I know that the spring tension of coil springs can be lessened by spreading the coils, but this applies to what we refer to as " handmade " accordions. The springs are suspended between 2 small nails or screws. The springs used on the Hohnor 114 are a different type that I call "scissor" type springs. Spreading the coils on them would not change the tension. I have had experience with these types of springs, as they are used on other brands of factory made accordions. The way that they achieve different tension is to use springs that are made of different size wire. These springs are made of piano wire, and the wire comes in different numbered sizes, which have a specific diameter. the larger the diameter, the stiffer the spring.

Castagnaris are handmade and use the "scissor" or hairpin type springs.

There are ways to lessen the tension...go to melodeon net and ask over there... lots of Hohner players.

Hi Jonniez,
I would go for making your own set of springs,

I found 0.65mm wire to be perfect for my taste



See original thread here

advantages are : you can compare the tension you need changing only a few springs and then make your definite choice, you can go back if it doesn't suit your taste, and more important, I believe that adjusting all the factory springs the same way would be hazardous,
you may have then a unbalanced keyboard considering spring tension .

If you go for making your own, I found easier to cut the flapper hook arm side of the spring directly to the correct size, but keep a quite longer arm than needed for the base side of the springs (I found more convenient to cut it in place, after you put the axle.
To pull the axle, avoid crimps that could damage, a drill chuck is perfect, lot of tightening power without damaging the axle.
If your axle is very worn you can reverse it to change the places where flappers are rotating.

christophe

My very first Cajun accordion was an HA-114, that I bought 26 years ago. It was one of the "Cajunized" special models made by request of Mark Savoy. I recall some people referring to it as HA-114 Black C. It was all black, and the tuning was more Cajun style than usual for an HA-114.

Anyway, like you, I thought the springs were too stiff. My solution was that I ordered "softer" springs from a Hohner dealer somewhere. Sorry, but I don't remember where. It's possible it was a shop like the Button Box, who I highly recommend, BTW. It might have been ABC Music in Burbank CA. Their main accordion guy, Paul, died a number of years ago, and no one really picked up the slack, so they are not the go-to place in LA any more. Sadly.

I still have the HA-114 and play it on occasion.

I made several other upgrades to it. I replaced the bellows closure straps, and the left hand and thumb straps. I bought them from one of the Louisiana builders. I had him build me a nicer bass box. The only thing I never got around to was replacing the plastic keyboard with a wooden one.

Anyways, using the softer Hohner springs helped a lot with the playability.

Bernard Loffet (a kowned french 02-03 rows diatonic accordion builder)
sells them online

springs 0.6mm 065mm 0.70mm available

Wire all gauges

But you should find the same thing on your side of the ocean I suppose,
the shipping cost will be more expensive than the piano wire.

Bests

christophe

HI all..

Well I had found info in melnet and what they do is put a bend 1/8 of inch bend in the scissor spring on the button side. and that does work. They guy,, can't remember name and can't find article anymore,, that did this took it all apart..

But was suggested on there that butter knife was used if you did not want to take the springs out.. I could do that no prob I have a bunch of springs made for the 114, but just trying to do it with butter knife.. or whatever works.. ;-)

Not a bigey by no means.

thanks again.
Johnnie

I've adjusted them in place by using needle nose pliers to ever so slightly make a bend in the wire arm. Bending a wire arm toward the other will soften the tension, bending away from each other gives more tension.

Ok Bryan

I tried your suggestion and worked great.. Great feel on the buttons now..

Thanks a bunch.. Think I will forget 'butter knives' lol

Johnnie

I have also done this, but I use bending pliers, which are similar to needle nose except that the jaws are tapered and cylindrical in cross section. The rounded jaws prevent the possibilty of nicking the wire, which can cause "stress risers" which can result in the spring breaking later at the nick. I also use these pliers to form new custom springs from music wire. I have made little bending fork tools to modify springs in place when there isn't enought room to use the bending pliers. I sometimes post info and photos of my repair jobs on melnet. You could search there for more details.

Hohner makes diatonic accordion springs in three degrees of stiffness. The Corona model, for example, uses light, medium & heavy gauge springs respectively, for each of its 3 rows. The HA-114 uses the heavy gauge (approx .025" dia.) springs since it has fairly long & heavy pallet valves. I've found that substituting the light gauge (approx .022" dia.) springs works fine & improves the action considerably. I used to order the springs directly from Hohner (part #TA20151), but I have been winding my own replacement springs from #9 gauge (.022" dia.) music wire with considerable success for some while.

here is the url for the Article I mentioned back there about spring bend..

http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,9862.msg122091.html#msg122091