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[Telemorris]

I've been studying as many photos as possible of the Preciosa flat mounted treble reed blocks. The flat mounted reeds on the lower bank look like they'd be nearly impossible to fine tune. How does one get access to the tip of the reed, especially the reed on the underside of the plate when you are working right up agains the case? I'd like to understand this before I commit myself to building a similar instrument with a flat mount reed block.

I know the top reed block can come out as evidenced by the screws holding it onto the lower block. Do you remove the lower reed block to tune?

Thanks,

Ed

[Theo]

It is about the most awkward tuning job.  Even with the top reed platform out the reeds being flat mounted and with the sides of the box getting in the way it will test your tuning ingenuity.  I tune the fixed reeds first, tune the top shelf reeds initially outside the box, then inside the box making small adjustments, then usuallt take it out two or more times to make adjustments to the fixed reeds.   Its not helped by the reed tongues being smaller and thinner than typical Hohner reeds.  Expect to spend about twice as much time on it as on a box with conventional blocks.   It can be done, it just takes longer.

[Telemorris]

Does the Castagnari Lilly have the same problems with tuning that the Preciosa does? I've never seen the reed pan on a Castagnari Lilly. I'm very curious about the tolerances and placement of the reed pan and proximity to the bellows frame and relative depth from the bellows end of the case with respect to the reed plates. Hope that makes sense. .

Can someone post a photo of the treble reed pan on a Lilly please? And show how the bellows frame fits into the case.

Thanks

[Theo]

Reed accessibility is much better in the Lily.  It is a larger case and might even be slightly shallower,  only one set or reeds, and the reeds are standard size.

[Telemorris]

Thanks Theo,

I am wondering how much room there is between the inside edge of the bellows frame and the outside edge of the reed block? I'm wondering how much clearance there is between the bellows frame when it's pinned in place and the reed block? I'm trying to keep this instrument fairly small, similar to a Lilly.

Thanks