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[blunderbox]

I have a 9-coupler, and it looks simple to just remove four screws to take off the coupler mechanism intact, with all the buttons and metal etc.  Screen-off the button openings on the grill, and you've got a fixed 4-voice without the metal blocking the sound.  Could even probably even drill a small hole in the side of the grill and fashion a little push-pull button, in a metal sleeve, to attach to the little lever that shuts-off the low reed.  Anyone tried this?  How many of you are muttering 'what an idjit'?

If I wanted to be less barbaric, I could probably just play with the grill off, or go buy a 2-coupler, but where's the fun in that?

[triskel]

That might help the sound on the inside row, depending on the year of the box, but what are you going to do to make the instrument smaller and lighter?  (Seeing that those are the other problems with a 9-coupler box.)

I suppose if you play B/C you might want the option of the 4-voice sound, but for C#/D I'd suggest buying a no-coupler (3-voice) Paolo instead, which is what I've got and a lot of people I know do too - they're smaller, lighter, much easier to manage, and much better balanced between the rows... 

[blunderbox]

Thanks very much for the input.  I went ahead and removed the mechanism, which was quite easy.  It makes for a nice balance of the two rows, especially improving the inner row M reeds.  It's a lovely big 4v sound, but you are right, it takes a little managing.  3-voice no-coupler b/c Paolos are as rare as hen's teeth here in the U.S. (I haven't seen one for sale here in the last 3 years at least), but may have a look the next time I am over your way.