I was playing some christmas songs last night and some of them just sounded better with only one middle reed open. That sweet clarinet reed (binci of course) sounded so nice in the quiet room. I've tried a number of combinations and they all sound at least OK. I really don't like the sound of both middle reeds by themselves, probably something about the Cajun tuning. Close the high reed and you get a really nice low growl. Even the low by itself is kind of cool.

Comments please.... Merry Christmas to all.

Yes, when I play blues, sometimes I will close the second stop from the outside (or third from you). I learned that from Wilson Savoy DVD.

I love the sound of just the two mids going by themselves on my Acadians. I like that much better than the high and two mids together.

I often wondered if one strictly played on just the high and low for a few years years and then eventually tried all the reeds together after those few years, if the accordion would have an overall different. hmmm

I agree with Jim. The two mids alone or sometimes the two mids alone but half way open really puts the junto into conjunto on a one row.

I'm not sure there is a combination that is bad. Each has a sound that goes with certain kinds of tunes.

I need to try the two mids partly closed.

For me, the high seems to be the first that wants to go (on my C box...it may be different with different tunings).

High and low only is pretty interesting. Interesting idea, Jim, playing it that way for an extended period.

So, Maz, you close the low bank of reeds for blues?

The best is still all stops open...what Cajun boxes are made for.

I don't know if it's just me, but I've noticed that when I get in the mood to get a mock-wet sound by closing a mid half way, a couple reeds tend to go out of tune over time.

I believe I heard Larry Miller mention that it could cause reeds to go out of tune over time.

I never tried with the two mids... I'll try that tonight.
To get a kind-a wet sound sometimes, I will lower my second-from-me stop at about 2/3.

Yes, for Blues lead, the 3rd from me can go down.. It creates a different and clearer sound.

I've seen Corey Ledet play a couple of times. On one occasion only (last summer) I saw him play a song in which he alternated between playing with all four stops open and with only the two mids open. It was kind of a rythm guitar versus lead guitar kind of sound if you know what I mean. I don't recall what the song was but I do recall that it sounded just fine.
Another interesting thing about that show--Cedric Watson played rub board for Corey.
Best wishes for the new year all.

No particular reason, I just don't do it.

Now, on my triple row, I use different settings all the time.

Actually, now that I think of it, there IS a reason on at least one of my single row boxes, which is that the stops barely move.

-David

Why yes! I do. Chris Miller showed me about 15 years ago how he had his accordions tuned wet, and when he wanted a dry sound, he closed the middle row that was wet. I sorta forgot about it over the years, but I was reminded during the time that I played with Bayou Roots. It is very convenient, and Chris gets a wide variety of sounds out of his accordion.

I had Jude do both of my accordions sometime last year. I use wet-Cajun, dry-Cajun, and when playing children's music, I use only the two middle rows. It sounds very "Hohner-ish."

Closing one of the second mid stop is what I did on my Hohner 114C to get a dry sound.

While my playing is rather limited, I like to start Irish waltzes with the bass reeds closed and add them the second time around.

Under 'Important Warranty Notice' that came with my Bon Cajun (when new), number 1 says ' The four knobs on top should be left up at all times. Only the repair shop uses these for tuning purposes'.

Steve Riley shuts down the bassoon for blues.

I guess you do what you like if you paid for it.

BJ

" the four knobs on top should be left open at all times"

sorry but that is just plain stoopid

The more I think about this the stoopider it gets

If the maker thinks the instrument should not be played except with all four open:

A. There is something wrong about the design or construction of the accordeon

B. That being the case.. the maker should "fix" the stops or not provide stops.. it is not the reponsibility of the owner/player to "protect5" the makers inadequacies


or simply put

what a load of bull

Take it up with Larry or Chris Miller, Jeff. Don't shoot the messenger!

With all this fresh in mind, I went to our regular weekly session last night. Always a lot of blues played. I found I liked the C box with the bassoon shut, but not the D box. Seemed too thin.

