I am not a builder. Every builder I have talked to has told me the same thing about the endplates splitting and it makes sense to me.

Why do solid wood? What would that benefit? Sidney Brown made some with "Masonite" endplates! And a lot of those sound really good, too!

A stronger argument is that the endplate hasn't really been shown to be that much of a factor in tone. In fact, I don't think the overall wood of the accordion has much to do with it either. Tone, for the most part, is dependent on the reeds and reedplates. Response is also very dependent on the proper gap between the reed tongue and the slot. I would believe with others, that the reed blocks also affect attack and and repsonse and to a lesser degree tone. I think tone comes 80-85% from the reeds themselves.

I have always wanted someone to do a real scientifically controlled experiment and measure tone differences between different sets of reeds in mounted in the same accordion...and different accordions with the same exact set of reeds. ( you would have to take the reeds out of the accordion for every different test.) My theory is that the same set of reeds would sound basically the same no matter what accordion they were put in. The other side of the theory is that changing reeds is a greater determinant of changing an accordion's tone than changing any other element in the design--blocks, wood type, etc.

I would love to be proven wrong just as much as proven right. I just would like to know. Other things that I ran across on the web suggest similar results...that in a free reed instrument, it is really the reed and reedplate itself that is the main factor in tone. (this doesn't mean response or loudness, etc.)

I asked Larry Miller that question at the festival last weekend and he answered that he felt, as you said, that the sound is totally in the reeds and reed blocks. He said as far as sound it wouldnt make a difference in type of wood, or even it if it was wood at all.

I did exactly the "experiment" that you discribe Chris.
I've been trying to explain that to different people for years now. I built an accordion, installed Binci "C" #1 reeds in it, played it and got a feel for the tone and the volume. I then took the Binci's out and relaced them with Salpa "C" #1. I then took the Binci reeds and installed them into a different accordion to see if they sounded any different.
Here is what I learned: in the same accordion, there is a noticable difference in tone between Binci and Salpa. From one accordion to another, the Binci's did have a difference in sound. I had to "retune" some of the reeds because the reed blocks were slightly different. Over the years of experimenting with reed block design, and different hole sizes, I have learned that there can be a difference in volume, tone and responce from the same set of reeds. Randy Falcon has discussed this me many times.
I think Gregg spelled it out in an earlier post but,
the "short story" is: the smaller the "air chamber" ( the space under the reed plate) is, and the larger the air hole in the face plate/air register ( the air supply to the reeds ), the more volume and responce the reeds will have. I could also add that I beleive that if it were posible to lay all four rows of reeds flat, that would probably be the most powerfull and responsive accordion possible. Just my opinion.
Jude

Jude if it is describable, what is the difference in sound of the Bincis and Salpas? Which do you prefer?

Jude, given that Randy Falcon uses 3 reeds rather than 4 in his 2 key accordions, would there be any percentage in building a three reed box and lying all three blocks down?

Good question. It could be done, but, I think it would be a wash on volume because you would loose some by sacrificing one row of clairinet reeds in order to gain by laying the third row flat. That other negative to having only three rows is, you can not have a wet tune because you give up the other clai. row, which is usually the wet tuned row.
Jude

Well no offence to everyone else but please heed what Gregg and Jude are saying. Those experiments were also done by builders many, many times in Quebec with the same results. Now just a little point. If you take reeds out of an accordion and reinstall them in the same accordion right after there may be some you will have to retune no matter. They hardly ever just go back in with no touch up tuning.

Of coarse the reeds and blocks contribute the most to the sound of an accordion but remember that the sound is bouncing around in there and the surfaces it bounces off of is going to make a difference no matter how small. If you varnish the inside of an accordion reed blocks and all, then install the reeds it will sound different than if you had not varnished it.

Have you done that experiment? I would be very curious to know, esp. if it was the same accordion and reeds, and reedblocks--the only difference being the varnish. We need to know these things. If it will really make a difference, then we need to be doing it, you know?

I am still going to venture a GUESS that the difference would be negligible. I did a very unscientic paper for my music physics class that looked at the "acoustics" of the Cajun accordion. It was VERY unscientific, no data, really; just observation. Before I started working on it, I really thought the wood and everything would make more of a difference. I am not saying that it doesn't make ANY difference, just that it is such a smaller factor in tone than in the reeds, and reedplates. The way free reeds work is very different than say string on a violin or guitar--in those instances the wood is a major component in tone.

I have already tried that experment and I find that there is quiet a difference, and more so to the trained musicians ear.

If I might add a footnote here. Builders in Quebec have, for lack of a proper word, advanced much more in design changes, sound improvment, response etc. than thier Cajun conterparts.

How nice. But all those kinds of things are subjective. I mean what sounds better to one person or one region is not what the other person or region will call "better" or "more advanced." Everybody likes different things. Just for example, brighter and louder does not always mean better to everyone. Some people like rich and mellow. I don't know the difference because I have never heard the Canadian boxes. It is probably "better" for musicians up there, because it fits in with their tastes.

That's the whole story Cris! They like thier accordions loud and with the tuning they use I find that they sound harsh. But they play music more similar to Irish music. I prefer the mellow sound ie cajun style and being most are miced, up to a point loudness was not my thing. What ever floats your boat I say. Don't pass a good accordion up just because it doesn't blow everyone out the room acousticly.

I remember when we were in school Mark Savoy spelled his name like this: Mark Savoy!!

Sidney Brown from Lake Charles appears to be the father of the modern cajun accordion. the WRITINGS section at savoymusiccenter.com has a lot of information, Especially A HISTORY OF THE ACADIAN ACCORDION.