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[Zoe C]

Good afternoon everybody, I’m a fairly new melodeon player (8 months) and was using a hire instrument. I’ve now just acquired a Hohner Pokerwork, I bought it from eBay and it was listed as a D/G, however it doesn’t sound quite right. Though I can seem to play a couple of tunes, the notes are not right when I play a crossover, making me think it might not actually be a D/G. The bass notes I’m sure are not right, I know there should be the 2 Cs sounding the same but they are totally different to each other. I have also checked the leather strap to see if the key is stamped on it, the attached photo shows it, however I am unable to decipher it. Is anyone here that might be able to help me please?! I don’t know if it’s possible to post audio here? I need to sort it out because if it's not a D/G I need to get a refund... Thank you in advance!

[Stiamh]

Hmm... if that lettering says C/Csis, as it appears to do, then the box was originally in C/C#, and if it still is, that's definitely not what you want.

For confirmation you could remove the bellows pins and see if anything is stamped on the reed blocks.

To check whether the current tuning is C/C#, or another semitone tuning, test any note on the inside row, and then sound the corresponding button on the outside row (slightly nearer your chin) in the same bellows direction. If all such note pairs are a semitone apart, then your fears will be confirmed.

[george garside]

do you have access to  a simple tuning meter or a tuning ap on your phone. ( I think you can download one from somewhere)  If its a DG the 3rd button push on the inside row will show up as G and the third button on the outside row as D.

If this is not the case it is not a DG.

as far as I know there is a time limit on getting an ebay refund for wrongly described goods  .  Have you contacted the seller via ebay  to express your doubts etc

george

[ChrisP]

If you have a tuner or access to a keyboard then you could make a chart and compare it with the ones on Lester's page of layouts. http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/page,keyboard_2_row.html
The stamp may be misleading if someone has had it converted.

[ChrisP]

Returns period is 30 days after delivery to start a request. You will need to supply a chart as above to show why it isn't what it was claimed, and the seller should pay postage.

[John MacKenzie (Cugiok)]

A clip on guitar tuner will do to work out the keys.

SJ

[invadm]

bass strap says C/Ccis  so you have yourself a C/C sharp box not a DG..common practise for non player to sell unknown stuff on eBay is just google the name and look for same or similar items/ photos. if you google the name Hohner,poker work DG pops up in UK as you know why 
most people who sells on eBay don't know much or anything abut melodeons/button accordions..copy and paste what ever you can find on the web and hope for the best.

send it back if you can't play in this key and tell them why so they know for next listing not to write DG.

happen to me once, I did a buy now for GC pokerwork and arrived as C/C sharp,sent it back for full refund..seller listed the box with correct info and I bought it back for less than half I paid at first time.
(I did tell him this would happen but some reason he didn't believe me  )
                 

[ChrisP]

To get a refund do it correctly. You may still be polite and tell the seller what you're doing and why, which will speed up the process. Check the tuning first. Then:-

HOW TO GET A REFUND ON EBAY

    Go to your My eBay Purchase history, and in the drop-down menu next to the item in question, choose Return or Item not received (within 30 days of delivery).
    Verify that this is the item in question.
    Click Resolve a Problem.
    Answer the questions on the resulting page and you'll get a link to report your case.

[Tone Dumb Greg]

Does it sound good played on the row and was it cheap? You might be lucky enough to find someone after the instrument you got.

[Peadar]

I recommend you don't pull the bellows pins. Just check the tuning. Without opening it up.

Reason for this is that I bought a defective HA114 on ebay some months ago "Perfect condition, still in box all notes fine etc" etc. Three of the stops were rusted in as it turned out were the bellows pins. Whilst in the end I negotiated a partial refund, ebay initially told the seller that as I had attempted to open the thing up before requesting a refund I had "adjusted" it and he had no liability to refund at all.

If you haven't got a tuner available cross check tuning between the rows If it is 3rd button start pull on 4th button of the D row should sound the same or nearly the same as push on 3rd button of the G row (nearly the same if the tuning is an itsy bit out between the two)

[Zoe C]

Wow, thanks so much to all of you that have replied! I really appreciate it, and all with great advice, what a helpful and friendly bunch you are. I downloaded a tuner app in the end and low and behold it is definitely a C/C# - so I've already started a returns with eBay, and the seller has not yet responded at all (I also sent him a messgae of intention). It's so annoying, and so time-wasting, not to mention that I was really excited at the thought of owning my own melodeon at last! I'm not sure I'll go down the ebay route again, it's just convenient for me as it's tricky to find somewhere that I can actually try the melodeon out first, I'm in London but aside from Hobgoblin I don't know where else I might be able to try one out. Or at least know it's coming from a reliable source... Anyway, thank you all once again, and I'm looking forward to joining in other discussions with you all!

