The other day, I was playing away on my box (Hohner Black Dot, post swastika model) and I felt something give under my left thumb - the spring in my air key had gone. Bit of a nuisance. It felt like the spring just slipped off of where it's supposed to catch, I don't think anything actually broke (But I haven't opened it up to look yet).
I'd like to fix it myself if that's possible, but I figure I should get advice before I dive in. Has anyone got any experience working on this sort of thing? Any tips or warnings?
Fixed quite a few on the right hand side of my pokerwork. No real expertise required justs lots of patience and a bit of imagination .There's no technology from the last couple of centuries in a hohner I would have a look as I imagination the air button would be more straightforward.
If you feel you need expert advise go to melodeon.net forum. it's run by Theo Gibb who probably knows as much as anyone about Hohners and is very helpful advising DIYers.
If it's the air spring, on the left hand side, just unscrew the protection plate, that is under the left hand strap (you might need to unscrew the strap : just do it on one side). Easy to do, and you're not opening the reed part. then have a look : it probably just slipped : on my old hohner (the 2915), the button itself was attached to the plate, and the rest of the mecanism to the box itself, with a metal thing just touching the button. That used to slip easily, and it's just a matter of putting it back in place. Just watch out : you might have to reshape it (I don't know the word in english) to make it keep in touch with the button. If something's broken, in most boxes it's quite obvious what to replace. I did it quite often, with different boxes... Take also the chance to clean the inside of the box (I use a low power vacuum cleaner) and even to put a little oil in the button mecanism. Just take care the oil doesn't get a chance to go on the reeds
I did a temporary repair for a pupil with just such a problem on his Hohner Black Dot by using an elastic band. The rubber band was still doing the trick when he had the spring repaired some months later.
you can use rubber bands on the right hand side too on some hohners - my first pokerwork (1973) did 5 years with a succsession of rubber bands hooked around the G key and trapped between the grille and the body.
Unless it involves the reeds, there is a lot you can do inside an accordion without too much danger, as long as you are cautious as you take it apart and put it back together.
Fixing a spring on my box
Fixing a spring on my box
The other day, I was playing away on my box (Hohner Black Dot, post swastika model) and I felt something give under my left thumb - the spring in my air key had gone. Bit of a nuisance. It felt like the spring just slipped off of where it's supposed to catch, I don't think anything actually broke (But I haven't opened it up to look yet).
I'd like to fix it myself if that's possible, but I figure I should get advice before I dive in. Has anyone got any experience working on this sort of thing? Any tips or warnings?
# Posted on October 10th 2009 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: Fixing a spring on my box
Fixed quite a few on the right hand side of my pokerwork. No real expertise required justs lots of patience and a bit of imagination .There's no technology from the last couple of centuries in a hohner
I would have a look as I imagination the air button would be more straightforward.
If you feel you need expert advise go to melodeon.net forum. it's run by Theo Gibb who probably knows as much as anyone about Hohners and is very helpful advising DIYers.
phil
# Posted on October 10th 2009 by fiddlingpea
Re: Fixing a spring on my box
If it's the air spring, on the left hand side, just unscrew the protection plate, that is under the left hand strap (you might need to unscrew the strap : just do it on one side). Easy to do, and you're not opening the reed part. then have a look : it probably just slipped : on my old hohner (the 2915), the button itself was attached to the plate, and the rest of the mecanism to the box itself, with a metal thing just touching the button. That used to slip easily, and it's just a matter of putting it back in place. Just watch out : you might have to reshape it (I don't know the word in english) to make it keep in touch with the button. If something's broken, in most boxes it's quite obvious what to replace. I did it quite often, with different boxes... Take also the chance to clean the inside of the box (I use a low power vacuum cleaner) and even to put a little oil in the button mecanism. Just take care the oil doesn't get a chance to go on the reeds
# Posted on October 10th 2009 by Nikita Pfister
Re: Fixing a spring on my box
Should be straightforward as NF says.
Theo and mel.net very helpful as posted above, but here's a comment on oil
http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,2632.0.html
# Posted on October 10th 2009 by TomB-R
Re: Fixing a spring on my box
http://info.melodeon.net/
Nicely done you lot. I enjoyed this, short and sweet...
# Posted on October 10th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: Fixing a spring on my box
Good advice, while you sleep - can't beat that! I know what I'm doing this afternoon...
# Posted on October 10th 2009 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: Fixing a spring on my box
I did a temporary repair for a pupil with just such a problem on his Hohner Black Dot by using an elastic band. The rubber band was still doing the trick when he had the spring repaired some months later.
# Posted on October 10th 2009 by Free Reed
Re: Fixing a spring on my box
you can use rubber bands on the right hand side too on some hohners - my first pokerwork (1973) did 5 years with a succsession of rubber bands hooked around the G key and trapped between the grille and the body.
# Posted on October 11th 2009 by millionyears_bc
Re: Fixing a spring on my box
Unless it involves the reeds, there is a lot you can do inside an accordion without too much danger, as long as you are cautious as you take it apart and put it back together.
# Posted on October 11th 2009 by AlBrown