A Mortice and tenon by definition won't work with a mitre

Meaning that one piece woould have a tenon or protrusion and the other a mortice or slot

Are you speaking of a splined mitre..
that is quite common and being done bY some makers

I think that you first start with an over all design
based on a theme

then design the elements to fit the theme based on the function

The function of a corner joint might be 3 fold

1. Strength

2. Aesthetics

3 ease of construction

As an accordeon is not constructed to be a stool or a container for liquids or some other application

it is primarily to house a belLows and support end plates for the attachment of other parts

A Butt joint fails for me on the first two points
A mitre serves and three
Dovetails and other more complex joints might satisfy 1 anD 2 but then you start down the yuppie trail of looks good and is unnecessary

A splined mitre would be fine and would also allow the elimination of the metal corner bits..
as the metal corner bits were originally intended for added strength in an era long past when glues were not as strong as they are now..

The metal corners became a design element that functionallly in all but butted frames is unnecessary

So first are you goint to use metal corners.. then that determines what else you are going to do

If you want to use a miter... that is a clean look and the rest of the box might then be void of other non essential ornamentaion

Then there is tradition.. so stick with the inlay strips.. well this was not a tradition of the one rows of the teens and 20's that influenced the later "Cajun made" accordeons.. so this is another decision

Like the older style or the newer Cajun "tradition"

form follows function still a valid premise after centuries



PS nothing wrong with metal corners..evn with a mitre
but I would question why

The reason I would use them would be to introduce my own "signature" rather than use the punched out carbon copy corners now provided... what no imagination ?

get out your jewellers saw and go for something different.. your look , not the "the" look

Hey Jeff,
I posted below before I read this post. I think that splined miters are a great way to avoid the need for metal corners and provide a strong joint that looks good. Which builders use them?
I don't know what to call the joint on the Mélodies. It's a miter joint with a (shaped) block added to the _outside_ rather than inside of the corner. It's not a spline.

I think that I understand what John means by 45 degree m&t. I'm picturing a secret mitered dovetail, except instead of the interior "dovetail" and "pins" with sloped sides, the sides are straight.

I've wondered whether some larger boxes (Gaillards in particular) are assembled with secret mitered dovetails. No, I will not disassemble a Gaillard to find out for sure.

-Andy

Please contact me asap re: New England, etc...
ytmq945@hotmail.com

Thanks!

Tq

I never hurts to run these things through your mind. That is how improvements happen. Trial and error, economy vs complexity etc. Always interesting to talk about.
Yes, a splined mitre is what I was thinking of. That would be an attractive and strong joint, eliminating the need for glue blocks. You would probably still want metal corners for protection against chips etc.

J

Me thinks there is too much talk about strength of the box. Never seen one come apart. Also, do people really treat their expensive box differently than they treat an expensive guitar. I believe a lot of this is unnecessary. When I bought my first box, I wondered why all these end protectors? I calculate you have about 8 feet of metal with 32 nails, and for what? Are you going to throw the thing around or treat it as a musical instrument? Besides, if the ends really need protection, and not to cover messy corners, wouldn't you use leather or something else. Forget the metal and just give me nice flawless rounded corners and I guarantee I will treat it right.

I wish every owner would/could say that.
Unfortunatly, I have had to do repairs on instruments that were not treated so kindly. And as far as performing musicians go, there's just no way. Many times, they are not at fault. I had to replace the front face frame on a friend of mine's ( played for Mark Checnut ) because a "roady" knocked it off a stool and tore the pick-up plate off the front, splitting the wood.
I have seen many cases where the glue joint has come looseon the frames, when the reinforcemrnt block was not used on the inside of the corners.
Just my observations.
Jude Moreau

There's something to be said for clean looking corners without the metal protection, but I know in my experience, once you are out of your house, you'll be faced with people who care far less for your accordion than you. Often cramped on a stage too small for comfort, drummers (sorry drummers) who spread their stuff everywhere to set up, and of course, curious patrons who want to look or 'know how to play'. It's inevitable scratches, chips, or worse will happen. I'll keep the metal corners. Maybe over protective, but I can't drive 55... that's way too fast.
Just my opinion, but I think splined corners are overkill. Don't see the stress fator requiring it. A poor glue joint will come apart even if it's splined.
Steve

B I N G O ! ! !! ! ! ! !

I love the aesthetic effect of exposed and rounded wood corners, but my Bon Cajun has spent some time on the bar room floor while I reached for my 'tit fer or guitar, so I'm glad for its metal corners.

Some of us have it in us to treat instruments with tenderness at all times, but some of us get distracted too easily...

Steve Blais

also exist,
see link #1 (same link as the bellows)

Why make an accordion h-bomb proof when the flappers bend, the bellows kan leak, the reeds fall off in summer and the player lost the key of the safe where it's in?

Gus

Gus I understanfd

However

I have never had an accordeon where the levers bent the bellows went bad or the reeds fell off and I don;t lock them up

I guess I am form another world.

I have a 1959 Guild M-20 Guitar that aside form a few tiny dings looks like a new instrument

I mhave a 1977 Strat hardtail that aside form a few button dents on the back looks new

I have an 1880's 2 row accordeon that shiolf look beat but looks quite good

Most of the "high end" accordeojn mkaers round their corners

among them would be

Gaillard
Briggs
Kinkora
Castagnari
Melodie

No metal required

A spline dmitre precludes the use of an inner corner block
I find no need for an inner corner block using a proper jopint
But a mitre with a block is fine

Considering Gaillard was first and "ebiniste" joiner/cabinet maker I have no doubt he may be using a short spline like a miniature biscuit or he could be using a blind dovetail
but that would be over kill

I have not looked inside a Gaillard to see if there is a corner block

He is a very clever guy and a fine wood worker but also somewhat conservative.. I am sure whatever he uses is "just right" for the job

That's a good thing you said, Jeff:

"just right" for the job.

So, I just leave it to the builders to decide. And I have the choice to buy or not.
(btw, and off topic: Gaillard makes very nice instruments. But I like the old ones that have an other sound. Do you know why?)

Gus

Gus,
I assume that you are talking about the older Gaillard boxes. I also love the sound of the four-voice boxes that he used to make (he does still make a one-row, four voice). I wish that there were more Gaillards around!
-Andy

I think the older Gaillards had the reeds mounted on leather

I think the new ones are waxed reeds but I do not know for sure

One of my favorite sounding Gaillards is Yann Fanche's older 2 1/2 row in A/D

this was before he standardized his designs and shortened the 1/2 row

That's a cool looking one row with four stops. Years ago, I played a weekend music camp at Chesapeake Bay. There was a guy there with a Canadian built box that had corners that were rounder than that and the keyboard was ergonomic. For years, I thought it was a Melodie, but I have not seen another one like it.

The Mélodie has rounded corners, but so do Simard's boxes. Normand Miron build ONE box with rounded corners, which he sold to an amateur player who may have since sold it -- it was a great box but with a rather strange keyboard (hard to describe).
-Andy