Treble pallet failure

[Rosie C]

hi the accordion sounds nice but it not the same model that is in the ad the one played in the video has a black master register but the one for sale has all white registers i hope this helps.
regards
nigel

Thanks Nigel, much appreciated!

 

[Pipemajor]

I would add a 60s Excelsior in good condition is a great accordion.

 

[Rosie C]

Ah, I've been working hard on accordion for the last few weeks for a carol performance this morning. But I only managed one tune before a treble pallet came loose and my Concerto started sounding a continuous E note.

An update a month later...

I've gone through several ideas - refitting the damaged treble valves, rearranging treble valves from higher up the keyboard, buying new wood valves. But I have to report excellent service from Hohner. Failing to find spare parts from dealers, I contacted Hohner and received an email from the same chap who deals with Hohner certificates. I provided a photo of the damaged parts (Hohner call them treble valves) and I can order them direct, 1.8 Euros each. So excellent service from Hohner. Although I note that wax is not considered the best material for plastic valves, I'll fit them with wax in the same way as the instrument was constructed.

 

[Ventura]

affordable parts that will fit ?
what's not to like

for the wax, maybe you could mix a small batch from just clean
wax and shaved bow rosin,
(leaving out the "volatile" component that keeps the mix a bit soft)

the resin part is what gives the good sticky grip i think, and if
you need a bit of wax under the lever for perfect position/height,
harder is better.. depends on your lift levers.. round ones are
more easily bent for perfection but flat ones don't like to be stressed
while you can hold the key-pressure and height in the right spot
till the wax gets cool

sometimes it takes awhile to "get" the feel for the right angle
right spot on, and a new pad sandwich can compress and take an
angle as it breaks in, so wax lets you adjust it next month while
glue is all about get it right the first time

do i EVER get anything right the first time (lol)
yeah i might get it close enough for Jazz the first time
but that's just me

hey maybe PM me that Hohner fella's info ?
i might as well get my Hohner's looked up too

 

[JerryPH]

An update a month later...

I've gone through several ideas - refitting the damaged treble valves, rearranging treble valves from higher up the keyboard, buying new wood valves. But I have to report excellent service from Hohner. Failing to find spare parts from dealers, I contacted Hohner and received an email from the same chap who deals with Hohner certificates. I provided a photo of the damaged parts (Hohner call them treble valves) and I can order them direct, 1.8 Euros each. So excellent service from Hohner. Although I note that wax is not considered the best material for plastic valves, I'll fit them with wax in the same way as the instrument was constructed.

I met Ralf Tritschler personally, his English is ZERO, so he uses an internet translator when emailing... but he is a super nice guy and as well as being the guy responsible for the certificates, also does most of the repair work on any Hohner boxes that anyone sends or brings in to them. Super nice guy and I am not surprised that he had an answer for you.

 

[Rosie C]

I met Ralf Tritschler personally, his English is ZERO, so he uses an internet translator when emailing... but he is a super nice guy and as well as being the guy responsible for the certificates, also does most of the repair work on any Hohner boxes that anyone sends or brings in to them. Super nice guy and I am not surprised that he had an answer for you.

That's surprising, but I suppose my experience is more in the tourist areas. Before Brexit and Covid we used to holiday in Germany or Austria each year. We rarely got a chance to practice our German as as soon as the locals realised we were British (and that often took a while as Dutch and Polish were the first guesses) they would switch to perfect English.

Yes, so far Hohner service is A1

 

[dak]

That's surprising, but I suppose my experience is more in the tourist areas. Before Brexit and Covid we used to holiday in Germany or Austria each year. We rarely got a chance to practice our German as as soon as the locals realised we were British (and that often took a while as Dutch and Polish were the first guesses) they would switch to perfect English.

It's an age question. The older people are less likely to speak English (though to be realistic, a large part of the age group I have in mind nowadays is too occupied with decomposing to speak much German either).

When I was younger myself, I had a split language problem in Poland: the younger people were likely to speak and understand English (rather than German) quite well and did so. The older people did not speak English and probably would have been able to communicate in German but prefered not to.

Yes, so far Hohner service is A1

I have no idea what will happen when Ralf Tritschler will cease reigning over his hall of spare parts.