[Steve_freereeder]

...I'm not sure I'll go down the ebay route again, it's just convenient for me as it's tricky to find somewhere that I can actually try the melodeon out first, I'm in London but aside from Hobgoblin I don't know where else I might be able to try one out. Or at least know it's coming from a reliable source... Anyway, thank you all once again, and I'm looking forward to joining in other discussions with you all!

You can trust people on this forum. There are some excellent and well-respected sellers and dealers on here. There is a list of them on the 'shops and repairers' link on the left-hand side of the website home page here.
For Hohners in particular, try these:
The Box Place (run by Theo Gibb who is the owner and admin of this forum)
Mike Rowbotham
Martyn White
Also Rees Wesson sometimes has Hohners for sale.

(Apologies if I've missed anyone out)

The Buy and Sell section of the forum is also worth watching; Hohners are quite often advertised for sale.

[pete /acorn]

I have got 2 very nice Hohners for sale at the moment,full details and pics on Acorn Instruments face book page

[Steve_freereeder]

I,be got 2 very nice Hohners for sale at the moment,full details and pics on Acorn Instruments face book page

Sorry not to include you in my previous post Pete. I didn't know about the Hohners on your FB page. You could do with a link to your FB page on your main website. Something for Michael to get on to perhaps?

The Acorn FB page is here:
https://www.facebook.com/acorninstruments

[invadm]

it's just convenient for me as it's tricky to find somewhere that I can actually try the melodeon out first, I'm in London but aside from Hobgoblin I don't know where else I might be able to try one out. Or at least know it's coming from a reliable source..

I am in North London N22 and have many Honers in different keys, you can pop in play as long /as many as you wish-any time-
Emilio from Alodi accordion in Lewis, ham keeps some stocks of diatonic boxes too. PM me if you'd like to pop in to try.
Ted(member here) used to have a monthly English session in east London Dalston-Stoke Newington area but I'm not sure if it's still on.       

[folkloristmark]

Dont know what you paid but that box is worth about 30% of a same condition DG.You will get a refund if you do it right but it will take a couple of weeks if the seller does not respond. If you paid postage then the seller, as it is misdiscribed has to meet the return postage so get a paid returns label, dont opt to send it back at your cost and time as you might not get a postage refund or worse if it goes missing. Be polite but to be fair thats why you buy on ebay and stick within ebay terms and conditions. Dont worry the next one will be a DG. There have been a few good buys on here in hohner DGs recently but if its a good DG you want you will be very unlikely to get it dirt cheap .Have a browse through the threads here if you want a quick education as to possible issues with boxes.I have brought quite a few boxes on ebay and 90% are just as were discribed it is usually simple seller ignorance that leads to mistakes.But the buyer should be armed with a bit of knowledge to help ease sales.Good luck many more times so many boxes so little time.

[Zoe C]

You can trust people on this forum. There are some excellent and well-respected sellers and dealers on here. There is a list of them on the 'shops and repairers' link on the left-hand side of the website home page here.
For Hohners in particular, try these:
The Box Place (run by Theo Gibb who is the owner and admin of this forum)
Mike Rowbotham
Martyn White
Also Rees Wesson sometimes has Hohners for sale.

(Apologies if I've missed anyone out)

The Buy and Sell section of the forum is also worth watching; Hohners are quite often advertised for sale.

Thanks so much for those links Steve - and I do feel better already from the lovely response I've had to my problem! I should've just come here in the first place!

[Zoe C]

I have got 2 very nice Hohners for sale at the moment,full details and pics on Acorn Instruments face book page

Thanks for the heads up Pete - I will head over to your FB page to check them out

[Zoe C]

I am in North London N22 and have many Honers in different keys, you can pop in play as long /as many as you wish-any time-
Emilio from Alodi accordion in Lewis, ham keeps some stocks of diatonic boxes too. PM me if you'd like to pop in to try.
Ted(member here) used to have a monthly English session in east London Dalston-Stoke Newington area but I'm not sure if it's still on.       

That's brilliant, thank you for letting me know about all of those - I may well be in touch with regard to popping over to N22 at some point. It's great to hear there are quite a few London resources.

[Zoe C]

Dont worry the next one will be a DG. There have been a few good buys on here in hohner DGs recently but if its a good DG you want you will be very unlikely to get it dirt cheap .Have a browse through the threads here if you want a quick education as to possible issues with boxes.

That's the thing isn't it (maybe at least for me as a beginner) - to know what the going rate is for varying states and model / brands... My only way so far has been to watch numerous Pokerworks to see what they've been selling for on there.