I've noticed some players playing with the low reed bank closed on certian songs like No Salt in the Beans or Musician's Paridise. It really makes the accordion scream, but I was wondering if this harms the accordion in some way with the extra air being forced through the remainder of the reeds? Thanks!

Good, I just wondered because I've had a few problems with reeds breaking and I don't play all that hard. Thought maybe that could have been the problem.

It could be trash is getting caught in your reeds and getting hung up causing them to break. I've had that happen a few times. On the other question, no closing the stop and playing on three rows will not hurt the accordion. Look at Falcon dual pitch accordions. That's all they play on is three rows per key. They to play the high pitch like you are talking about they are down to two rows and they do it alright.

You just have to remember that your accordion is not an air compressor.

Yeah its more than likely my own **** fault, my reeds are whatever Savoy puts into his accordions. I've had to tune them about once a year (and its always right around mardi gras for some reason, probably the horrible Missouri weather) and both times he said there was a reed broken in one of the Mid range reed banks.

Go ahead Tom, flame away...

Ehren my friend thank you for the opening. Shoulda bought a M A R T I N. His boxes last all thru the Mo summer.

Ehren, what kind of reeds does it have? Hohner reeds are known for breaking easily. Shutting a bank off does put more pressure on the the reeds most prone to breaking, but if you play reasonably, it still shouldn't be an issue.

Does this harm the accordion? In a word, no.

i don't think too that playing with 3 stops could make damages on your box...

But like you, I notice players playing with 3 stops. I like it and I always imagine it sound very irish...especially with tunes like shamrock or others from the same kind...but this is just my point of view...

Whatever, there are 4 stops on our boxes, so sometimes it could be fun to play in a different way and trying to play with only 3 ;)