Not one being gifted with perfect pitch. How many cents wet tuned can the ear discern? I know tuning is a personal preference. But, I wish there was a way to hear and compare various tunings, to determine which one I prefer. The way I figure, you guys figured it out only through years of trial and error and access to numerous tuned boxes.

I don't know if this answers your question, but I believe most humans cannot tell the difference in pitch of less than three cents when two notes are played separately, one after the other.

But when they are played at the same time, as in two reeds in an accordion, there is a "beat" or "wave" between the frequency of the two reeds that is very obvious. So in this case you can discern 1 or 2 cents off.

Personally, I don't like wet tuning less than 15 cents. (remember this is an average, as you need to tune the high reeds at less than 15 cents and the low reeds at more to get the same beat (or wave) in every note.

To me, tuning 10 cents out, just sounds like the accordion needs tuning to me. At 15 cents, (or more) it sound like you intended it to be that way.

But that is just personal opinion.
I presume opinion is what you wanted to hear! :)

DP

So what would be a typical level for wet vs dry? So your typical Cajun tuned dry accordion would be how many cents off? And if you wanted it wet tuned, how many more would you want?

Hal

Hall, you wrote "So your typical Cajun tuned dry accordion would be how many cents off?"
The propper answer to that question is ZERO.
There are many degrees of "wet" , but there is only one degree of "dry". With "dry tuning", all four reeds
of each note are tuned to EXACTLY the same pitch, plus or minus ZERO cents off from each other. That is "dry". Anything different from that is some degree of "wet". Hope this helps you understand a little better
Jude

I asked the late great Kenneth Thibodeaux to wet tune my accordion (he made it for me). He tuned it off 15 cents and said that it was "barely wet". I love it.

Well Jesse it ain't real wet but more that if it was only five cents off. Now that is what I would call barely wet. The key is if you like it. That's all you need to worry about. As cajun accordions go 15 cents is on the high end of the barely scale. IMHO!!

Hey Joe, you in the below average half? Scroll up and look that crap.

I don't know Fred! My old lady always told me I was above average.

Hey hey what we talking about here? Wet sense or wet cents. AAaaaeeeeeeee!

Fred;
That wasn't directed at you--so don't take it that way...

Peace,
Griff