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[John C]

This has probably been discussed before but I can't find it, so here goes.    What can be done to upgrade a Pokerwork, my GC is a bit breathy and the buttons go into the holes too much making it difficult to play.

Any ideas appreciated

[Theo]

This has probably been discussed before but I can't find it, so here goes.    What can be done to upgrade a Pokerwork, my GC is a bit breathy and the buttons go into the holes too much making it difficult to play.

The first thing all Hohner need, even straight from the factory, is to do a proper tuning job. Its amazing how much better they sound.  As part of that job the reed set often need to be adjusted which mostly eliminates the breathy sound when playing quietly.

Treble button travel can be limited most effectively by a strip of wood behind the levers, under the lower edge of the fingerboard.

Next job I would do is to reface the pallets with a felt/leather material to reduce some of the Hohner percussion.

Fitting felt bushings to the bass button holes is another possible mod.

[Bryson]

I couple of ideas I pasted from ...? this forum, somewhere else? Not sure.
I did the same (the felt version with the extra cm on the ouside) with my pokerwork - including sending it to my tuner here in Germany to do the things Theo suggests above.
Made a big difference. The lack of clacking bass/chord buttons and the lack of disappearing treble button fingers makes this wonderful instument even better and even more fun to play :)

 My method is to put a strip of wood, possibley including a layer of leather or felt on top, under the levers where they emerge from the open side of the keyboard - ie inside the box. To do this you have to pul the pins and remove the bellows. Then working from inside remove the two screws which hold the keyboard housing in place and carefully withdraw it. Now look at the base of the button levers and you wiull see a small gap between them and the side of the box, thats where I put my packing. You have to measere the gap carefully and cut a strip of wood of a suitable thickness. I can't tell you waht the thickness should be - it varies from box to box. Secure the packing in place with at least 3 screws, ensuring that there is nothing projecting that will prevent the keyboard housing from seating correctly. Reassemble everything and check the button movement is ok. Be prepared to take it all apart and adjust the thickness of packing if the button travel is not right. I usually aim to have the buttons stop slightly below the surface. It is a fiddly job, but worthwhile if you find the standard setup hard to use.    

      
You should use felt, as this is easier done, and stops the buttons making the cliccety noise. What I've done, and found easiest (not nessesairity the best, just my opinion) is to take the treble cabinet off the bellows, by removing the four bellow pins. The you can access the two long screws holding the keyboard in place. The you can pop the whole thing off. Then you can place a large piece of felt (bought in selfadhesive sheets in hardwarestores/hobbysupplies) on the inside, opposite the holes.
But: you will have to take the treble mechanism off as well, as it's much easier to leave the buttons in the keyboard shell while sliding the felt in place.
But as this does not let the buttons travel the same distance on the 1st and 2nd row, I like to put an extra strip of the felt (about a centimeter wide) on top of the large piece, to be set directly under the outside row.
I don't use the adhesive on back on the felt, as it's a bugger to get out again. I just use a drop of superglue in each corner of the felt.
The I put the thing back on the box, attaching the long screws of the keyboardshell first, the the four small of the treble mechanism.
Like I said, not the best, but it works for me, and makes the box MUCH much easier and faster to play.

[finnhorse]

Jon Loomes started a great thread about Pokerwork mods when the new forum first opened.. see if I can find the link.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,267.msg2035.html#msg2035

Fun thread!  But maybe this new one will kick up a few new ideas.  As something of an idea, I have removed all material from behind the grille of my Pokerwork.  I'll probably be complaining when it sucks up dust and goes out of tune but it's just so much louder that way, it really rings the metal grille and sounds slightly different than the Club grille which I have treated the same way.

[Accordion Dave]

Thanks for the information! My HA-1040 treble buttons are a bit noisy. The bass side was quieted with some new felt washers.

[Martin J]

I have removed all material from behind the grille of my Pokerwork.  I'll probably be complaining when it sucks up dust and goes out of tune but it's just so much louder that way, it really rings the metal grille and sounds slightly different than the Club grille which I have treated the same way.

