Squeezebox Advice

Squeezebox Repairs

• Concertina Repairs
• Accordion Repairs and Old Accordions
• Accordion Maintenance
• Repair Tips
• How to Ship an Accordion safely

Concertina Repairs The inside of a concertina is jam-packed with little tiny moving metal parts with narrow tolerances, many of these subject to the shrinking and expansion of the surrounding wood due to changing environmental conditions, or prone to pieces of dirt lodging in small crevices. Annoying minor problems, such as sticking buttons, buttons lost under the keyboard, mushy action, slipping springs, buzzing, squeaking or silent reeds, etc., are a fact of life in the concertina world. There are many resources available at Concertina.net. If you are in the New England area, I highly recommend the Button Box in Massachusetts, also excellent for melodeon repairs (their services are very much in demand -- be prepared for a wait, and for prices commensurate with their level of expertise, competence, and uncompromising professionalism). If you own a valuable antique or handmade instrument, this is the best way to go. Some minor repairs are quite simple to perform, requiring only time, a little dexterity, patience, readily available materials, and some common sense. See the repair books offered at the "House of Musical Traditions".

Accordion Repairs and Old Accordions

Most accordion repairs are referred to the House of Musical Traditions.

If you are shipping an accordion, it is very important to follow instructions at How to Ship an Accordion to avoid damage in transit.

Almost all older accordions are in need of varying degrees of repair. Their keys and buttons are usually noisy, some of the keys may be misaligned, and many of the reeds may not be speaking properly. In the case of very old piano accordions, an overhaul is usually called for, including a keyboard leveling, new leathers, and rewaxing of the reed plates - the shelflife of reed wax is only anywhere from 20 to 40 years at best (most of the accordions found for sale on eBay are at least that old). After this is done the instrument must be retuned completely. This is not cheap because it takes a great deal of time - a big repair job might require as much as 20 hours of work. Sometimes it's worth it and mostly it's not. See how to check out a used accordion.

Hidden Problems

You should not expect to be able to find a very old accordion of any kind, at any price, that will give you consistently trouble-free service for more than a year or so, at the most optimistic, unless it has been overhauled.
If you need a reliable instrument for the long haul, you should be looking at new instruments, or well-maintained good quality instruments no more than 15 years old, or be prepared to invest whatever it takes, perhaps as much as $1000, to overhaul an old accordion.

People with hopeful looks on their faces frequently show up with lovely old accordions, often showing signs of mold and corrosion, that have been living, neglected for years, in a damp basement or musty attic. In most of these cases the cost of repairs would far exceed the value of the instrument, and the depth of the pocketbook.

If you are wondering if you can do some of the repairs yourself, you may want to invest in the book "Accordion Repairs Made Easy". You may also want to check out HMT's Accordion Parts & Supplies.

Routine Maintenance

Even if an accordion is not obviously in need of repairs, it should go into the repair shop for a maintenance checkup at least every couple of years. Professionals with heavy touring schedules often do this annually. It is especially important if you play outdoors with any frequency. The technician will give it a thorough cleaning and lubrication as necessary, inspect the action, the leathers and the wax, touch up the tuning if necessary, look for potential problems, and be in a position to correct them before they turn into major repairs. It is a wise investment in the health of your instrument.

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