Concertina reeds diy

Concertina reeds diy. The reeds are top quality Brass Plate Traditional style, “Singular Concertina Reeds” with steel tongues. Dec 3, 2014 · Short film recording the making of a Concertina, hand-crafted by Anthony P JamesThe version I made of this without the music in the middle was the Devizes Fi Aug 6, 2016 · This widening of the slot allows the airflow to increase again when the reed moves down into the slot. Oct 15, 2021 · Heard back from The Irish Concertina Company - though the website states that the Clare is being made now with brass accordion reeds, when ordering one you still have the option to choose the professional accordion reeds from Italy. I can imagine that making a jig for production use would make sense, but Jun 17, 2017 · An old concertina bellows under a board hanging over the edge of (and clamped to) the workbench; a solid bottom end and weights inside the bellows so it drops nicely. No wonder it uses much air. If used for the Jackie, the chambers need to be reduced. I can only believe that regular vibration of the new reeds rendered them more flexible and responsive and that the consequent greater freedom of movement to vibrate contributed to the sweeter tone and easier action. The better the fit of the reed in the slot, the cleaner the cut and the less energy is lost. Neither are accordion reeds for that matter Jan 3, 2009 · My first reed making project will be to make some better fitting reed tounges on that little Lachenal I am re-manufacturing. I don't relish the prospects of scraping rust off your Jeffries reeds down the road! Be safe. Oct 11, 2014 · I would say it's probably a German made concertina tarted up for the English market. The construction, chamber dimensions, end materials and thicknesses, all matter more than the reed, though when you make a single shoe reed to fit a concertina reed pan, but use an accordion style window in it, it sounds more accordion like. The frame is slotted, allowing the reed to move freely ‘through’ the frame. Jan 12, 2004 · Concertina Reeds. Want to have a harmonica with few notes but sounds exactly like an bandoneon. By William January 12, 2004 in General Concertina Discussion. Price includes reeds, reed wax, instructions, and shipping within the USA. I think it would be foolish to make a whole reed set in order to check out such questionable advantages. It is an instrument (English, Anglo-German or Duet) that is built with accordion reeds instead of concertina reeds. Jan 25, 2021 · The concertina I have sounds two reeds at the same time on each note an octave apart. 3. I hear this very clearly in the difference between my Herrington and my Dipper/Groff-modified Lachenal. I myself have made a few brass reeds individually by hand, but the brass sheet I used was made specially for me by a craftsman friend, using a formula for "reed brass" from a 19th-century book. The result is something that looks far better than it sounds from my Nov 22, 2019 · The reeds are made of brass and the hand of the concertina is made of leather. Hello all. I found an excellant reference book for chemnitzers. I don't understand how you can do that in a concertina where the reeds are waxed down to the back of the action board. Try using the google advanced search; search for reed wax and limit the search to www. The appearance of the reed pan viewed from the other side is more-or-less identical, as each reed is intended to Apr 14, 2014 · It was relatively easy to make a reed with tight clearances, the unusual shapes of the frame and reed added perhaps 10 minutes to the fitting process. make the reeds yourself, and for a one of project, you might ultimately decide buying Suttner Reeds are far more economical in the long run. "Twanging it" is waving your hand in the pond; playing it is interrupting and releasing the powerful flow of air created by the bellows. The blue temper is a little softer than ideal, but it doesn’t affect the sound, only the resistance Jan 15, 2004 · They were the first commercially successful European free reed instruments and led directly to the invention of the accordion, the English concertina (via the symphonion), the German concertina and (of course) the modern mouthorgan/harmonica family. Then people like Harold Herrington in Texas and Frank Edgley in Canada and Rich Morse in Massachusetts and Bob Tedrow in Alabama started building quality instruments utilizing English construction standards but using accordion reeds, which are a lot less The sound is still high quality as its mainly the Clamped reeds that give’s the concertina its old Vintage sound. That's not a good expenditure on a lesser-grade concertina. Instrument