering it
which is more agressive and removes material closer to the flex point
and lowering FROM 18 would take a lot of metal, some might say too much)

much easier and lower risk to just remove tiny amounts carefully
near the tip, raising the (lower) -18 by ear for a few reeds until you
find a new gentler beating than seems pleasant and works
with the existing M and M+

then when you find something that works nicely, tune the entire M-
up to the new pitch, whatever it is.. -8

if later you still want it more gentle, sharpen the lower again to maybe -4 or so

you could EVEN take the M- up to + 4

i know for myself, if i wanted to lower a +18 i would probably just swap out that reedset !
i am no Debra !

btw i also happen to have an Excelsior 911 (my spare MIDIvox) LMMM quite wet

now the other issue is, how dry are you imagining ? because after all, the dryer
we go in the tuning, the more likely one will want that in a CHAMBERED box anyway..
while it is true there are players who like a dry bold staight box for the in your face sound
it can produce, how actually useful is that for your potential gig needs ?

just thinking out loud..

 

[pitzelberger]

What I have done on my Morino and another one of a friend is not as professional-looking, but is more unobtrusive:

Would be interesting to see yours and @PhiliGol from the inside!

now the other issue is, how dry are you imagining ? because after all, the dryer
we go in the tuning, the more likely one will want that in a CHAMBERED box anyway..
while it is true there are players who like a dry bold staight box for the in your face sound
it can produce, how actually useful is that for your potential gig needs ?

Good point. I have never played a dry tuned non chambered box in real live (besides a unisono tuned very old Hohner Verdi II). I only know them from recordings in the internet.

 

[debra]

Would be interesting to see yours and @PhiliGol from the inside!
....

I can show mine on the inside. It is much simpler than PhiliGol's because it's only one switch.

This is the switch, seen from the inside.

The hole in the switch goes over the stub on the lever that connects to the insidd. On the left you can see that the slider of the register mechanism has been disconnected.
My construction is such that it can be removed if a new owner wanted it. The short rod connecting the slider to the lever can be reconnected if desired. (I have of course kept it.)

 

[pitzelberger]

I can show mine on the inside. It is much simpler than PhiliGol's because it's only one switch.

Nice! Much simpler than what I expected.

 

[PhiliGol]

I don't have any longer my Morino and do not find pictures of the interior solution.
It's definitely not that elegant as Paul made it (If I remember correctly using a 3D-printed part).
Basically I connected a 2 or 2.5 mm L-shaped wire wire to the existing register rods - by coincidence they're just beneath an opening the grille.
The knobs seen from outside are white bass-knobs - the labels are printed with a programmable label printer (P-touch).
As this is done with all the 8"register you basically have all 32 combinations enabled by a 5 voice box.
Admittedly I mainly used (in addition to the existing register-switches) mainly 2 combinations: a 2 voice tremolo (M/M-) and the musette (M-/M+) which weren't enabled by the original 11 switches.