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[Anahata]

It's quite common for MM to be tuned with one set on pitch and the other sharp...

[boxer]

I think if the "wet" MM tuning was musette, it might matter, and a high-low pitch arrangement sound better. 

As the wet MM is a very modest Saltarelle swing, it works fine, although I'm sometimes tempted to open the pitch gap out a bit more to get faster swing and thereby more audibility, in big sessions....

...although I've got the Pokerwork (as a nuclear option) and a wet Cairdin (nearly as lethal, and prettier) that have all the punch I need for that kind of stuff.

It's a pity that the pitch of individual voices can't be changed just by turning a knob on the side of the box, then all I'd ever need is one box with two voices.  Come on Theo, how about it.....?

[Theo]

Ok I'll do it.  £5m down payment, for delivery in 2040.

[rees]

Try playing near a ceiling fan, it will give you all the tremolo you need.
The Bedford concerts at Sidmouth being a case in point.

[rees]

Ok I'll do it.  £5m down payment, for delivery in 2040.

Very reasonable, considering.

[pete /acorn]

Hi
I appreciate financial considerations more often than not put restraint onto what we buy,one of the most versatile boxes is the Castagnari Trilly,
Voice combinations of L,LM LMM,MM,M.  also full voice changing on bass side.  Not too bulky or heavy.

Pete

www.acorninstruments.co.uk

[rees]

Hi
I appreciate financial considerations more often than not put restraint onto what we buy,one of the most versatile boxes is the Castagnari Trilly,
Voice combinations of L,LM LMM,MM,M.  also full voice changing on bass side.  Not too bulky or heavy.

Pete

www.acorninstruments.co.uk

A lot cheaper than five million quid!

[Winston Smith]

Doesn't anyone make a two row with six stops, then? It could be a straightforward conversion, I would have thought. A D row with M, M+ and M++ then the same with the G row, if you're working on a DG box, that is.
(Yes, I know that I don't know anything at all!)

[boxer]

Ok I'll do it.  £5m down payment, for delivery in 2040.

As I recall those are more or less the same terms as you quoted for doing a 16-bass conversion on my Black Dot.  I'd like to say that the money was never a problem, and only the lead time was an issue.

I'd be lying of course.  Me and the Black Dot are getting along fine with just the twelve, so I'll pass on the dial-a-pitch conversion too (btw I registered the name, just in case you do get round to doing it)

[AirTime]

Try playing near a ceiling fan, it will give you all the tremolo you need.

In all honesty, playing in a space with a lot of reverb does astonishing things to the volume & quality of the sound. Not the same thing as out-of-pitch tremolo. The most space impressive I've played in was a very high ceiling art gallery with slate floors. Not only was the sound very loud, there was a lot more depth & richness to the sound, I could "hear myself playing" & ... any slight errors in bellows control/timing were pretty much disguised. 

[emrock]

Ever since I built a couple of boxes a few years back, I have been toying with the idea of a box you can switch out reeds on. By which I mean take out one set of reeds and replace with a different set quickly. Have some ideas how it could work, but will probably never have the time, money or space to have a bash at building it. Also on reflection it is a bit mad!

[hickory-wind]

Doesn't anyone make a two row with six stops, then? It could be a straightforward conversion, I would have thought. A D row with M, M+ and M++ then the same with the G row, if you're working on a DG box, that is.
(Yes, I know that I don't know anything at all!)

Here is a 2 row 6 stop Hohner in EA.

BellingersButtonBoxes.com

[Malcolm Clapp]

Ever since I built a couple of boxes a few years back, I have been toying with the idea of a box you can switch out reeds on. By which I mean take out one set of reeds and replace with a different set quickly.

Didn't Doug Briggs offer a similar option at one time? I've only ever seen and played one example of his, and I seem to recall that opening the instrument and removing reedblocks was achieved very simply and quickly, and without tools.

[Theo]

Doesn't anyone make a two row with six stops, then? It could be a straightforward conversion, I would have thought. A D row with M, M+ and M++ then the same with the G row, if you're working on a DG box, that is.
(Yes, I know that I don't know anything at all!)

The Saltarelle Nuage is more or less like this except that the registers for the two rows are linked.  It does mean you can choose any combination of the three reeds.

[Theo]

Ever since I built a couple of boxes a few years back, I have been toying with the idea of a box you can switch out reeds on. By which I mean take out one set of reeds and replace with a different set quickly.

Didn't Doug Briggs offer a similar option at one time? I've only ever seen and played one example of his, and I seem to recall that opening the instrument and removing reedblocks was achieved very simply and quickly, and without tools.

The Briggs boxes I've seen all have conventional bellows pins, and screwed fixings to secure the reed blocks. 

[Malcolm Clapp]

Ever since I built a couple of boxes a few years back, I have been toying with the idea of a box you can switch out reeds on. By which I mean take out one set of reeds and replace with a different set quickly.

Didn't Doug Briggs offer a similar option at one time? I've only ever seen and played one example of his, and I seem to recall that opening the instrument and removing reedblocks was achieved very simply and quickly, and without tools.

The Briggs boxes I've seen all have conventional bellows pins, and screwed fixings to secure the reed blocks.

OK, maybe it was a dream! (I really shouldn't eat cheese before going to bed )

[Winston Smith]

That sounds like a good excuse, Malcolm! I'll have to remember it for some of my future utterances, thanks.

[Malcolm Clapp]

Ever since I built a couple of boxes a few years back, I have been toying with the idea of a box you can switch out reeds on. By which I mean take out one set of reeds and replace with a different set quickly.

Didn't Doug Briggs offer a similar option at one time? I've only ever seen and played one example of his, and I seem to recall that opening the instrument and removing reedblocks was achieved very simply and quickly, and without tools.

The Briggs boxes I've seen all have conventional bellows pins, and screwed fixings to secure the reed blocks.

OK, maybe it was a dream! (I really shouldn't eat cheese before going to bed )

The more I think about this, the more I think the cheese was not to blame....

As I recall, and it was 20 odd years ago, the Briggs in question was a 2 voice C#/D, but was supplied with a neat little fitted case containing a set of D/D# reeds, the idea being that the instrument could be quickly converted for an Eb session.

There were, I'm sure, two small clips on the front of the melodeon which, if turned 180 degrees, would release the treble end from the bellows frame, similar to those under the grill of a Hohner Atlantic piano accordion (but far better finished; chromed from memory, and not under the grill). The back of the bellows frame was internally hinged to the body, but could be separated at 90 (?) degrees or thereabouts.

The reed blocks were held in with heavily sprung T clips mounted between the blocks; pull them up and turn 90  degrees to release the blocks. Put the other blocks in, both treble and bass, close it up again and voila.

Go to whoa under a minute. (Usually takes me longer than that to find the right screwdriver  )

I can't recall the name of the owner; she was holidaying from Ireland, and her sister was Sydney-based and played in the band I was in at that time (Martin Doherty's band Roisin).

No, I'm convinced it wasn't a dream....but even if it was, it seems like a good idea. Anyone know if other makers have tried this, or if you've seen this box?

Maybe it was a one-off or a prototype, or even perhaps some clever person had retrofitted it. Dunno....but it seems the sort of thing that Mr B could probably have produced.

(Off to the fridge for some cheese... good night!)