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Re: Re: Hotrodding a Hohner HA114?

Replaceing the springs would be a good way to tweak the action. A call to one of the builders should yield you a package of springs at a tension that you would like. Next is to look at those bellows from the inside and see where the leaks are. If it is worn leather corners or something like that, you could probably reglue some soft leather or suede patches inside. Leaking air from the bass paddles is also probably caused by worn springs. Again, a call to a builder should score you some new ones. Good luck. These are user friendly instruments so don't be afraid to take it apart and fix it. JMHO

Re: Re: Re: Hotrodding a Hohner HA114?

The clacking you hear is probably the flappers. The leather pads get old and hard after years of use. Replace them and the clacking should disappear. I've never done it but they shouldn't be too hard to replace. Scrape off the old, cut and glue the new. Make them yourself out of some suede or buy them from a supplier or builder.

Re: Hotrodding a Hohner HA114?

Here's a few things I've done to mine. I've had a good time messing with it, and so far, it has been at least somewhat improved.

It is old, so like yours, it leaked in a bunch of places. You may have more leaks than you think. Once you fix the main ones, the smaller ones will pop up. My biggest leaks were the same as yours, where the bellows and face plate frames met and the valves. I fixed the frame leaks by replacing the gasket. Easy and quick. When you do this, you will really have to do some squishing to compress the new gasket enough to line the holes back up. The valves adjust relatively easily because they are flimsy metal. Just put your face near each one and push the bellows to feel the leaks. Where I could feel one and couldnt tell exactly where it came from, I put some talcum powder in the area and pushed the bellows, the powder blows out where the leak is. Just bend the flappers a little a time until it sits flat enough to quit leaking. You cant adjust the treble flappers much top to bottom, if at all, but I didnt need to until later. Mine still leaked a little, and clattered badly, so I then redid the felt and leather. Much better. When I did this, it raised the treble flappers back at an angle because the new material was so much thicker. I added a spacer across the treble face plate under the metal strip the flappers are attached to the faceplate with, and under the keyboard. You will have to experiment to find the right thickness.

At this point some leaks started showing up at the bellows/bellows frame joint. I used glue to seal these. I used Sobo glue, at John Roger's suggestion, to fix most leaks. At this point, the accordion was tight enough to start pushing the nails that hold the frames together, so I replaced these with slightly larger screws.

For cosmetics, I removed that ugly flapper cover and puttied the pathetic little flappers and mylared them. They aint perfect, but I like it better than that hideous cover. I also sanded the whole thing and repainted it black, stenciled some cheesy designs, and renamed it "Couillon", fitting. I am now working on retuning the reeds. What a huge improvement that can make. Retuned Hohner reeds aint half bad at all.

I replaced all the springs in the valves. New ones are stiff as cold syrup, but you can gently bend the end a little at a time to get the action you want.

I also had to add shims under the stop slides because they were so loose they just slid down on their own.

I considered remaking the keyboard and base box to match handmades, but decided not to. I got the gasket, leather, and felt from Larry Miller (who no longer sells them), but you can get it online from accordion or other music sources. The springs and a couple of reeds I replaced I got from Hohner, an adventure in itself. Email me if you need contact info.

This is the way I did it, as a rank amateur, so there are probably better ways, but it has made a passable player for now. Good luck.

Re: Hotrodding a Hohner HA114?

Mr. Lafleur,

I know this is an old post, but could you give just a tad more description on what you mean by you 'puttied' the flappers? I probably know what you mean by the mylar, but what did you use to 'putty' them?

I have an old Hohner, and I have removed the grill, but man, those pallets are ugly. lol.



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