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Discussions => General Discussion => Topic started by: Ginger_lad on January 07, 2016, 09:49:32 PM

Title: A Big Problem
Post by: Ginger_lad on January 07, 2016, 09:49:32 PM
Hi everybody

OK. I am completely new, and probably this can be easily explained by a toddler, but do bear in mind that I have no experience whatsoever.

I bought a one-row in C off Gumtree for £100 (I know, why did I do that?!) for playing not just English but Scottish, Irish and maybe a little bit Cajun too. It was sent to me and I received it this evening, pushed the air button, then pressed the buttons and waggled the bellows about. Lower notes were fine, but some of the higher ones were horrible! It was a wheezy buzzy sound on some, and a little out of tune on others. Can this problem be solved by simply playing it (I have heard that this can help) or will I have to pay a large amount of money on restoring it? Is it worth it or should I sell it to someone who can play it properly and knows how to use it and save my money for a D/G or B/C?

Also, I was just told it is a box for Cajun. Does it now have different tuning or something? If it does, then that makes me want to sell it more. However I do want to keep it, it is a Hohner 1040C, and I don't want to feel I've thrown my money away.

If you have any solutions, please help.

Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: A Big Problem
Post by: Lester on January 07, 2016, 10:04:12 PM
I would bet there is a 99% chance that the problems are down to failed wax causing loose reeds. The reeds need to be removed and free rewaxed with new wax.

As to it being a good box for Canon,  not really :)
Title: Re: A Big Problem
Post by: Theo on January 07, 2016, 11:16:11 PM
Hohner 1040 is a good box when properly set up,  but £100 is a high price for one that is clearly in need of a full overhaul.  So you might have to take a loss if you wanted to sell it as it is, and it is possible that after a full overhaul the purchase price plus overhaul cost would still be more than it would sell for.  If it is the box you want then as a decent quality instrument it could be worthwhile repairing, but if it's not what you actually want then it may be best to cut your losses and move it on.
Title: Re: A Big Problem
Post by: melodeon on January 07, 2016, 11:37:07 PM
Max,  out of curiosity.. do you post on "The Session"  ?

Someone there just purchased a 1040 in spite of my suggestion to not buy it..

Not chastising, but a point of reality.. not the box you need, nor a good value considering the condition.

Have it looked at, perhaps by Theo,  before giving in or up.
Title: Re: A Big Problem
Post by: playandteach on January 07, 2016, 11:46:44 PM
If it's any consolation, I suspect lots of us have done it. I've bought beautiful old piano accordions (to look at), and then given them away. One was literally full of loose reed plates in the bellows. I think Theo has it for a door stop now. I've given two to a kid who wanted to practise tweaking reeds. Then I bought a beauty, but from a shop where I could try it. Learnt my lesson? No!
Got a Hohner Erika arriving tomorrow from German ebay from a seller who doesn't know anything about melodeons.
Title: Re: A Big Problem
Post by: 911377brian on January 08, 2016, 09:18:51 AM
Do it all the time, don't seem to be able to curb my enthusiasm for the weird or needy box....got the herd down to three not long ago, back up to nine now...I swear MAD gets worse with age...and my playing remains very mediocre despite my enthusiasm....
Title: Re: A Big Problem
Post by: John MacKenzie (Cugiok) on January 08, 2016, 10:08:48 AM
Wanna buy a 1040 in C, Brian    >:E >:E
Seriously though, it does seem to be something we all go through. I still need to get rid of 2 boxes, to get my phalanx down to 5.
All I can say about this box the OP bought, is this. Selling it again at a loss, will definitely be the cheapest way to go. Then look for one that works straight away.
Take it from me, I have been down that road.


Sir John
Title: Re: A Big Problem
Post by: invadm on January 08, 2016, 10:44:30 AM

If you have any solutions, please help.

I like 1040 Hohner's and you are not alone buying what you do not need  :||: as a solutions I've sent you a PM  ;)
Title: Re: A Big Problem
Post by: JimmyM on January 08, 2016, 06:10:30 PM
Not that it helps the OP in any way but I'm SO glad to have read this thread. Its good to know I'm not the only one  :Ph  Im sat in my 'music room' surrounded by my toys :-) many of which are ebay 'bargains' I think the idea was that I'd try out an instrument on the cheap then if I liked it I'd get a better quality one.

I'm starting to realise that this MAD thing is a real thing. I dont drink or smoke but my poor wife thinks it would be cheaper if I did!
Title: Re: A Big Problem
Post by: Ginger_lad on January 08, 2016, 06:32:18 PM
Ok thanks everyone. I do not post on the session
Title: Re: A Big Problem
Post by: melodeon on January 09, 2016, 02:35:39 AM
Cut your loss.

Move along.

I say this considering I have owned, and like, the 1040.

The one the OP has does not seem to be what may suit his needs.
Title: Re: A Big Problem
Post by: Mike Gott on January 10, 2016, 08:40:07 AM
Hello there. I'm a 1-row player, though I do play 2 and 2.5 row D/G instruments as well, mainly to enable me to play all the tunes for a morris side that I play for! I love the Hohner 1040's, they were a staple instrument in the "old days" in the hands of traditional musicians, particularly on the East Coast where I originate from. John Kirkpatrick seems to manage quite well with one as well. The sound, accompanied by the typical Hohner clatter is to me one of the great iconic sounds of traditional music - but then I am a bit biased.

I'd certainly get it looked at for an estimate for the repair work before you make any decision. Don't forget that melodeon.net is generally inhabited by enthusiasts with MAD (search for it), quite a numer of which have managed to buy that £5000 Van der Klomp that they've lusted after for years and some may be negative about lesser things. Over the years that I have been playing I have seen the Hohner go from being the instrument that you bought for life to being described by the people who sell them as "starter instruments" - obviously in the hope of shaming you into buying that £2500.00 Castagnari or hand-made Dutch/French one that they just happen to be in the position to sell you. The top quality instruments are lovely things but the Hohner still has a lot going for it. What it really comes down to is how well you play the thing, not who did the marquetry on the keyboard. I have a "nice" 4-stop in C but I still have my Hohner one (as well as a G and a D) and still enjoy playing them regularly. Good luck.

Mike
Title: Re: A Big Problem
Post by: Psuggmog Volbenz on January 11, 2016, 10:26:07 AM
You can certainly play cajun music on your 1040, it just won't sound like a 4 stop LMMH box. In the old days when only cajuns played cajun music, there weren't several newly minted makers offering expensive hand assembled boxes made out of Italian parts. People played what ever they could get. Certain makes were the most desired and preferred, and they were they high end Germany factory made. Most prople simply couldn't get one of those. This was also the case with Zydeco players.
Title: Re: A Big Problem
Post by: MandoC on January 18, 2016, 01:47:30 AM
Ginger-Lad:  I made the double mistake of buying an instrument that was the wrong system for me and an instrument that was a dog mechanically to boot.  As you can see by the above posts, this seems to be a common mistake(s) when taking up squeeze boxes.  You have to kiss some toads to find a princess. Good luck in your search. (As my mother used to say, good luck follows good judgement).  Charlie
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