Melodeon.net Forums

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Welcome to the new melodeon.net forum

Pages: [1] 2 3   Go Down

Author Topic: Storing the melodeons  (Read 6911 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Julian S

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1546
  • D/G Pastourelle 2, Dony, Pokerwork, G/C Pariselle
Storing the melodeons
« on: January 26, 2017, 08:17:07 AM »

I always keep the various melodeons in their boxes until it's their turn to be played. No dusting, and I havent got shelf space anyway. But I do wonder if there are disadvantages to this - maybe more chance of rusty reeds ? Views and comments ?
Logged
Old Bones Dance Band

Nick Collis Bird

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3785
  • Been squeezing melodeons for over 48 years (badly)
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2017, 08:32:48 AM »

Probably a good idea to keep them in their cases, but don't fasten the bellows straps.
The straps should only be used for unboxed travelling.
I'll probably be shot down for this but I do think that's correct.
Logged
Has anyone heard of the song. “ Broken Alarm-clock Blues” ? It starts   “I woke up this Afternoon”

Lester

  • MADman
  • Mods and volunteers
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9109
  • Hohners'R'me
    • Lester's Melodeon Emporium and Tune-a-Rama
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2017, 08:36:50 AM »

Probably a good idea to keep them in their cases, but don't fasten the bellows straps.
The straps should only be used for unboxed travelling.
I'll probably be shot down for this but I do think that's correct.

Why?

Nick Collis Bird

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3785
  • Been squeezing melodeons for over 48 years (badly)
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2017, 08:43:18 AM »

When the straps are done up the whole thing is under pressure. I was was told this by an Exeter Morris musician and it seemed to make sense.
Logged
Has anyone heard of the song. “ Broken Alarm-clock Blues” ? It starts   “I woke up this Afternoon”

Theo

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 13729
  • Hohner Club Too
    • The Box Place
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2017, 08:56:35 AM »

Probably a good idea to keep them in their cases, but don't fasten the bellows straps.
The straps should only be used for unboxed travelling.
I'll probably be shot down for this but I do think that's correct.

Cobblers. I've never heard such nonsense. It is a good thing to keep the bellows compressed.  It makes the bellows easier to close fully when you are playing.  Nothing worse than encountering resistance in the last bit of bellows movement.  With older instruments it will make little difference.

What are bellows straps for anyway?  To prevent the bellows opening when you don't want them to – taking the instrument out of it's case is the one time when you do want the bellows to under control.

I always keep the various melodeons in their boxes until it's their turn to be played. No dusting, and I havent got shelf space anyway. But I do wonder if there are disadvantages to this - maybe more chance of rusty reeds ? Views and comments ?

Avoid extremes of temperature, avoid dampness and also avoid very low humidity, and avoid excessive dust.   Stick to those simple guidelines and your melodeon will be happy, and so will you. I can't see any reason why storing in a closed case would lead to rusty reeds, unless you put it away damp.  So don't let it get damp in the first place.

I hope we can squash these two pointless myths before they get out out. 
Logged
Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

Proprietor of The Box Place for melodeon and concertina sales and service.
Follow me on Twitter and Facebook for stock updates.

Steve_freereeder

  • Content Manager
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7511
  • MAD is inevitable. Keep Calm and Carry On
    • Lizzie Dripping
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2017, 10:49:38 AM »

I totally concur with what Theo said.

To go back to the original question, it can be a psychological aid to practising if you keep the melodeon out of its case or gig bag at least some of the time when at home. If you haven't got the (even relatively minor) faff of taking the instrument out of its case or wrestling with the gig bag straps and zip, you are more likely to pick up the instrument and play it, even just for a short time when passing, e.g when waiting for the kettle to boil or when the adverts are on the telly. So long as the instrument is not going to get knocked or chewed by the dog, it won't come to any harm by being out of its case. You can always simply throw a clean duster over it to keep off the dust. For longer term storage it's best to keep it in its case, of course.
Logged
Steve
Sheffield, UK.
www.lizziedripping.org.uk

Winston Smith

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3769
  • AKA Edward Jennings
    • "Our Luxor B&B" Luxor life, slice by slice.
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2017, 11:19:36 AM »

"you are more likely to pick up the instrument and play it,"
Exactly! Now I just need to convince my wife of that, instead of her thinking that it's just something else that's in her way and looking unsightly.
Logged
At last, broken and resigned to accept conformity.
Oh, how I LOVE Big Brother!

Grumpy

  • Grumpy
  • Regular debater
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 127
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2017, 11:36:48 AM »

Far better if all instruments are stored in cases out of sight, it prevents household management becoming aware of how many you have !.
Logged
Chris D, Surrey, UK
Getting old but still learning. Pokerwork G/D, Saltarelle L'Elfique G/D, Castagnari Lilly G/D and Hohner Liliput Declubed G/D + English concertinas, mandolins, recorders, tin whistles and other items unknown to household managment

Julian S

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1546
  • D/G Pastourelle 2, Dony, Pokerwork, G/C Pariselle
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2017, 01:13:52 PM »

Far better if all instruments are stored in cases out of sight, it prevents household management becoming aware of how many you have !.

Or just buy liliputs, preciosas or better still giordys - easier to hide !


Logged
Old Bones Dance Band

Steve C.

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1901
  • Erica, Laura, Morse Anglo
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2017, 01:29:57 PM »

I think it was Lester (?) who wisely said to sit it near the kettle.  Even those 5 minute sessions has increased my playing time.
Logged
Located in Central North Carolina, USA; credit for picture: livingplanet.ca

Melissa Sinclair

  • Regular debater
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 220
  • Got my first squeeze... box(es)
    • Melissa's Melodeons
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2017, 01:46:46 PM »

Far better if all instruments are stored in cases out of sight, it prevents household management becoming aware of how many you have !.

