Mr Elton, what do you say about them HA-114 Hohner reeds? Are you familiar with the term "Tupelo"? Does that mean "sweet" reeds as in Tupelo Honey? I've talked to a few accordion builders in south louisiana, and many of them have put Hohner reeds into their own accordions and for the occasional customer. Almost as if them Benci's just don't quite cut it for that old sweet traditional sound of the good ole days. Any comments on this to shed some light on the mystery of how do we get that sound we're looking for from an accordion builder? Most people feel they know the sound they would like, but can't explain it, and hardly ever get it on the first accordion they buy. Me personally, after getting it wrong on my first 3 accordions and about $3000 dollars later, I just say, make my accordion sound exactly like Iry Lejeunes's and here....use these Hohner ha-114 reeds to do it with.
The reeds from German accordions seem to have a certain sound that many of us like, whether the Sterling reeds or Hohner. Different from each other, but distinctive from Italian made reeds. I have a Weltmeister that sounds very close to my Sterling, even though it probably has cheap Chinese made reeds. The main thing the new Italian reeds have over most other reeds is response and volume, but even there, I've heard old German reeds that come close in both regards. But I've never heard a box with Italian reeds have that tone that old German (or new) reeds had.
I've wondered how much the zinc plates of the old reeds affects tone. Some say the reed metal itself. Been lots of debate on this, but always ends up at opinion/speculation.
One sound of the old boxes I really love is the sound of the bass side, especially the chord reeds, on those big plates with all the chord reeds mounted to one plate.
Excellent observation. I'll back that up. The question begs to be answered again. When and Who brought "Italian" reeds to the Cajun accordion? Marc Savoy? I think players went head over heals for the Binci and the Salpa because makers were forcing them on us, but it could have been a mistake to trust their sound fully for the purist back porch player. Every Louisiana Made Accordion with Hohner reeds that I have ever played got my attention on the first note. Those accordions literally sing to the heart and soul. Might be the vibration?! Might be that German race perfection thing too.
The April 2011 Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week
