Melodeon.net Forums

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Welcome to the new melodeon.net forum

Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Hohner C/F Erika  (Read 3367 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Prestidigitator

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 448
  • Saltarelle, Hohner, Oakwood Baffetti
Hohner C/F Erika
« on: August 08, 2008, 03:32:50 PM »

I've just taken a deep breath and taken apart my 25 button Erika in search of the cause of some unusual noises. I haven't found this yet, but I was surprised to see that the reeds for the two top (in scale-bottom end of keyboard) buttons on both C and F rows don't have valves. All the other reeds have soft leather valves presumably glued on.

Is this usual, or should they have valves?
Logged

Theo

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 13729
  • Hohner Club Too
    • The Box Place
Re: Hohner C/F Erika
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2008, 03:52:04 PM »

That is normal.  If you look closely you should see no residue of glue which would be a sign that valves had been fitted.
Logged
Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

Proprietor of The Box Place for melodeon and concertina sales and service.
Follow me on Twitter and Facebook for stock updates.

Prestidigitator

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 448
  • Saltarelle, Hohner, Oakwood Baffetti
Re: Hohner C/F Erika
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2008, 04:44:24 PM »

Thanks, Theo. No glue as you say.

Out of curiosity, can you please say why these don't have valves - I feel I'm missing a trick here?
Logged

Theo

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 13729
  • Hohner Club Too
    • The Box Place
Re: Hohner C/F Erika
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2008, 06:22:52 PM »

Small reeds work better without valves. 

The purpose of the valve is to prevent air being wasted by going 'backwards' through the non-playing reed.  That is the positive.  The negative is that some of the energy in the air causing the playing reed to sound has to be used to lift the valve.  On small reeds there comes a point where the negative effect is greater than the positive, so the reed performs better without a valve.

Another effect is that under high bellows pressure small reeds more easily choke,.  Allowing some air to bleed through the non playing reed helps to prevent this. The small hole in the wax that you occasionally see on the highest notes is for the same purpose, though its usually only needed on lower quality reeds.
Logged
Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

Proprietor of The Box Place for melodeon and concertina sales and service.
Follow me on Twitter and Facebook for stock updates.

Prestidigitator

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 448
  • Saltarelle, Hohner, Oakwood Baffetti
Re: Hohner C/F Erika
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2008, 08:10:06 PM »

Thank you. That's one of the most lucid and comprehensible explanations  of anything about anything I've seen in a long while. Would you please work your magic on a government department - any or all will do.

Logged

Theo

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 13729
  • Hohner Club Too
    • The Box Place
Re: Hohner C/F Erika
« Reply #5 on: August 08, 2008, 08:46:22 PM »

Thanks,  in a former life I was a teacher, I must have retained some useful skills.  ::)

Can't help with the govt departments.  The problem is you need to understand something yourself before you can explain it.  I suspect that civil servants, like teachers, have such a constant deluge of initiatives to deal with that they never have time to understand one before another comes along. >:(
Logged
Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

Proprietor of The Box Place for melodeon and concertina sales and service.
Follow me on Twitter and Facebook for stock updates.

Prestidigitator

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 448
  • Saltarelle, Hohner, Oakwood Baffetti
Re: Hohner C/F Erika
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2008, 10:07:13 PM »

I thought I detected a didactic approach - my wife's been a teacher for about 35 years. You're spot-on with the "initiatives" malarkey.

I found my noise problem. The reedblock baseplate had been comprehensively split down from the "tongue" end by a rugged removal. Glue, clamps, wax and patience should fix it.


Thanks.


Logged

Theo

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 13729
  • Hohner Club Too
    • The Box Place
Re: Hohner C/F Erika
« Reply #7 on: August 09, 2008, 12:41:41 AM »

That is a serious weak point in Hohner Club reedblocks, especially the one for the outside row.
Logged
Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

Proprietor of The Box Place for melodeon and concertina sales and service.
Follow me on Twitter and Facebook for stock updates.

Prestidigitator

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 448
  • Saltarelle, Hohner, Oakwood Baffetti
Re: Hohner C/F Erika
« Reply #8 on: August 09, 2008, 08:39:48 AM »

It was precisely that block (C).
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
 


Melodeon.net - (c) Theo Gibb; Clive Williams 2010. The access and use of this website and forum featuring these terms and conditions constitutes your acceptance of these terms and conditions.
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal