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Re: In search of cajun accordion key of c

I don't have a video of it, but if you search Weltmeister Cajun on youtube, you'll see a couple good videos of it. It's a standard black color and style.

Re: In search of cajun accordion key of c

Ok I'll look thanks.

Re: In search of cajun accordion key of c

I have a Weltmeister/Regal that I play at gigs. It's better than some of the cheaper Hohners, not as good as a La. handmade.

if you go to http://lesamiszydeco.com/listen.html and listen to Blues A Voyageur, that is with this Weltie.

You just have to tease out the ability of the accordion from my playing ability. I use a mic on it.

Mine is a key of A box. It too sat on a shelf for a long while before I bought it, and Jr. Martin brought it back up to snuff for me.

Re: In search of cajun accordion key of c

It wasn't "modded", per se, but new leathers put on, and tuned.

Re: In search of cajun accordion key of c

I have a Welty, after 5 years of learning from new its knackered, stretched bellows, broken reeds and bad action- my own blad handed fault.
Y'all right about the bass side though- good and solid sound, and I've had lots of fun playing it into the ground!
If you look at my SOTM entries for feb n march thats the box.
I'm starting again now with a slightly older Harmona with nice stiff bellows and I think it's a bit better built than the newer Weltys, having old Hohner reeds fitted and cajun tuned plus modding it a bit with better buttons, new felt, manlier bass strap etc- hoping it'll be a good box and with gentler handling will keep me going for a couple of years or more till I can justify a handmade.
Following Bryan's tip I removed the slides from my original Welty- they were starting to move and obscure the soundboard holes- one split at the screw and snapped off anyway. There was a definite increase in volume after doing that. My only reservation about doing it again with the Harmona is that it will surely make it harder to tune the reeds. Bryan- do you think I should get the reeds fitted and tuned and then remove the slides after, keeping them to one side for when I want a retune? Do you think its a good idea to put a piece of wood in where the slide holders go to screw the stops into?

Another thing- fixed v removable reed blocks, can a box with removable reed blocks be converted to have fixed? The reedblocks in a Welty have the reeds stood on end but I've heard that Cajun boxes have one bank laid down- is this true and if so how does it work in relation to the soundboard holes, what are the advantages?
Perhaps I should have a look on yahoo box builder for some answers.

Many thanks
Ade

Re: In search of cajun accordion key of c

On a cajun box, the center two reed blocks are standing, and the outside ones on either side are laid flat.

Re: In search of cajun accordion key of c

AJ, not sure what you mean about "keeping slides to one side"? When I removed the slides, I sanded off the plastic slide grooves to bare wood, then glued the blocks directly to the back of the faceplate. At that point, you can just throw the slides in the trash. It does make it a little more trouble to tune, but not bad. I've done it two ways, a strip of tape on the faceplate under the flappers on the 3 rows not being tuned, or 3 smaller pieces of tape on the inside directly on the 3 reeds not being tuned. I prefer the small tape on the reed method (I put it under the reed and reed valve), because the tape under the flappers leaks enough for me to not trust the tuning much.

I removed the slides from a H114 and made new reed blocks for the 2 up 2 down config like in Cajun boxes, but the holes don't like up. You can either put a thin plate inside, glued to the back of the faceplate, or make a new faceplate with correct hole placement. I did the former, the flapper covered all the holes.

Re: In search of cajun accordion key of c

Thanks Bryan, I'll relay this on to the fella who is fitting and tuning for me. It must leave space a bit tight between the blocks though once they're glued in, do you reckon it will still be possible to fit and wax in the reeds? Would it hurt to enlarge the sound holes slightly with a file?

Re: In search of cajun accordion key of c

The space between the reed blocks will be the same if you put them in the right place, and yep, it's kinda tight, but not so bad. I don't think it would hurt to open the holes some, I didn't, but wish I had.



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