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Author Topic: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!  (Read 3089 times)

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adr_enne

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Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« on: November 25, 2014, 05:59:26 PM »

I found/bought this I-swear-it-followed-me-home-can-we-keep-it Box last week end and it has no logo or obvious signature on the outside. I can't open it to see if there's information inside, because it's been stashed away at a friend's house as a surprise gift for my Fella.  ;)

It looks like a regular 21 two-row with 12 bass, but I don't recall if the bass keys are different on the push/pull ... They wouldn't be, would they? Again, can't figure that, or the key even, out right now because it's in hiding.

I put thumbnails (and click for bigger pictures) online here:

http://www.7thsign.com/~izzy/gallery/MysteryBox

Any guesses as to the make or model? It looks like the face (?) has been replaced, but the bellows are (is?) in beautiful shape and the tons are lovely.

Thank you in advance for your help! I know much less than he does about this so I hope I've given enough information.
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boxcall

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Re: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2014, 07:12:59 PM »

could be Beaver brand but that's just a guess.
as to key it is stamped on the end of keyboard your's is stamped A/D.
after having a another look the corners don't look like Beaver brand style.
« Last Edit: November 25, 2014, 07:18:11 PM by boxcall »
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Hohner 1040 C, Beltuna one row four stop D, O'Byrne Dewitt/ Baldoni bros. D/C#, Paolo soprani "pepperpot" one row D

Graham Spencer

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Re: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2014, 07:46:40 PM »

It's in extremely good condition. It's immaterial if you can't lay your hands on it at the moment, but yes, the bass notes should be different on the pull and the push, just like the treble notes. It has all the hallmarks of German manufacture, but there were so many makers building similar instruments around the turn of the 20th century it's difficult to pin down. It certainly looks to be of good quality; the Hohner-style cabinet corners and the inlaid decoration suggest a maker in the upper half of the market. I'm sure a Saxony-built box expert (that's the box built in Saxony, not the expert!) will be along soon to make more refined suggestions. Looks a really nice instrument.

Graham
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Among others, Saltarelle Pastourelle II D/G; Hohner 4-stop 1-rows in C & G; assorted Hohners; 3-voice German (?) G/C of uncertain parentage; lovely little Hlavacek 1-row Heligonka; B♭/E♭ Koch. Newly acquired G/C Hohner Viktoria. Also Fender Jazz bass, Telecaster, Stratocaster, Epiphone Sheraton, Charvel-Jackson 00-style acoustic guitar, Danelectro 12-string and other stuff..........

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John MacKenzie (Cugiok)

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Re: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2014, 07:51:01 PM »

A/D might make it French, and the grille is remarkably similar to my Dedenis A/D. The lyre shape in the middle is the same, but the tracery on either side is different.

John
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: Hohner Club Modell 1. Bb/Eb, de-clubbed : Early Hohner Pressed Wood A/D : 1930's Varnished wood G/C:  Hohner Erika C/F: Bandoneon tuned D/G Pressed wood: Koch F/Bb; G/C Pre Corso

Microbot

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Re: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2014, 07:58:22 PM »

Hi there!

I have an instrument that is identical, except it's 8-bass. Mine has a Hohner nameplate on it, and the construction matches that. So I reckon yours is probably a Hohner too.

Mine is fractionally smaller than a standard 2915/pokerwork/pressedwood type Hohner... what are the measurements of yours?

I love the coloured decoration on the case.I thought mine was in pretty good condition - yours is amazing ... and a 12 bass.

Yes - Im jealous!

Mike R
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hickory-wind

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Re: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2014, 08:41:03 PM »

Looks like a Hohner- and in wonderful shape. The grill looks original although lighter in color than the ones I've seen.