I made my own wooden grille.  It was fun to design, looks much better than the metal, customised the look and improved the tone enormously.  I did back it with acoustically transparrent material.  Easy job with a fret saw.  A hand one is fine, there's not much cutting to do, depending on your design.

To finnish the job I scraped all the polkawork paint off the box back to bare wood so that it all matched.

[waldoB]

I have removed all material from behind the grille of my Pokerwork.  I'll probably be complaining when it sucks up dust and goes out of tune but it's just so much louder that way, it really rings the metal grille and sounds slightly different than the Club grille which I have treated the same way.

I made my own wooden grille.  It was fun to design, looks much better than the metal, customised the look and improved the tone enormously.  I did back it with acoustically transparrent material.  Easy job with a fret saw.  A hand one is fine, there's not much cutting to do, depending on your design.

To finnish the job I scraped all the polkawork paint off the box back to bare wood so that it all matched.

Dance Master (US) sell a replacement two piece (separate fingerboard) wooden keyboard, easier to assemble after adjusting the button travel

[Martyn]

Here is my Pokerwork bought new in 1982.
This used to be my old morris box - rusty metalwork and a lot of the gold paint missing. I decided to give it a bit of a makeover.
Including stripping off all the old paint with paint stripper and sanding smooth.
Veneering the body with "fiddleback" mahogany, inlaying the Hohner name in boxwood, staining with bichromate of potash then French polishing. The replacement parts include new grille, chrome corners, press stud type bellows straps, fingerboard and rubber feet. I also re-taped the bellows, stopped the buttons and carried out some work on the action.
A lot of work, but worth it as it is now possibly a unique Pokerwork. I've had lots of compliments on it's appearance and those that have tried it say how well it plays and sounds.

Martyn

You can hear it played with the band here;       

 http://www.chelmsford-morris.org.uk/MUSIC%20pages/music-stepfetch.html     

[Québécois]

Superb!

[RGF]

I've made a successful upgrade to my Pokerwork keyboard with this method: I installed a very thin blade in my bandsaw, carefully adjusted the table to square and placed the fence precisely, and then just sliced the top right off the entire piece. If carefully done, the two cut faces will require a minimum of sanding, after which the top can be reattached with a handful of tiny, countersunk wood screws. Furniture felt in the bottom limits the key travel. And the top is easily and quickly removeable to adjust the thickness of the felt, or to tweak the levers a bit right/left to center the buttons in their holes. (Starting that cut did cause a bit of breath-holding, though!)

At the same time, I shaved the edge of the keyboard flat, and sanded a thumb groove along the length. These two modifications made a big improvement in the playability.

Bob

[John C]

Many thanks for all the information.   Its really amazing what people can do for themselves but I don't want to risk ruining the box and will have to slowly see how far my nerves will let me go.

Thks again

[wildman]

Here is my Pokerwork bought new in 1982.
This used to be my old morris box - rusty metalwork and a lot of the gold paint missing. I decided to give it a bit of a makeover.
Including stripping off all the old paint with paint stripper and sanding smooth.
Veneering the body with "fiddleback" mahogany, inlaying the Hohner name in boxwood, staining with bichromate of potash then French polishing. The replacement parts include new grille, chrome corners, press stud type bellows straps, fingerboard and rubber feet. I also re-taped the bellows, stopped the buttons and carried out some work on the action.
A lot of work, but worth it as it is now possibly a unique Pokerwork. I've had lots of compliments on it's appearance and those that have tried it say how well it plays and sounds.

Martyn

You can hear it played with the band here;       

 http://www.chelmsford-morris.org.uk/MUSIC%20pages/music-stepfetch.html     

Cracking Job, love it.

[Martin J]

Here is my Pokerwork bought new in 1982.  

Main man.  Makes mine look rough.

[melodeon]

Very nice job , Martyn

[Martyn]

Thanks for the compliments.
I've just found this "action" pic.

Martyn