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Author Topic: Enhance Club IIB responsiveness  (Read 1936 times)

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-Y-

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Enhance Club IIB responsiveness
« on: June 15, 2019, 04:50:13 PM »

Hello all,

I'm having difficulties in switching accordions these days, and I realise that it may have to do with the fact that when I switch from my Mélodie or my Castagnari (on stage, at home or when we rehearse) to the Club IIb, it feels so much less responsive, making it hard to play (I have to put much more energy to achieve the same result, and I lack the subtlety in volume I have with my other boxes).
I don't really know how to improve that. I was thinking that maybe I ought to use stiffer springs ? But I would gladly welcome any recommendation on any fettling that would go in the right direction !

Thanks in advance

Dick Rees

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Re: Enhance Club IIB responsiveness
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2019, 06:26:16 PM »

Mind the gap...
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-Y-

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Re: Enhance Club IIB responsiveness
« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2019, 10:24:36 AM »

I'm a bit frustrated, I don't get the joke (and explaining it would kind of spoil the thing).

Theo

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Re: Enhance Club IIB responsiveness
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2019, 10:31:36 AM »


I don't really know how to improve that. I was thinking that maybe I ought to use stiffer springs ? But I would gladly welcome any recommendation on any fettling that would go in the right direction !

Thanks in advance

I do not think that stiffer springs would help.   Most reeds can have their responsiveness improved to some extent by adjusting the gap under the tip of each reed.  It is not difficult to do - just bend the reed a little up or down.   What is difficult and requires considerable skill is to get the gap set for the optimum response for the style of the player.  If you are a gentle player you can have a slightly smaller gap and get a better response, if you  use the full volume of your instrument then the gap must be larger or the reeds will choke.  Also remember that it is not possible to make a Hohner Club IIB play like a Castagnari or a Mélodie.  The reeds are just not made to the same quality standard.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Re: Enhance Club IIB responsiveness
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2019, 10:41:59 AM »

Oh, thanks for your input Theo. However I realise that I may have used the wrong word. I was talking about the response of the buttons/levers, and not the reeds.
It's not easy to describe but it's really the mechanisms that I find a bit slow, you have to really exagerate all the fingers movements to achieve anything, which is kind of tiring in the long run.
I know that I won't transform it into a Castagnari but maybe there something to be done anyway?

Theo

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Re: Enhance Club IIB responsiveness
« Reply #5 on: June 19, 2019, 10:50:08 AM »

Hohner levers are rather flexible and the buttons can move side to side in the holes in the keyboard, and the buttons in some cases are too high or too low, and may travel too far.   The side to side movement can be mostly eliminated by putting blocks of hard felt between the buttons, glued to the underside of the keyboard top plate. On a Club keyboard you can also place felt under the levers to limit the button travel.  There is some felt fitted when new, but it can become compressed.  Regarding springs it seems more likely that you might need to reduce spring pressure to reduce the effort of playing.

Also it is true that poor reed response can feel like a keyboard problem, when it is actually the reeds that are limiting you.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Re: Enhance Club IIB responsiveness
« Reply #6 on: June 19, 2019, 11:00:36 AM »

Yes I was also thinking of reducing the stroke of the buttons (to have them just protruding from the fingerboard), following the methods indicated by Lester on his videos.
I did fit some new felt under the levers one or two years ago. I had a look the other day and it's still quite thick. Interesting to know that thing about the reed response. The reason I asked about springs is that, even when fiddling with the keys with the bellows closed, it feels sluggish. There's a sense that the buttons barely oppose resistance and that pallets are only just maintained onto the table.
I'll try and do the shortening of the button travel and see if I still get this impression.

Theo

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Re: Enhance Club IIB responsiveness
« Reply #7 on: June 19, 2019, 11:17:07 AM »

Maybe the mechanism needs to be stripped down and cleaned?
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Re: Enhance Club IIB responsiveness
« Reply #8 on: June 19, 2019, 11:26:36 AM »

Ahah, yes it may well be so  :D
Don't know the age of the accordion but it's quite possible that it hasn't been thoroughly serviced in a long long time.
Do you think it's doable at home or should I rather give it to a professional ?

Theo

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Re: Enhance Club IIB responsiveness
« Reply #9 on: June 19, 2019, 11:32:41 AM »

I’m just making guesses as to what might be the problem. Without examining the instrument I’m not able to advise what you should do.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Re: Enhance Club IIB responsiveness
« Reply #10 on: June 19, 2019, 11:37:37 AM »

Perfectly understandable, I wasn't even asking for as much input as what you did, so I already have many things to look into, so many thinks Theo!

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Re: Enhance Club IIB responsiveness
« Reply #11 on: June 19, 2019, 12:59:08 PM »

I bought a Hohner C/F Club IIB for next-to-nothing a few years ago but the inertia (i.e. poor responsiveness) of the instrument was a disappointment.
The costs involved in trying to improve its playability seemed uneconomical to me, and instead I bought a cheap Hohner Erika club box which turned out to be much better for the dance music I play. If you can do all the work yourself then enhancing a Club IIB might be worthwhile. Good luck with it.
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Re: Enhance Club IIB responsiveness
« Reply #12 on: June 19, 2019, 01:08:02 PM »

Thanks, smiley.
I really like the sound of it, but there's also the idea that lurks in the back of my mind of finding a good Club X (the ones with 3 voices and the 7th chords) in replacement someday. In the meantime, any fettling that goes in the right direction helps :)

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Re: Enhance Club IIB responsiveness
« Reply #13 on: June 19, 2019, 02:13:46 PM »

I have a couple of extensively modified Club boxes and as others have suggested - yes, they can be made significantly better, but no, they can never compare with how your Handry plays.

Having heard you play recently (Le Fosso'Folies à Gomené  - a fantastic evening !) I'm sure you'd get the best from a well sorted instrument. I guess you may already know Cécilia Levesque at Laillé?
I'm sure she would be worth talking to about it.

For anyone who hasn't heard them - Planchée are well worth looking out for if you are in Brittany. Great music, great dances, and great playing ;)
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Re: Enhance Club IIB responsiveness
« Reply #14 on: June 19, 2019, 02:32:17 PM »

Oh! What a pleasant surprise! This parish really has members everywhere  ;D
Pleased to know you enjoyed the evening (and, incidentally, we should be receiving the album any day soon).

Didn't Cécilia use to work for La Maison de l'Accordéon (former Castagnari dealer in Rennes)? Thanks for the tip.
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