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Author Topic: WTB Vintage Strap Brackets  (Read 5297 times)

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triskel

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Re: WTB Vintage Strap Brackets
« Reply #20 on: June 13, 2018, 07:32:41 AM »

I'm actually developing tooling to manufacture the old style brackets as Triskel has shown. Attached is a picture of the work in progress. Not shown, but I also hope to have the 90 degree feet as well as the inline design in the photo.

That sounds very interesting, and especially so about the Italian-style ones with the feet bent at 90 degrees to the bar - because I'd feel they're more-securely attached and can be fitted into a much narrower space... :D

triskel

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Re: WTB Vintage Strap Brackets
« Reply #21 on: June 13, 2018, 07:44:34 AM »

While those ARE sharp strap brackets, I play standing mostly, and use 2 straps. These kind work for that purpose, but I find the “V” shaped ones to be better suited.  Triskel, are you saying this type would be more authentic?

The earliest V-shaped ones I can show you are on an early La Tosca piano accordion, made around the time of WW1:


But I've never seen anything of the sort on a button accordion from the period.

Grape Ape

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Re: WTB Vintage Strap Brackets
« Reply #22 on: June 13, 2018, 10:19:31 PM »

Sorry to have gone silent- it’s been a busy week.  Triskel, this has all been very interesting.  The last photo is the most like what I was looking for- found a pair on german ebay, though not as shiny as I would like.  I have to admit that the only ones that came (to me) with strap brackets are of the sort in the earlier photos. That and a leather belt crudely screwed into my presswood.  Thing is, the v shape models work better for two straps, and I play with two straps.  Even sitting down- though I prefer to play standing.  Maybe I am uptight, maybe I just find the thumbstrap too restrictive (I use my thumb for the accidentals sometimes), maybe it is because I play cross row and often play long phrases on the pull- thumbstrap is out, and I feel best with 2 straps.  I do admit it looks cool to play with just one, but I don’t feel like I have full control of the instrument when I try.....
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triskel

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Re: WTB Vintage Strap Brackets
« Reply #23 on: June 19, 2018, 08:20:56 AM »

... a central location (and even on the bellows frame, if there was one) was not uncommon for attaching straps.it seems not to have been unusual...

And then I remembered I had a proper, antique, "Vienna accordion" that was actually made in Vienna (in the workshop of Josef Kiendl, 1850-1900) that has such a shoulder strap (made of wide webbing that's actually SEWN to the brass staple), and has NEVER had a thumbstrap. So perhaps the practice of fitting a strap/playing that way started in Vienna?


I also have an 1870's 2-row melodeon/German accordion that (MOST unusually) has been fitted (long ago) with a leather shoulder strap, attached by means of small brass picture-frame rings, and beautifully-wrought antique brass "dog-lead" clips:

triskel

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Re: WTB Vintage Strap Brackets
« Reply #24 on: June 19, 2018, 08:57:06 AM »

... Thing is, the v shape models work better for two straps, and I play with two straps.

Then you might find these two, both made by Gebr. Ludwig in Zwota, interesting.

The small piano accordion, branded Antoria, is typical of cheap Klingenthal models from the late 1920s and the 1930s, but the style of strap brackets on it (which are still available) seem to go back at least to 1928 because I've a catalogue illustration of a Ludwig PA from that year that looks like it's fitted with them - so they were available around the time your Hohner was made:

 

Whilst this very similar, but "faux" piano keyboard, C/C# has never had shoulder straps, only a thumb strap:


(The C/C# is also interesting as one of the instruments that were played by the late Suffolk traditional player Cyril Stannard.)

Peadar

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Re: WTB Vintage Strap Brackets
« Reply #25 on: February 13, 2021, 11:51:25 PM »

And here are photographs of the strap bracket (top) and screw fixing (bottom) from a 1920's Wilkinson Excelsior.

Not quite 1/4" wire. A mere 3/16ths (4.5mm) and two screws each end. These are on the body of my 19/4 C/C#. I have one of the William Hannah versions  which clearly had the same mountings at some point but no longer has the upper bracket...at some point I will be looking for a replacement.

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Peadar

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Re: WTB Vintage Strap Brackets
« Reply #26 on: February 14, 2021, 12:08:34 AM »

 And then there's this as fitted (top and bottom) to a 21/4 Wyper Patent that has spent almost all it's life in Strathclyde. It looks suspiciously as though the owner used a pair of braces as shoulder straps.
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SHTUM

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Re: WTB Vintage Strap Brackets
« Reply #27 on: February 14, 2021, 02:01:57 AM »

How about this... buy a 2mm stainless steel rod on #bay. = 1oomm long = £1.99
 Heat in the fire until red, hammer the ends flat.  Heat again to make the 90 degree bends
 Or the U shape if thats what you want.
 I found it easy to work with and any marks can be sanded out then polished until nice and shiny again.    Good luck -  John
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malcolmbebb

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Re: WTB Vintage Strap Brackets
« Reply #28 on: February 15, 2021, 11:47:05 PM »

OK, it's an old thread, but the various Hohner Student 1 PAs have v-shaped strap brackets. How well they would clean up is pot luck, of course, but the boxes were still readily available when I last looked.
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Peadar

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Re: WTB Vintage Strap Brackets
« Reply #29 on: February 16, 2021, 06:55:22 PM »

OK, it's an old thread, but the various Hohner Student 1 PAs have v-shaped strap brackets. How well they would clean up is pot luck, of course, but the boxes were still readily available when I last looked.
Some of them (e.g. the one I bought as a spares depot) have brackets for single strap only - The usual style with just two screws.

Then I notice (below) Triskel illustrates 2 Excelsiors... both with 2 screw straight brackets .... while both of mine had (one still has) a 4 screw straight bracket on top and a single screw with penny washer through the strap on the bottom.

There's no strap visible in this photo of William Hannah from his 1926 Wilkinson's Accordeon Tutor book:


Nor in this later one of him:


So did they use a shoulder strap, or just the thumb one on them? :-\

Now the Wilkinson's "Excelsior" boxes that Hannah played/endorsed are very relevant to Grape Ape's question, because they were made by Hohner and would be contemporary with his pokerwork - so let's look at the strap hardware on the examples I have.

This was the regular 2-row (4-bass) melodeon version:


And this their 24-bass "Professional Accordeon" model "As played by William Hannah", but the diagonal alignment of the brackets is really only suitable for use with one strap (which is how it came to me, and how the model is illustrated being used in the Wilkinson's Tutor):

 

However, this next example has been heavily repaired and modified, and the (Italian-style) brackets are more parallel with the sides of the instrument, making them better-suited for use with two straps (which is how I got it):

 


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