Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[mselic]

I understand why old wax is removed when restoring a box - the wax has become brittle and potentially doesn't do a good job holding the reedplates in place anymore.  However, I've come across a few old boxes with what I'm assuming is old wax, but it was still quite sticky and reedplates took a fair bit of persuasion to come free.  In the cases where old wax is still sticky, is there actually any need to replace it?  Does it have any affect on the sound quality, tuning, etc apart from it's ability or inability to actually hold the reedplate in place?  I was potentially going to re-wax my old HA114G (I don't believe it's ever been done), but all the reeds are quite snug and secure in there.  Should I just leave it be?

[Graham Spencer]

I may be the first to say this, but I'm sure I won't be the last - always use new wax. I guess the chemical composition of wax changes over time - certainly repeated reheating changes its properties.  A scientist will be along shortly to explain why!

Graham

[Theo]

If the wax is holding the reeds securely and the valves are good then there is no need to replace it.
If I have to remove a reed for any reason then I always use new wax, even if the old wax is not very old. Mainly I do that because of the difficulty in doing a neat and tidy waxing job by remelting the wax in place.

[Graham Spencer]

If the wax is holding the reeds securely and the valves are good then there is no need to replace it.
If I have to remove a reed for any reason then I always use new wax, even if the old wax is not very old. Mainly I do that because of the difficulty in doing a neat and tidy waxing job by remelting the wax in place.

Agreed; I took the OP to mean the reeds were being removed and replaced re-using the existing wax.  Apologies if I misinterpreted.

Graham

[mselic]

The reeds are not being removed; in this case I would most certainly use new wax. I was just wondering if replacing wax was a matter of ongoing upkeep/maintenance that could be likened to replacing transmission fluid on a car.

[pgroff]

I have a few instruments from the 1920s or earlier whose original wax is still holding well with no leaks, rattles, shrinkage, or crumbling.   Caroline Hunt, who has a collection of hundreds, has told me of similar experiences in special cases.  But those examples are exceptional.  Usually by that age the leathers need replacing (again there are a few exceptions) and that process tends to necessitate new wax even if it was holding.

On the other hand, often I've rewaxed instruments from the 1960s or later, depending on the history of the box (how it's been played, stored, temperature changes, etc), and depending on how critically I attend to its performance and sound. Boxes that have experienced  environmental stress may sometimes need rewaxing even when everything else looks new.

On the third hand (lol) as we've discussed Matt I often have a lot of fun making music with instruments that are far from perfect and in that I'm in the tradition of other musicians much better than me. Padraig O'Keefe with a wine cork on his fiddle bow, etc etc.* So I have often played away on boxes that others might want to rewax immediately due to various imperfections.

PG

* https://www.hangoutstorage.com/fiddlehangout.com/storage/photos/medium/20/2032-11548714102008.jpg

[mselic]

I have a few instruments from the 1920s or earlier whose original wax is still holding well with no leaks, rattles, shrinkage, or crumbling.   Caroline Hunt, who has a collection of hundreds, has told me of similar experiences in special cases.  But those examples are exceptional.  Usually by that age the leathers need replacing (again there are a few exceptions) and that process tends to necessitate new wax even if it was holding.

On the other hand, often I've rewaxed instruments from the 1960s or later, depending on the history of the box (how it's been played, stored, temperature changes, etc), and depending on how critically I attend to its performance and sound. Boxes that have experienced  environmental stress may sometimes need rewaxing even when everything else looks new.

On the third hand (lol) as we've discussed Matt I often have a lot of fun making music with instruments that are far from perfect and in that I'm in the tradition of other musicians much better than me. Padraig O'Keefe with a wine cork on his fiddle bow, etc etc.* So I have often played away on boxes that others might want to rewax immediately due to various imperfections.

PG

* https://www.hangoutstorage.com/fiddlehangout.com/storage/photos/medium/20/2032-11548714102008.jpg

Thanks, Paul.  The HA114 in G that I got from you a few years ago has not been re-waxed.  At the time that I got it, I brought it to an accordion tech who told me the old wax was fine, but could use a bit of new wax on top of the old, something that I thought was quite odd at the time.  He also charged me a handsome price for adding some new wax, and then managed to get some on one of the reed tongues...I'd like to think I've developed better practices now that I work on my boxes myself...

Since I've been re-waxing two other HA114s this week, I thought maybe it was worth doing the one in G, but if there's no benefit from doing so, I wouldn't bother.