Another approach would be to buy all instruments that have a similar outside look. You could switch to a different key/configuration, but they would look about the same to the untrained eye. :-)

If I get into this, my husband wouldn't mind much as long as I stuck to the budget, but he would start to wonder... "why do you need 4 of the same instrument?" And I might not want to have to explain myself all the time.... though he would understand completely different keys.... but would then probably say, "then why didn't you just get one that can play all the keys so you don't have to have so many about?"

Teasing really. His passion is chess... I'm still trying to figure out why we need THREE wood chess boards of all the same size? And several sets of chess pieces - all the same size.  :D  He bought a new computer just to be able to run a chess software program because his old laptop couldn't support it. That "old" laptop was less than a year old.

Quote
Steve_Freereeder - To go back to the original question, it can be a psychological aid to practising if you keep the melodeon out of its case or gig bag at least some of the time when at home. If you haven't got the (even relatively minor) faff of taking the instrument out of its case or wrestling with the gig bag straps and zip, you are more likely to pick up the instrument and play it, even just for a short time when passing, e.g when waiting for the kettle to boil or when the adverts are on the telly. So long as the instrument is not going to get knocked or chewed by the dog, it won't come to any harm by being out of its case. You can always simply throw a clean duster over it to keep off the dust. For longer term storage it's best to keep it in its case, of course.

This is true for any project or hobby. Putting it away means forgetting about it.
Logged
Plunking on my 1st box: Vintage burl Hohner in GC,  a lonely Hohner Liliput in CF, and a borrowed Streb to have a "silent Melodeon" and a melodeon of many keys!

Lester

  • MADman
  • Mods and volunteers
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9109
  • Hohners'R'me
    • Lester's Melodeon Emporium and Tune-a-Rama
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #11 on: January 26, 2017, 02:28:33 PM »

I think it was Lester (?) who wisely said to sit it near the kettle.  Even those 5 minute sessions has increased my playing time.

Yep

David A

  • Good talker
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 96
  • Serenellini Lady D/G
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #12 on: January 26, 2017, 03:11:52 PM »

I always keep my Serenellini Lady in its gig bag (with the bellows straps fastened) to protect it from knocks and dust but with only the buckles of the gig bag fastened so it is easy to extract, and I leave the shoulder straps outside the gig bag so they're not being crushed. This way it only takes a few seconds to be ready to play. :||:
For me the hard case it came in is virtually  redundant as I use the gig bag when travelling by car - I'd only use the hard case if someone else was transporting my Lady, or it was going in the hold of an aircraft.
Logged

Steve_freereeder

  • Content Manager
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7511
  • MAD is inevitable. Keep Calm and Carry On
    • Lizzie Dripping
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #13 on: January 26, 2017, 03:17:36 PM »

...I'd only use the hard case if someone else was transporting my Lady, or it was going in the hold of an aircraft.
Avoid aircraft hold transport if possible. But if you must, make sure the melodeon is securely padded inside the hard case with bubble-wrap, expanded polystyrene, etc. to ensure that it doesn't move about inside the case. Aircraft baggage handlers are not renowned for their gentleness in chucking stuff around. Also, if you can, lock the clasps so they don't get accidentally caught and inadvertently opened. Failing that, stick duct-tape patches over the clasps.
Logged
Steve
Sheffield, UK.
www.lizziedripping.org.uk

Julian S

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1546
  • D/G Pastourelle 2, Dony, Pokerwork, G/C Pariselle
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #14 on: January 26, 2017, 04:10:48 PM »

Excellent advice about air travel as I squeeze the Giordy into the rucksack pre ski trip... a few days without an instrument is terrible. I'm always looking out for the ultimate solid, strong,lightweight case just the right size for it.
I do wonder how much better a player I would be if I'd kept a box out of it's case- or by the kettle, all these years.(Or even better if work hadn't got in the way...!)
Logged
Old Bones Dance Band

MartinW

  • Regular debater
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 192
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #15 on: January 26, 2017, 04:41:40 PM »

Fitting into airline hand baggage is (another) very good reason why we all need a Lililput or Preciosa.
Martin.
Logged

MikeK

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 352
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #16 on: January 26, 2017, 04:46:50 PM »

 Mine is always left on the dressing table in our bedroom.
 I acquired another skill, on a small sewing machine,when I made a nice dust cover for it.
 The hard case is wrapped up in the garage until holiday season.
Logged
I always respect my elders but they are getting fewer in numbers.

gettabettabox

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 656
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #17 on: January 26, 2017, 04:49:43 PM »


The Hohner single rows are an exception however...the right place is on top of the kitchen dresser!  ;)
Logged

Graham Spencer

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3538
  • MAD as a wet Hohner........
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #18 on: January 26, 2017, 06:15:17 PM »

Mine is always left on the dressing table in our bedroom.
 I acquired another skill, on a small sewing machine,when I made a nice dust cover for it.
 The hard case is wrapped up in the garage until holiday season.

I'd need a BIG dressing table to fit all 13 on top........
Logged
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..........

Squeezing in the Cyprus sunshine

playandteach

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3521
  • Currently a music teacher in a high school.
Re: Storing the melodeons
« Reply #19 on: January 26, 2017, 06:46:04 PM »

I keep mine on the piano. Problem is that I keep everything else there too.
Logged
Serafini R2D2 GC, Serafini GC accs 18 bass
Pages: [1] 2 3   Go Up
 


Melodeon.net - (c) Theo Gibb; Clive Williams 2010. The access and use of this website and forum featuring these terms and conditions constitutes your acceptance of these terms and conditions.
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal