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Author Topic: Bass Button Layout  (Read 979 times)

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Pete Dunk

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Bass Button Layout
« on: March 11, 2017, 12:15:42 PM »

Some time ago I acquired a Meinel and Herold C/F box with bass buttons in an offset stradella sort of pattern that I've seen on other, older boxes. The inner four buttons aren't raised above the outer four in the usual way and the combination of these two factors is making it extremely difficult for me to get used to it. Given that there are other boxes about with staggered bass rows I wondered if others here have any difficulty changing from one left hand layout to the other, and has anyone gone down the route of having the layout changed to the standard pattern?

This is a lovely little box that's only a little larger than a Liliput and it has more or less standard sized treble buttons. Shame about the bass end!

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george garside

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Re: Bass Button Layout
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2017, 12:42:46 PM »

that looks like 8 stradella bass  due to the diagonal spacing of the buttons. If it is then the basses and chords should be unisonoric i.e same note in and out. the row nearest the bellwos should be the bass notes and the row nearest the hand the major chords. probably/possibly they will be Bb,F,C.G.  which would provide the '3 chord trick' for the C & F rows??????????

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Theo

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Re: Bass Button Layout
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2017, 12:45:55 PM »

Fairly straightforward fix if you can't get used to it.
Remove mechanism
Fill holes nearest bellows
Fit riser strip to cover the filled holes
Drill new holes (forstner bit required for clean holes)
Lengthen rods for inner row buttons
Reassemble mechanism
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bellowpin

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Re: Bass Button Layout
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2017, 12:52:51 PM »

[quote author=Pete Dunk link=topic=20259.msg244482#msg244482 date=1489

This is a lovely little box that's only a little larger than a Liliput and it has more or less standard sized treble buttons. Shame about the bass end!

 I have recently bought a very similar box. the reeds are DIX, with a "O" stamp, sweet little box. the offset bass buttons feel so different. its strange how small changes from what we are used to, can feel so odd.
  two points of view:-  embrace the change as part of this instruments character ,,  or
                         alter its layout to what you are used to..  build a little step of wood,and drill new holes for the inner row of buttons. the rods inside need lengthening  , either straighten the kink or replace..
 I shall leave my one as it is. the base block was glued in ,and someone as broken it trying to remove it!! the chord block is clamped as normal.
  I agree that this is a handy little box ,from a underrated "maker" and not your usual klingenthal cheapo.  the  reeds make it a bit better than most.               brian..
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Pete Dunk

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Re: Bass Button Layout
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2017, 01:34:26 PM »

that looks like 8 stradella bass  due to the diagonal spacing of the buttons.

It certainly has stradella spacing but these are standard C/F melodeon bass and chords.

Fairly straightforward fix if you can't get used to it.

I'll bear this in mind but if I go down this route I may send it up to you for fettling and a brush up tuning.

I have recently bought a very similar box. the reeds are DIX, with a "O" stamp, sweet little box. the offset bass buttons feel so different. its strange how small changes from what we are used to, can feel so odd. . .

I shall leave my one as it is. the base block was glued in ,and someone as broken it trying to remove it!! the chord block is clamped as normal.
  I agree that this is a handy little box, from a underrated "maker" and not your usual klingenthal cheapo. the reeds make it a bit better than most.               brian..

The reeds in this box are stamped with an 'O' and I forgot to ask about the significance of that so thank you for the info! Meinel and Herold were probably the best of the Klingenthal makers but they still used cheap tricks like glued in reed blocks.  >:(
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Squeezing on the Isle of Oxney, UK
Primo (Serenellini) D/G
Isis D/G
Hohner B/E, G/C, C/F, Bb/Eb G/C/F
Liliputs D/G (G scale), C/F, Bb/Eb, Albrecht Custom D/G (G scale)
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