Construction & Repair. Ordinary 1095 spring temper steel ( 0. Their tone is not quite the same as on a vintage/traditional concertina, but some players like Jun 7, 2020 · In this video I show you how to make your own reed valves for your accordion projects. REEDS FOR ACCORDIONS Apr 19, 2016 · Try bending the reed slightly higher so that at rest there is a larger gap between the bottom of the tongue tip and the reed plate. net. I want to build a harmonica with bigger bandoneon reeds . So when opening that side I noticed that every button activates 2 reeds , I think in octave. A good hard-shell concertina case will run you about $100. The brass reeds give it a mellow quality sound that is soft and smooth. Feb 1, 2015 · Since we seem to questioning the wisdom of our forefathers [*], how about this one: Making a new sound board with accurately routed slots for traditional concertina reeds looks pretty tough to do - especially for a one-off. Sign In. Apply this to the concertina reed. Now I looked this up and I understand generally how to fix it, my issue is that my particular instrument doesn't seem to let me access the reeds that I need to as half of Intermediate/Mid-range concertinas use accordion reeds, but they are built to a higher quality than the student/basic concertinas. Note that when the reed is in its equilibrium position (as shown in Fig 2) there is an air passage between the top and bottom at the free end of the reed tongue. Plus, you really want premium-grade accordion reeds ("tipo-a-mano" or TAM, also known as "hand-finished" reeds), for the quicker reed response. Concertina reeds are mounted directly on the reed pan, where accordion reed plates are mounted on the tops of the chamber walls. Reeds do not just swing from base to tip (fundamental pitch), but also within the Oct 1, 2003 · 2. disses the maker! one of the lower reeds had quite a bit of slop between the reed shoe and the reed. I might add, the VA reeds on my newish Castagnari Dinn II had gaps this size at the tip on some reeds, and the tongues were often quite off Sep 20, 2017 · The action, bellows, frames, and pans are simply not high-quality enough to make this anything but a money-loser as an investment. It might be worth tuning, depending on the tuning price. Compared to accordion reeds the second part of the swing cycle of a concertina reed is a lot less effective. The Eirú Concertina played by Niall Vallely. Mind you this had concertina reeds in it. You'd need 1/8" rails to mount reed plates on and normal hybrid construction with the rails glued to the back of the action pan, rather than a separate reed pan. Yeah, if the lower reads to the left of it aren't taking as much air, that's something any decent accordion repair person should be able to take care of. REEDS FOR ACCORDIONS Nov 7, 2003 · Jack Zuraw. (Hear Mp3 sound sample below) 2) From 3 PC plates I created a 6x6 JANKO keyboard (Now I only need to wire it up and paint it black & white) 3) I created a WYSIWYG notation for it (similar to Klavar notation). 1: Brun Part 7: Reed Pans. 4. The concertina would be slightly soggy. Sep 25, 2005 · Remember me Not recommended on shared computers. Feb 14, 2024 · About harmonikas. Share Concertina Reed Pan. This is a Scholer 20 button concertina that I am fixing up to have something that a real sailor would use. If you go too far it will sound breathy and will be reluctant to start at low pressure. There is a drone button on the left thumb, tuned to C/F, which is not very useful for me. I've seen the ingredients discussed several times but not the actual method of making it up. I just miss a pdf list with all their product prices in Euro in one nice overview. Complete set for a 34 key english Concertina. All reeds used in the construction of Edgley Concertinas are the very best hand-made reeds available, made to our specifications. Dec 11, 2016 · The top one already has accordion reeds, which could be tuned by any accordion technician - you don't need a concertina specialist. I don't know what the Stagi reeds are made of, but again, they're not generally considered "real" concertina reeds in the first place (they're accordion-style actually). Sep 8, 2013 · Imagine if you had a leak in your bellows 2. Every time the reed passes through the slot (frame) it cuts the air flow. There's a good chance you'll need to check and adjust the tuning after cleaning the reeds. Hope that helps, Daniel. This shows the reed pan for a modern Wheatstone 40-key anglo with steel reeds. Jun 25, 2021 · These are the reeds that I can see, meaning these reeds are the ones that face the bellows of the instrument. After the second day, the C# reed in questions started playing normally. Dana uses a number of innovative techniques in his concertinas. My plan was to make a drop-in Dec 19, 2017 · I am talking about a harmonica like Hohner Marine Band but final product will be bigger. Mar 8, 2006 · Generally, accordion reeds tend to be thicker than concertina reeds, but this does not need to be. As an update, I had a short holiday and stayed in a non-airconditioned house in >30C / 90F weather. By tomlaw90 December 9, 2004 in Instrument Construction & Repair. Arguably True reeds are more agile and have a distinct slight harshness, while Hybrid reeds are slightly more staid and have a more mellow, organ-like sound. 5mm long and . I can see why everyone . Used and cheaper concertinas often don't come with cases. Thinking to build, order, say ten short bandoneon reeds and go from ther This is a small strip of steel, brass or German silver, which is. Another thing that has happened to me and may cause your calf to bawl might be something touching the reed as it vibrates. If you post a pic we might be able We make The Vintage Concertinas In The Classic Way, with separate hardwood reed pans. A hybrid concertina is a fairly modern phenomenon. A small hole in the board, over which we put an adjustable jig for hybrid reeds or a different jig that holds several sizes of concertina reeds. Use accordion style reeds. Nov 26, 2021 · but I would not know what proportions of copper / zinc would be suitable for concertina reed tongues. Don't worry about rusty screws unless there's loose flaky stuff that might fall off and get stuck in the reed. 5. The Eirú Concertina played by Caitlin Ní Gabhann, at our shop in Milltown Malbay at the Willie Clancy Week. Getting the bass note to precede the higher note at a given pressure makes a massive difference and having the notes sound equally across the full set of notes in the key at a given pressure makes a big difference. Jan 2, 2004 · For example, mounting an accordion reed assembly (reed/plate/rivet) hard onto or into a reed pan of which the chambers are directly a part of will effect a much more concertina type sound than a having a reed assembly (of any type) mounted in a separate reed bank (somewhat) perpendicular to the sound board (or action board). I now had a rounded reed passing a rounded compression point in the frame. Steel reeds are expensive, hard, fast, more stringent, bright sounding with cleaner tone, holding in-tune longer, louder. 00 can be used for our Jackie model or your own build. Note vintage Duets are a really good deal since the supply/demand ratio favors the buyer. I've done it by over-playing. Reeds do not just swing from base to tip (fundamental pitch), but also within the Nov 9, 2006 · Hey Folks, This may be a stupid question, but why are all the mid-range instruments made with accordian reeds? Is it just that there aren't many good concertina reed manufacturers out there or are they just much more expensive? It seems that the workmanship on mid range instruments is quite often It depends what you're trying to do. Sherri said: KerryFrank said: Sherri, I own a 1926 Silberhorn chemitzer and collect, repair and play several styles of concertinas. Mar 31, 2009 · Posted March 31, 2009. Normally the reeds are brass. Assuming a traditional Mar 28, 2020 · Discussion Forums. 1. Apr 14, 2010 · Demonstration of method used by accordion technicians to service leather reed valves. The reason for doing this has to do with availability and expense: concertina reeds are not something you buy at the local DIY-market. Jan 10, 2023 · Even the DIX accordion reeds aren't supposed to differ in tongue/slot geometry from the concertina reeds, so the main reasons you might prefer the concertina reeds are the method of installation and the brass shoes. 2. The smaller ones have tighter tolerance, and might be passable. Sep 23, 2015 · You can get it in various thicknesses, but I used 1/8" for the reed pan and action pan with 1/16" for the chamber walls. So will this reed if it has a similarly large clearance. Jun 17, 2017 · An old concertina bellows under a board hanging over the edge of (and clamped to) the workbench; a solid bottom end and weights inside the bellows so it drops nicely. / Reeds, Techniques, Toolmaking, Tools / By Alex. Like you could get a gorgeous vintage one with true concertina reeds (not accordion like most <$3,000 modern instruments) for less than a grand, whereas a vintage 30b Anglo would be like $2k since there are just so many folks wanting them for Irish trad. Have fun! And a very merry solstice to you. That way you will avoid condensation on the reeds. I hoped the reeds left in it would be reasonable quality and they appeared to be. Then compare that gap with the one on the offending reed. Share More sharing options Followers 0. If you just need a few replacement reeds for your instrument, Concertina spares might be able to help you out. Lachenal could make a good reed when they had a mind to. The left end of the reed is clamped between the two frames, and the other end is free to oscillate. There is a third ingredient btw, linseed or olive oil as I recall. Aug 8, 2017 · No. The button straps on this concertina hold the player’s hands in place when playing and allow for greater freedom of the fingers and easy access to the two rows of 10 button keys that are on . 