I've got a note that's sounding when no button is depressed. It's not too bad, it's only very slowly driving me crazy. It's either the fourth button down or the eighth button down (counting from chin-side to foot-side - BTW is there a generally accepted way to talk about these buttons? #1, #2, and so on?); hard to say with certainty, but I think it's the #8, high reed.

So it must be the valve not seating properly, right? But I can't see that it's not, or if it is, where it is not making contact.

Your help is appreciated. -Jamey

You're button labeling is correct. It sounds like a leaking valve. Put some pressure on the bellows and press down on the suspicious valves one at a time. Press on the valve itself against the faceplate, not the button. If one is leaking, the sound should stop when pressed.

Find out which note it is by pressing each button until it matches the sound of the "leaky note." If it is a higher octave sound, then it is leaking near the end of the paddle...closest to the front. If it is a lower octave sound, then it is leaking toward the fingerboard side of the paddle. I have sometimes "stopped" each reed bank and then pressed the varous buttons on the accordion to locate exactly wear the leak is, but if your stops are very sticky, then I guess you might not want to mess with this.

After you locate the problem paddle, it is a matter of GENTLY bending very little by very little until it seats properly. Sometimes it can also be a matter of the wire being slightly twisted and off center. Please be aware that you can also make the leak worse...but then do just the opposite adjustment if that happens--by going the opposite way of "worse", you should be moving towards "better" or "stopping" the leak.

I have had some leak because the metal had actually cracked right wear the screw attaches it onto the paddle. You might want to check to make sure that the metal that surrounds each screw hole is sound and not cracked.

Thanks guys, then I'm on the right track. I did the "press test" as you suggested, Brain, but without much confidence. Thanks for telling me where the higher note would be Chris, I was guessing the opposite so that helps a lot.

I'll try what y'all suggested tonight when I get back home from work, thanks much!

-Jamey

there are more isues to consider: sometimes a valve also doesn't close properly by either spring slackness, or the key mechanism hitting the "upper deck" first while the valve still has some play left ... even the leather padding can be defect ... what i once had with a pretty new Martin was that the axel though all the keys had to be lubricated with graphite powder. .... be careful what you do by bending; you can make things worse easily, like the place on the valve support where it has the two scews; pretty thin with holes and the metal can easily break there ... regs nout

Acadians have flapper rods that can be bent back into shape very easily.

I find that taking the fingerboard off (from the inside of the accordion) and bending the rod that is causing the leak is a very easy task.

It just has to line up with every other flapper.

That is, if it is the rod that is causing the problem.

If it is the felt, then that has to be replaced. If the screw is lose on the flapper, tighten it.