Many of the older accordions were make with the reeds all on one reed plate like a harmonica. To replace a reed you had to file the rivet off, remove the old reed, hand make a new one and rivet it back on. (No easy task)
Brass reeds ring well, but are not as loud or robust as steel reeds.
Steel reeds on brass reed plates tend to ring better than aluminum reed plates, but makes the accordion much heavier and is very expensive now-a-days.
Most modern reeds are spring steel. (very hard, but very brittle.) Most modern reed plates are aluminum
The old accordions were not as loud as modern day accordions.
The April 2011 Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week