95% carbon steel ) is readily available in sheet form which makes perfectly good reeds. The gap between the frame and the tip of the reed allows air to flow past the reed to P2. upwards. (small). The design of the slot can be a factor. How do you set and tune these reeds? Melting and replacing the wax every time a reed is taken out and replaced seems a lot of work. The blue temper is a little softer than ideal, but it doesn’t affect the sound, only the resistance Jun 18, 2018 · Sometimes an old toothbrush comes in handy to brush loose dirt off the frame. Dana makes his own reeds. The "Edgley Concertina" is hand-crafted, one at a time, from the best materials and components. Hello, A few years back I showed this awfully butchered large duet concertina. I inserted a normal reed with the same pitch and similar clearances into the tuning rig and listened. Accordion reeds can be made thinner, also. This air flow will pull the tip of the reed downwards towards the frame, just like two pieces of paper Nov 22, 2019 · The reeds are made of brass and the hand of the concertina is made of leather. Because of the less effective cutting of the airflow, concertina reeds produce less harmonics. The second one has "long-plate" reeds, which are different from both accordion reeds and also different from what we usually call concertina reeds. The seventh part of the story of how I built my first concertina is about the reed pans; the removable boards that carry the reeds and valves. I’d prefer D in both directions. The reed pan can be removed from the end of the concertina by hooking a finger through the hole in the middle and pulling gently. There are proponants of the Edeophone that will put those reeds head to head with the response and sound of Wheatstone's Aeola reeds. Just got an anglo today and I like it quite a bit. As for the exterior: 1. The only issue is there is a buzzing on some of the notes. I am now considering taping one of the two reeds for every button to see how that plays. Mar 18, 2022 · Reeds can corrode or get lint caught in them and they can crack. Nov 1, 2005 · 1. Oct 3, 2020 · The frequency comes from the waving of your hand, but the volume comes from the powerful jet of water that you are interrupting and releasing. Jan 8, 2012 · On this concertina, it is glued to the metal reed block. Didn't clarify whether "brass" refers to the plates or to the reeds themselves (which I asked about). If you want a whole set to use in an instrument you're building, well, that's a pretty tall order. e. Apr 27, 2022 · Posted April 27, 2022. So all is well now, even though I never fixed the reed myself. . And you can put the entire reed block on the tuning table while you are filing or scratching the reed. cz reeds. forgetting about all the other differences, this alone generates a different sort of sound. , a very pretty and playable but still accordion-reeded instrument, that's between $2k and $3k for something like a CC clover, a Marcus, or an Edgely. As for the project itself - as I see it, it will be a hybrid instrument, with reeds scrapped from russian button accordion. Sep 3, 2015 · See DIX concertina reeds on their web page. I don’t want to alter the reeds, would prefer to take them out and keep them safe and put new D reeds in for the Jan 13, 2018 · All Activity; Home ; Discussion Forums ; Instrument Construction & Repair ; Diy Bandoneon Reed With Zinc Same Youngs Modulus Fiber Plastic Nov 8, 2007 · Then I'd suggest to pour wax or plasticine around every joint and corner inside the insttrument, esp. Greg Apr 5, 2015 · I suspect that the reed set , or tip gap is too close. when screws are protruding. I have finally got around to making them a new home. This is designed to alleviate the effects of the environment on the concertina. Jul 16, 2007 · There only alternatives are 1. Forgot your password? Sign Up Mar 18, 2022 · Reeds can corrode or get lint caught in them and they can crack. Take copper wire, wrap it around the tip of an iron, with