newbie with Crucianelli/pancordion question

[cass]

Greetings all. How amazing it is to join a worId-wide group and be able to interact in real time. The internet has a lot of good general information but I think discussions are best for finding small details. I was recently given a Crucianelli/Pancordion and am still learning the nomenclature as well as how it works. Some background on the instrument. It appears to be pretty clean, completely intact, unbroken, reasonably in tune given its age and storage conditions and the bellows don't leak. it is 18" top to bottom with 41 treble keys, 120 bass buttons, with bassoon, oboe and master treble registers. It is stamped Pancordion with the US/Italian numbers on the back of the keyboard as well as Made In Italy. The serial number is 20364. It has been a lot of fun to play especially that it sounds good and is in good shape. One thing I haven't been able to figure out is what a particular item is. There is a clear plastic button next to the top bellows strap. It doesn't move and looks like a pilot light for an electrical appliance (figured it wasn't really that). Any information on the button would be appreciated. I am looking forward to spending more time on the forum.
Thanks,
Cass

 

[Tom]

Welcome Cass!!!!

I have the same button on my Crucianelli. On mine it's an indicator of which (combination) of bass reeds are active. Try pushing your bass reeds selector and see if the button "turns color."

 

[debra]

What I'm seeing (in the third picture) is a (slightly deformed) connector as used in some older mic systems. So it could be that the accordion has a bass mic fitted and this is the connector for it.

 

[Tom]

Mine is definitely an indicator of active reeds. Yours may be inoperable for some reason. Anyway, Cass, these Crucianelli are fine accordions, built like a tank, and should be enjoyable for years to come. Congrats! What kind of music do you enjoy playing?

 

[cass]

Thanks for the answers! As I have the advantage physically looking at the mystery button, I am going with the bass reed indicator. However, pushing the long metal button (presumably the reed selector) next to the bass buttons doesn't cause any color change in the button. However, it doesn't make the bass notes sound any different either, so maybe something inside is stuck. Not at all unexpected. I am also researching accordion repair but will take that very slowly. Trying to adhere to my tinker's Hippocratic oath of "first, don't make it any worse". Anyway, at my stage of accordion playing, worrying about bass reed selection is way down on the priority list. To answer Tom's question about what type of music do I enjoy playing, mostly what I play is the early pages of Mel Bay's You Can Teach Yourself Accordion. Glad to know I started with a good instrument.

 

[Tom]

Yup, sounds like your selector is stuck. Later, people here can give you advice on how to fix it if you want to try it yourself. May not be too bad. That's the book I started with too, a classic. Good luck!

 

[cass]

The button is definitely an indicator of active reeds. was able to pull the pins and open the instrument. the selector switch operates a pivoting arm that pulls and pushes the slides into place. the arm wasn't pivoting but I was able to clean it and the slides well enough to make it operational again. feels like I am using less air for more volume although that might be my imagination. did note some maintenance that will need to be done such as replacing some of the leathers and I know there are some keys that need to be leveled but that is another day.
Had never looked at the inside of an accordion. Quite beautiful in a mechanical sort of way.

 

[Tom]

Good to hear!

 

[JIM D.]

I've posted this in the past --maybe its time to revisit it.

"PAN's" a brief history

This tread is of history of models of USmade PANcordions & Italian made PANcordions ( Crucianelli) . The information here might just be of interest to members unfamiliar to the design & history of the models of PANcordion. Some of the history here has appeared in print and some is from...

www.accordionists.info