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Author Topic: Hohner Mignon Repair  (Read 7399 times)

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ron1

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Hohner Mignon Repair
« on: August 24, 2011, 04:54:54 PM »

My local accordion repair shop wants to charge me £150

The Mignon is out of tune and has rust or tarnish on some of the reeds.

Because the reed blocks lay flat in the box, my local repairer says it is an awkward job. All reeds have to be de-rusted, tuned if needed and then re-waxed back into position.

Is this a reasonable price to pay or can i do it cheaper myself?
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Theo

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Re: Hohner Mignon Repair
« Reply #1 on: August 25, 2011, 10:48:45 AM »

Sounds a reasonable price to me.  Of course it will be cheaper to do it yourself,  the cost of suvfficient valves and wax will be a couple of pounds,  but you need time and skill to do a good job,  which is what you would be paying the  repairer for.

For comparison - what did you pay for you last car service?
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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ron1

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Re: Hohner Mignon Repair
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2011, 03:08:14 PM »

Thanks Theo

I take your point about this repair. My local repairer told me it is, quote, "A pain in the butt to do. Oh well, either I make the attempt or put it down to experience.

 I wonder if removing the tarnish from reeds will help any?

Ron
 
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Theo

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Re: Hohner Mignon Repair
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2011, 03:55:49 PM »

Only worth doing if you take off the reed plates so you can do both sides
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Owen Woods

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Re: Hohner Mignon Repair
« Reply #4 on: August 25, 2011, 04:42:12 PM »

There are two questions that you want to ask here. The first is: Is the price that they are charging a fair one? From personal experience this is about what I would expect.

The second is: Is the instrument worth the price that it would take to restore? In this case I'm not sure. If it's the mythical "Mignon Club" 2 and a bit row melodeon then it probably would be (and photos please). If it's the little piano accordion then that might be a different matter I'm afraid. It might be cheaper overall to buy an equivalent replacement. I'm not too knowledgeable about PAs though.
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Theo

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Re: Hohner Mignon Repair
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2011, 05:07:36 PM »

The small Hohner Mignon piano accordions can play well and are a lot of fun if you want a loud but miniature accordion.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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ron1

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Re: Hohner Mignon Repair
« Reply #6 on: August 26, 2011, 10:43:40 PM »


Theo, I should be able to take reed blocks off and clean both sides. I have seen that done by my now famous accordion repair shop. Can you supply the wax please, if I give you a call. I am encouraged by your comment, re a small accordion being lots of fun.

Ukebert. Too be honest, I find the price of repair a little too high as I did not pay £150 for the  Hohner Mignon in the first place. £145 was the price I paid. To answer your second question. It is a small single voice piano accordion and I love the look of it.
I am inspired and encouraged.  :||: Thank you.
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Theo

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Re: Hohner Mignon Repair
« Reply #7 on: August 26, 2011, 10:47:53 PM »

You will aslo need valves, and quite likely bellows gasket, if the bellows pins are rusty replace them too.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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ron1

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Re: Hohner Mignon Repair
« Reply #8 on: August 28, 2011, 11:35:38 AM »


Theo,

Bellows pins could do with replacing and I am happy to take your advice re bellows gasket and valves. I am familiar with these items. Can you supply please?
 
Ron
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Harmonicatunes

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Re: Hohner Mignon Repair
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2011, 02:15:45 AM »

Regarding repair prices, one approach is to estimate how long the job would take, divide the hours into the quoted rate, subtract a decent percentage for workshop overheads (tools/power/rent) then look at what the repairer is actually getting per hour.

Probably not too much, most instruments repairers/customiser/makers get by on an hourly rate far below what their skills and overheads would command in other trades (carpenters, plumbers etc).

Second hand accordions are cheap, perhaps because most of the old ones need a major overhaul before being playable.

Before embarking on home repairs the question should be: do I want to fix instruments or play them? If the latter, maybe best to get a professional for the repairs, then focus on playing the result.
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Ron Darticus

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Re: Hohner Mignon Repair
« Reply #10 on: March 29, 2016, 05:46:56 PM »

SHOULD the 8 bass Mignon have two long back straps or one? Anyone have a pic of the strap set up? Are straps available? Thanks Ron
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Rog

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Re: Hohner Mignon Repair
« Reply #11 on: March 29, 2016, 10:36:14 PM »

For a Mignon II  thats something like what I'd charge, for the labour.  But any parts  would be extra. You'd be surprised how expensive a set of valves are, plus cost of any broken reeds, if there are any. Fixing reeds back into flat reed blocks isn't too bad. Worse are face to face bass reed blocks, though with practice it is doable (Theo, remember that little Castelfidardo pa? It has screwed in bass reed blocks... What fun...but it sounds great now).
What tends to be time consuming is getting all the reeds off, plus all the wax, and cleaning up the reeds ready for valving, tuning and refixing. And also there may be other niggling issues which will emerge when it comes to testing it, and these have to be sorted out as well.
« Last Edit: March 29, 2016, 10:37:58 PM by RogerThomas »
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Kimric Smythe

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Re: Hohner Mignon Repair
« Reply #12 on: April 10, 2016, 07:23:24 PM »

Seems pretty reasonable to me, those things are a pain to tune compared to instruments where you can remove the blocks.
 Nobody is getting rich working on accordions.
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MarioP

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Re: Hohner Mignon Repair
« Reply #13 on: June 03, 2017, 08:15:10 PM »

I just got my kid one of this mini mignon I may be forced to learn to clean it !
I see the bellows pins show rusty signs so I'm afraid the reeds are rusty as well.

Price ranged 170 usd shipped from a local antique picker.

Thanks for all the questions I had have been answered here :)
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