one end sticking up. If you're energetic, make three sets at different pitch ranges. "concertina" Reeds. Apr 23, 2020 · On 4/24/2020 at 5:20 AM, David Colpitts said: Especially when played ensemble, the accordion reeds are a viable alternative, to listeners, at least. May 3, 2008 · The reeds became more responsive and 'sweeter' and benefitted significantly from the gentle exercise I began to give them. Dec 19, 2007 · The common perception: Brass reeds are cheap, soft, slower, warm sounding with characteristic "hiss" to the sound, going flat sooner, quiet. Price includes reeds, reed wax, material for chamber reduction, instructions, and shipping within the USA. Generally the best thing is to clean up and tune the existing reeds. The one I am fixing up has a total of 12 trapezoidal reed blocks - each reed block has 5 reeds for the push, and 5 for the pull. Yes, and to fellow-musicians! In our folk group, i was the Jack of All Trades - I sang, and played the instruments that nobody else played. Aug 25, 2008 · The reeds in your concertina are held in place with accordion reed wax which melts at 60+ degrees Celsius so never leave it in the car on a hot day! If the plate was poorly waxed in and has simply fallen off you might be able to re-fix it by putting it back in place and melting the wax with a soldering iron or the heated blade of a craft knife. melodeon. modern concertina reed, early square top frame, aluminum and brass frame. This could be sweet music into the ears of amateur concertina makers. Try to do it a tiny bit at a time and test the result. The single reed instruments have the reed plates mounted flat on the reed pan, where the double reed ones have the plates on boxes raised above the pan. These included 5-string banjo, tin whistle - and Anglo Jan 23, 2009 · Much of the difference in the reeds comes from the way they are mounted on the instrument. All bellows are made in our workshop, have seven deep folds for maximum extension, and are covered with the best quality Feb 7, 2008 · Finally, step by step I built the DIY components for it: 1) I converted a 120-button accordion bass to Midi. Assuming a traditional Aug 3, 2016 · The wood matters more than anything you do to the reed. Playing as much as you do, especially if you play loud, could crack a reed. $120. I just opened my old hohner 10 button concertina because it uses to much air especially on the left side. Mar 31, 2013 · I have a quite large set of DIY skills, including metal machining (from stop-motion animation armature making) and both large and small scale woodworking. Concertina reeds can have a tapered slot whereas the accordion reeds can achieve similar results by the taper of the reed tongues. Feb 4, 2015 · When the reed is in rest position, the tip is not exactly parallel with the frame, but slightly bend . If you want the best hybrid on the market, i. Dec 16, 2010 · Whatever instruments you take try and let the concertina(s) accommodate in advance to the conditions in which you will be playing. Generally the button rows are parallel to a side, with "large Jan 28, 2016 · Now sandwich a flat reed tongue between the two frames as shown in Fig 2. This website sells its sheets with the following specification , Grade CZ108 (Cross references UNS – C27200, ISO – CuZn37, EN – CW508L) also known as common brass and has a composition of 67% copper and 37% zinc ( I know the maths doesn't Oct 18, 2020 · Posted October 18, 2020. Both Aeola and Edeophone reeds were based on a longer scale. Some lower-end Lachenals will have brass reeds though. attached on one end, either by means of screws or a rivet, to a brass or aluminum frame. Recently I made my first prototype concertina reeds. Jan 12, 2023 · Hi everyone! I own a 38 button C/G Jeffries anglo concertina. It would be about the most difficult stock to work with even if it was an appropriate alloy. By the way, they also make other customized parts: bellows (number of falts can be chosen, sizes, edge reinforcements, …), reed Combs, … . The Beaumont even has some of its reeds set into a small reed-block just like an accordion. in particular he uses a special pressed wood laminate that is impregnated with resin (I think). I have something similar- a German made concertina with gold-tooled leather bellows and better quality finishes like an English-built box, but with the wooden internals and broad steel reeds ganged onto a harmonica-like plate like a German concertina, imported and rebadged by Henry Harley, a London retailer. Aug 20, 2019 · Although they are unlikely to be the right size to fit an existing reed pan without a significant amount of work. As far as I know, even replacement