Hi group, I've just gotten started with the Cajun accordion having been an avid fan of the music for many years and also having been an experienced working Blues harmonica performer for over thirty years. I recently purchased a used C Bon Cajun accordion and have been doing a lot of practice including using the Big Nick DVD#1 and also the first Dirk Powell DVD.

I have a question on my particular accordion which I purchased from a seller who told me that it use to be owned by Jesse Lege. Of the four stop knobs on the top of the accordion, the one that is furthest away from your chest when holding the accordion in normal playing position (the one that is closest to the front of the box when facing somebody), does not push in. It is solid as a rock, almost as if there was never any functionality built in to allow this particular stop to work. I'm not sure if it is broken, and I do understand that for normal playing the stops are all left in the pulled out position (which is the position that this particular stop is locked into). I was just wondering if it is broken, jammed or if for this particular box it is normal. There was discussion on this forum a year or so ago about this particular box being listed on eBay (Nick or one of the other regularly posting group members) referred to it as a "Black Beauty". The box sounds beautiful, and it certainly is a wonderful instrument to be working with as I try to walk and chew gum at the same time--ha ha!! I thought being an experienced diatonic harmonica player this would be a walk in the park--boy was I wrong! But I am certainly having a lot of fun and enjoying getting use to the instrument and building up some muscle memory.

I know some top notch builders post on this forum, maybe somebody has an opinion or advice about the stop. I didn't want to push in too hard as there is no give whatsoever, and no indication that there is something jammed, it doesn't move at all. Maybe somebody can shed light on this. I also at some point would love to have the instrument checked out, tuned, and maybe have a mic built into it for gigging in the future. Here's the link to a drop-box picture of the accordion:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/45400840/BlackBonCajunAccordion.jpg

I really enjoy the posts on your discussion group, and welcome any help, advice from experienced players and builders, or any feedback anybody cares to offer. Everybody seems very nice on this list. Thanks for your help in advance and best regards! Cliff

Hi, Cliff. Larry Miller is still building. I'd call him and see about getting it to him to take a look at, his number is 337-224-1225. If it's older, it could probably use a little tune up, anyway.

Don't force the stop. If you force it and the slide itself if locked up, it could break the slide. Not a good thing. If you just got it, sometimes climate changes can cause it. Try putting in a dry temp controlled environment for a few day and see if that doesn't free it up. Wooden moving parts and tight tolerances leave room for climate to cause problems.

Thanks Bryan, I didn't know Larry was still building, I really appreciate it.
And I will definitely not force it, it's such a nice instrument, I'd hate to break it. I have it in a dry heated room, but it doesn't want to move at all.
It's basically the way it arrived from the seller. Thanks, it's a good suggestion to have it tuned up. Thank you for your help.

Cliff,

Yes, I'd agree that this is a question for the expert builders.

Each "stop" is designed to slide a thin wood slat which has
precisely positioned orifices in it.

When the "stop" is "open", these orifices are positioned such that
air can freely flow through them and power a given reed bank.

When the "stop" is "closed", the wood slat is slid so that it blocks
air flow to to given bank of reeds.

The wood slat must fit tightly and with great precision to make this
functionality work correctly.

Unfortunately, wood can swell and bind. I would *not* force it or oil it!!

(Also, Jesse Legge is on Facebook. The problem may have developed after he
sold the instrument, but you may be able to ask him about it?)

Yes .. I agree .. Call Larry Miller or another expert :)

-Big Nick

Thanks Nick,
I appreciate the help. I'll reach out to Larry Miller. In the meantime it still works fine but could probably use a tuning and overall maintenance. Thank you for the suggestions and also I really am enjoying working with your DVD.

Leave it up. It doesn't need to be pushed down except to tune it. And, when its ready to be tuned, whoever is tuning it can fix it.

Thanks TJ, it's certainly not affecting the way it plays and it has a nice loud wonderful tone. Just bugs me that nobody mentioned it when they sold it. At some point I'll get it serviced. Thanks for the help.

There's a chance they didn't know, not many players mess with the stops, and there's rarely any reason to, especially that one. I would have tried to close it for shipping, though.