Removing Cassotto Reed blocks

[losthobos]

Sorry to be pain, I know this has been asked before but the link in the previous thread is now no longer working...
I need to remove Cassotto block to clean sticking reed and unsure how..
Don't want to do anything that may cause damage...Piermaria accordion...have fixed plenty other reeds before but never messed with Cassotto blocks
Thanks in advance...

 

[Big Squeezy Accordions]

It depends upon how the blocks are secured. Can you post a close up picture?

 

[losthobos]

 

[losthobos]

I'm presuming I remove screw to be able to release key then reed blocks are then able to be lifted out....
Anything I need to know or be warned about...
Thanks

 

[losthobos]

Mission accomplished...
Held my nerves...bit the bullet...
Back in with this accordion...
Amazing such tiny particles of leather had blocked a couple of reeds...one in Cassotto one on offset M reeds
So happy now...

 

[Big Squeezy Accordions]

Turn that metal lever to the left and they'll come right out. Just take care not to disturb the leathers, and to put them back in exactly as they were and you'll be fine.

 

[Ventura]

once you release the pressure clip on the right side, there should be a slight
lift on the right side, which allows a hair of clearance for the flat base of the
reedblock, so you can slide the right side toward you carefully without
damaging the leather gasket until it has enough angle to slip out of the chock
on the left side

your Piermaria represents the height of the skill level of the SEM crew
that were dedicated to that brand in the original SEM factory.. that is
a $10,000 accordion the likes of which few manufacturers could
build today, Luciano is the only one i know of who has the chops..

so if you have any doubts about working with the leather mounted reed
system, take it to a Pro (or beg Debra to work on it for you)

 

[debra]

Some manufacturers use this locking mechanism and manage to install it so that it never comes loose by itself while playing or traveling (for instance Bugari). Others need a "safety screw" to prevent the lever from accidentally springing loose (for instance Victoria). Some use sliders like on the non-cassotto blocks, and among these there are some that add tiny "safety screws" to prevent the sliders from coming out by themselves (for instance Pigini, Hohner Morinos made by Excelsior) and some just always stay in without safety screws (for instance AKKO).

 

[Ventura]

Some manufacturers use this locking mechanism ...

hi D

i am guessing this locking mech is a more modern design,
and first became available from a supplier to many manufacturers ?

my question is, since you have seen them many times, can you recall
around when (year/decade) they started showing up ?

tidbits like this can sometimes help date accordions, sort of like
the Lucite Keytops, which suddenly one day everyone seemed to
switch to.

 

[debra]

hi D

i am guessing this locking mech is a more modern design,
and first became available from a supplier to many manufacturers ?

my question is, since you have seen them many times, can you recall
around when (year/decade) they started showing up ?

...

That is a very good question.
A Bugari I worked on that I suspect (but don't really know) to be between 40 and 50 years old does not have this lever. Other Bugari accordions of at least 25 years old do have the lever. That still leaves a large window...
But I have heard of an interesting (true) anecdote that may shed some light on the issue: after a maintenance job on Richard Galliano's Victoria the repairer forgot to put the safety screw back in (and during a later performance it let go... and had to be fixed quickly). So when we know how old Galliano's accordion is we have an early date on which that mechanism was introduced.

 

[debra]

hi D

i am guessing this locking mech is a more modern design,
and first became available from a supplier to many manufacturers ?

my question is, since you have seen them many times, can you recall
around when (year/decade) they started showing up ?

One more hint... There are two Scandalli Super VI accordions posted for sale recently. One is a model from around 1980 and it does not have the new lever mechanism, the other one is from around 1990 and it does have the lever.

 

[Ventura]

One more hint... There are two Scandalli Super VI accordions posted for sale recently. One is a model from around 1980 and it does not have the new lever mechanism, the other one is from around 1990 and it does have the lever.

Scandalli popped around a few owners until the current situation "stabilized"
so considering the vagueness typical during the last centuy, they could have been
simply 2 different factories completely.. one Lear-Siegler one Bontiempi or something
like that, so just look-alikes on the outside

but 1990 is a good likely reference point for the current question