Here are similar boxes, some with the M. Hohner nameplate.
« Last Edit: November 25, 2014, 08:46:04 PM by hickory-wind »
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adr_enne

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Re: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2014, 09:56:14 PM »

You are all lovely. Thank you SO much for your help! It really is in gorgeous shape and the sound is strong, so I bought it without blinking. Can't wait for him to open the box in two weeks :D
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Broadland Boy

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Re: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« Reply #7 on: November 26, 2014, 12:31:44 AM »

A lucky chap  :D
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Richard A
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adr_enne

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Re: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« Reply #8 on: November 26, 2014, 05:44:56 AM »

Ok, one more question ...

Anyone know where I can find a two-row diatonic keyboard layout for an A/D box with 12 bass notes?  ;D

I'd love to include it with the gift, so he doesn't have to do the work.
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Cardiff Pauly

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Re: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« Reply #9 on: November 26, 2014, 06:02:49 AM »

Nice Beaver!  8)
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Theo

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Re: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« Reply #10 on: November 26, 2014, 10:01:03 AM »

Ok, one more question ...

Anyone know where I can find a two-row diatonic keyboard layout for an A/D box with 12 bass notes?  ;D

I'd love to include it with the gift, so he doesn't have to do the work.

There is an 8 bass AD layout here http://forum.melodeon.net/files/site/keyboards/2%20Row%20-%20A_D%20-%20with%20low%20notes.jpg
but there is no standard for the extra 4 basses.   You just have to work out what they are either by listening and comparing with known notes, or by using an electronic tuner.
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adr_enne

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Re: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« Reply #11 on: November 26, 2014, 05:32:22 PM »

Thank you, Theo - I wondered if that was the case. I'll print that chart and let him figure out the others. Falls in the category of "fun" :D
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scruzgeek

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Re: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« Reply #12 on: December 10, 2014, 05:31:51 AM »

Hi everyone,
  I'm the happy recipient of this Mystery Box - I was really intrigued by the 12 bass keys and what sounded like more than one minor, so imagine my dismay when I went back to the shop the next day and discovered that it had been sold!
  The inside is nothing like the Hohners that I have - a GC Pokerwork and a CF stamped-wood anchor motif. Those blocks are pretty much standardized and the reeds are waxed in place. This AD has no branding anywhere inside or out other than the 'H' stamp on the reeds. The reed blocks are held in place by a big metal screw-eye that you turn in line with the slot in the block to lift the block out. And the reeds are held in place with pins along the outside edge and screws + washers between the reeds. The bellows on the AD is different also - it's fixed on either end to a frame that matches the rest of the box, and that frame is attached to the box with bolts that screw into a metal fitting inside. Quite nice. Oh, and the bellows release is a long bar along the back. In size, it's about a 1/2-inch wider and about 2 or 3 inches longer than my Pokerwork.
  Okay, the files are too big to upload here, so I've created a shared Google Drive folder - here's the link:
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B1A6Ywupv0dEWDJFeUJuelVTajA&usp=sharing

-Jim
« Last Edit: December 10, 2014, 07:18:39 AM by scruzgeek »
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GC Poker (Posh) | CF Stamped Anchor (Ginger) | Eb/Bb White Hohner (Baby) | DG Weltmeister (Sporty) | AD Mystery Box (TBD)

Broadland Boy

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Re: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« Reply #13 on: December 10, 2014, 01:00:19 PM »

Nice  :D

Keeping to the principle Jim, what about (Old) ??
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Richard A
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scruzgeek

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Re: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« Reply #14 on: December 10, 2014, 05:59:16 PM »

Nice  :D

Keeping to the principle Jim, what about (Old) ??

*laugh* okay, it took me a second, but that's brilliant. We're saving (Scary) for the inevitable 3-row.
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GC Poker (Posh) | CF Stamped Anchor (Ginger) | Eb/Bb White Hohner (Baby) | DG Weltmeister (Sporty) | AD Mystery Box (TBD)

Broadland Boy

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Re: Help identifying a Mystery Box, please!
« Reply #15 on: December 10, 2014, 11:09:33 PM »

 ;D

It'll gradually get harder as MAD worsens  :||:

I was picturing your face and language on returning and finding it gone  >:E
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Richard A
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