reeds in old brass-reeded instruments are either made of steel or taken whole from another old instrument. The push reeds are on the flat (non-chambered) side of the reed pan. Make two identical reeds, one with rounded edge and the other without, install them and play them. it was quite a challenge squeezing them in but I'm pretty happy with the Jul 15, 2021 · Decent instruments with concertina reeds and inferior instruments with accordion reeds. [1] German double æolina stamped "Evers" and also with a device consisting of an oval with an Feb 18, 2004 · Reading the fascinating Tedrow logs (sounds like a Robert Ludlum thriller), I was struck once again by the reality that accordion reeds don't sound like concertina reeds. To wax the reeds I'd recommend small soldering iron. The Eirú Concertina played by Sharon O'Leary. Nov 26, 2007 · As a concertina repairman I'll offer some comments and observations. So if you go for mechanika reeds, make the bellows with more folds. That said, I've seen concertinists online lament that everyone in their band has them play their $500 Stagi instead of their $2000 vintage Wheatstone since they like the sound better, so Oct 18, 2020 · Posted October 18, 2020. The lower the class of the reed, the less air efficient and responsive reeds are - in terms of concertina building, this translates the most to how long single bellows direction phrases you will be able to play. Jun 18, 2018 · The reeds in Morse concertinas (Button Box) are accordion reeds and they are held in with accordion wax. Now I looked this up and I understand generally how to fix it, my issue is that my particular instrument doesn't seem to let me access the reeds that I need to as half of Apr 23, 2022 · True, but in an accordion they are in removeable reed blocks and you can get at the inside reed tongue from inside the block. Reply to this topic; Start new topic; May 13, 2024 · You get the true concertina reed sound and most likely the reeds have been well played in (they do tend to improve in tone with use, though I'm not 100% clear on the mechanism). Neither are accordion reeds for that matter Dec 9, 2004 · "accordion" Reeds Vs. If a few of them have broken or heavily rusted tongues, a good restorer can easily make new ones to fit the existing frames. Look at other reeds of the same size as the reed in question and see how much the reed tongue sits proud of the reed frame. May 1, 2024 · Discussion Forums. Apr 2, 2010 · Both accordion and concertina reeds produce sound by cutting the air flow into small ‘bits’. One thing I have learned is that the reed pan layout is one of the most difficult and important aspects of designing a new instrument from scratch, and it has to be done in Reed Prototypes Part 1: Frame and Clamp. Jan 23, 2009 · Much of the difference in the reeds comes from the way they are mounted on the instrument. There’s a lot to write about so I’m going to divide it into two articles, this one will cover the frames and clamps, and the next one will cover the tongues. The reeds are generally 5 to a plate. It may make the instrument so much more airtight. Dec 14, 2020 · One suggestion would be to take one step at a time. A cracked reed might well sound as you describe. 15mm wide. Dana Johnson has instructions for tapering the reed slots that he'll share if you ask him. If you want a concertina with traditional concertina reeds, that's $4k and up, and it isn't uncommon to pay $10k for one from a really good maker. Our Concertinas are top of the range professional quality, we handcraft our 7 fold Bellows using high grade leather. Generally supplied to cheaper, entry level instruments. The button straps on this concertina hold the player’s hands in place when playing and allow for greater freedom of the fingers and easy access to the two rows of 10 button keys that are on Jul 8, 2008 · Pearl Queens turn up fairly often on eBay -- here is one completed sale for $325 and here is another for $300. These concertinas can be as well-made as a vintage/traditional concertina, and their reeds are often very responsive. The Vintage has a 19th century A hybrid concertina is a fairly modern phenomenon. Mar 28, 2020 · Discussion Forums. €3800. If it's got traditional concertina reeds, though, and you have the option of going to someone who specifically knows concertinas, that would be preferable. For those of us who are romantics or superstitious about old instruments, there's something inspiring about knowing the instrument has had decades of tunes played Apr 5, 2015 · I suspect that the reed set , or tip gap is too close. Most are 20 button. I refer to large clearances as leaks. wz xk gb sk gp ph kd hf yh fz