BJ

Stoopid plain stoopid

and since the post was here by the poster and not by the makers I responded to the poster
of course we know that makes sense

how or to whom would you like me to have responded or perhaps the original poster should have sent the message to the builders

As usual I seem to be in space land.. and everyone else is ok

still stoopid **** dumb more like it

John is quite right... stops are not necessary to tune

And telling a player or implying that a warranty is void if you play with or store the box with the stops closed

talk about closed ( minded)

absurd

Do I play with the stops closed.. all the time in a few combinations depending on the tune

And oh dast I say it.. I store my box in its case ( which most builders I frequent supply at no cost as a part of the price) with the stops closed.

No where has any maker from whom I have purchased an accordeon stated that the instrument is to have the stops open at all times

Is it possible the original poster was inerror..

if not. idiotic

I noticed the same thing, especially on the triple row. On my F-Bb-Eb, I tend to play a lot in F, centered on the Bb row on the pull. I almost always have the bassoon reed on in F.

However, there are a number of tunes I play in C, centered on the outer row on the pull (Paper In My Shoe is a good example). Since that is a much lower key, I find that turning the bassoon reed bank off sounds best.

But, on the single row, I just really like all 4 reed banks blazing away! It is a sound unlike any other accordion.

-David

About closing the bassoon reed :
I first noticed that listening to a Belton Richard recording maybe it was on his version of Matilda -sounded great on the swamp pop ballad - I wonder if it,s because there are usually saxes and horns on swamp pop.
Perhaps Steve Riley and also Wislon 's practice traces back to there- or else perhaps players who haven't happened to record it were doing it along time before.
It seems only natural that players would explore cool sound possibilities like this.
I wonder if anyone know an earlier recorded or unrecorded example?

Matilda, Irene, and many other 6/8 ballads that I have heard, use just the two middle reeds to get that characteristic sound. But in the zydeco realm, it is usually on a triple row.

-David

Irish waltz ??

Call then anything you want but those 4 knobs control what are really registers or tone changers and should be used at will. Piano accordions usually have several and they work just fine. They help but are not really necessary for tuning the accordion. If that were the case how would ever tune a 4 bass one hohner, etc with no stops (registers). Hmmmmm!!!

Be happy!!!!!

I have closed the stops on my martin "C' box (one at a time)but when I tried to open them up to full open the stop closest to the finger board would not come up without some difficulty. Did anyone ever had this happen? What can be done to fix it?

I have closed the stops on my martin "C' box (one at a time)but when I tried to open them up to full open the stop closest to the finger board would not come up without some difficulty. Did anyone ever had this happen? What can be done to fix it?
In fact all of the stops are extremely hard to open and close!

Cajun accordion stops are made completly of wood, subject to expansion/contraction and can bind. Making the stops seem to be the most difficult part of construction a Cajun accordion. The stops on my Le Capitaine are fairly stiff and tight. They move easily enough. Friction seems to be the method of keeping them open. That is why they are tight. They sure don't close on their own. Stops, registers, switches on most other accordions are metal. My Gabb "Cajun King" had metal stop slides and they always worked smoothly. They have a spring clip that engages when the stops are pulled fully up which holds it open nicely. I've wondered why cajun box builders don't install metal stops. Maybe it would change the acoustics. Wooded stops can wear with age and get loose. Metal stops don't.

Metal is not always the answer, Hohner 114 models have metal stops that are known for getting loose and not staying open. But admittidly all piano accordions I repair have metal slides which work smoothly.

Funny you all are arguing about those stops. Years ago when I first got my Martin, I went to take lessons from a "renowned" accordion lady who swore she could teach me to play a Cajun one (but first wondered why on earth I would want to play such a 'limited' instrument, especially one that you had to "heave in and out so much!") She closely examined my new accordion and struggled mightily to get the stops to move and whereupon told me my new accordion was..."defective." Well, I happened to have Jr. Martin's phone number handy and got the man himself on the phone. As I recall, he said that the stops were more or less for decoration these days and in the old days if a player was out playing and a reed broke in the middle of a set, he could close that reed bank off and finish the night. He said if you worked the stops and an air leak was created, the accordion was virtually impossible to fix. ...So not to mess with them.