$800 sounds like an awful lot to pay for a used Cajun King that is not in excellent condition. Send it back.

i wedged a little card stock in the button hole and now it is fine, no fantom notes. All the reeds sound good. i would like to fix it better though maybe with a partial sleeve or somethin. New Cajun kings are $1200, + shipping and tax? Mic install? shure cartridge $75+. Im 3/4 pleaesed with the purchase, i just didnt have the $2295, right now and i could no longer practice on the chinese junk.

I agree with David,

I don't know if he fixed it, but when I played that accordion of Leroy's five years ago it was leaky as all hell.

Had to work very hard to play.

Send it back. You paid too much for it. There is a beautiful black Cajun King on sale at the Button Box located in western Massachusetts (www.buttonbox.com). They are good people and are great to work with. Check it out, the box is only a few months old and in the key of C with TAM reeds.

Grossly over price by double considering the condition.

I bought a mint Cajun King from Elderly instruments for $500.

They can be purchased new from Gabbs E bay web site for not much more than you paid... I have seen them for $799 new.

$1200 is the high end of retail prices for these... usually by Gabb delaers.. and undercut by Gabb himself.

I disagree. That box has been all over the world played by the hardest working man in Zydeco. It's got the mojo for sure. If you are going to be in Houston take it in to John G. and have him do the fix or send it to him. Otherwise, you can take it to any builder in La and they will fix it for you. Or you can do it yourself. I've had my gab apart to adjust the spring tension. Not difficult. Sounds like it may be a spring. I remember when he sold that box. Keep it, fix it and enjoy it. By the way, there is a book out called Texas Zydeco that has a great pic of Leroy playing that box. Get him to autograph it for you. JMHO

I appreciate all the comments, and I've paid attention to them all also. Last night was my first time takin "grace" out a la Maison.. I loved it the piece of card stock really worked well and man the sound. Im more zydeco than Cajun and my work on the one row is very apish, not unlike my piano accordion work! which is my main axe. As most of you know the one row is pretty cool, but once you take off you 25 lb+ box and plug your wireless in and get dancin groovin and playin on a one row do you really appreciate it! The new sound for the band, the ring that I've always been searching for on piano accordion that I can never find no matter how much I spend. I'm keepin her, I may buy another gab, if I can find a D for 5 let me know. I didn't want to get into provenance because it doesn't mean anything when talking about instrument quality, but as Jonny Ace said this thing has got the mojo, and if it needs it I can get it restored. Le Roy is an awesome player and a great guy, ten yrs ago he let me lead his band for a few numbers and I will never forget that night, the first time I got to lead a band of La zydeco guys! Thanks guys for lookin out for me. Sometime a man is gonna do what a man is gonna do even if it's a little foolish.

Ron

Leroy has brought me up also and as you say it is always quite a thrill. I try and do the same if there is a player in the house. I agree with you that a Gab with an internal mic sounds pretty good in Zydeco.
Keep squeezin' that box bro.