Project description
I own a piano accordion that has been sitting in a family cabinet for decades and finally deserves proper attention from someone who actually works with hand-pumped reed instruments rather than just guitars or pianos. The bellows have several cracked folds near the corners that let air escape the moment you try to press a single chord, so right now the instrument barely holds pressure long enough to sound a note. I am looking for a restorer who can strip the old cardboard-and-leather gussets, replace the perished corner leather and any split fold panels, and reseal every seam so the bellows are airtight again under normal playing pressure.
Beyond the bellows, the reed plates clearly need attention. Several reeds sound flat or buzz against the frame, which tells me wax has dried out and shifted, and dust or rust has built up on the reed tongues themselves. I would like the reed blocks removed, cleaned, re-waxed where needed, and brought back into tune against each other so chords sound clean rather than sour. A handful of treble keys stick when pressed and return slowly, and two bass buttons do not spring back at all, so the felt bushings, springs, and pallet valves in the key mechanism likely need replacing or adjusting.
Cosmetically, the celluloid body panels have yellowed and are lifting slightly at a couple of edges, with one small chip near the treble grille. I would like these panels cleaned, re-glued where lifting, and the chip addressed so the instrument looks presentable without resorting to a full repaint that would erase its original character. The grille mesh and decorative strips should be reattached securely if loose.
I would like to discuss your experience with similar hand-pumped free-reed instruments before we start, see examples of previous bellows and reed work if you have them, and agree on which materials you would use for the corner leather, gussets, and wax before any parts are removed. Please outline your process step by step, an estimated timeline, and how you would test airtightness and tuning accuracy once the repairs are complete. I want the accordion fully playable again, not just cosmetically improved, so functional testing at the end is essential.
Beyond the bellows, the reed plates clearly need attention. Several reeds sound flat or buzz against the frame, which tells me wax has dried out and shifted, and dust or rust has built up on the reed tongues themselves. I would like the reed blocks removed, cleaned, re-waxed where needed, and brought back into tune against each other so chords sound clean rather than sour. A handful of treble keys stick when pressed and return slowly, and two bass buttons do not spring back at all, so the felt bushings, springs, and pallet valves in the key mechanism likely need replacing or adjusting.
Cosmetically, the celluloid body panels have yellowed and are lifting slightly at a couple of edges, with one small chip near the treble grille. I would like these panels cleaned, re-glued where lifting, and the chip addressed so the instrument looks presentable without resorting to a full repaint that would erase its original character. The grille mesh and decorative strips should be reattached securely if loose.
I would like to discuss your experience with similar hand-pumped free-reed instruments before we start, see examples of previous bellows and reed work if you have them, and agree on which materials you would use for the corner leather, gussets, and wax before any parts are removed. Please outline your process step by step, an estimated timeline, and how you would test airtightness and tuning accuracy once the repairs are complete. I want the accordion fully playable again, not just cosmetically improved, so functional testing at the end is essential.
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