Musty smell!

Here is another question we are often asked.

  I bought an accordion on E-bay but it has a bad smell of humidity, is it possible to repair?

Answer:

This is a tough problem to solve. Whether it's called "a bad smell of humidity" or "mildew", or night-club smoke, no-one wants to play an accordion against their chest with a strong odor. It's going to take some work to remove it. First, make up a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. Next, remove the accordion from its' case and vacuum the interior of the carrying case thoroughly. The spores carrying the smell are hiding in every nook and cranny and you need to suck them out of the plush lining that most accordion cases have. Don't forget to vacuum the inside of the cover as well. Now, spray some of that mixture onto a cloth and rub down any solid surfaces of the case inside and out. Finally, liberally spray the plush lining and then close the cover. Let the vinegar and alcohol do its' magic over-night.
Now, to the accordion. Obviously, you should wipe down all outside solid surfaces. DO NOT SPRAY DIRECTLY ONTO THE ACCORDION OR THE BELLOWS! Spray a little on a soft, lint-free cloth wrapped around your index finger and apply that way. You can even open the bellows and rub down the folds. I do not recommend taking your accordion apart. Leave that to professionals. There are too many parts to be cleaned and a trained technician would know what to do.

Dusty keyboard

Here is a question we are often asked about cleaning the exterior of accordions:

 What is the best way to deal with dust particles on the right hand keyboard ? 

Answer:

Here in our shop we routinely clean accordion keyboards with rubbing alcohol*. Put a little on a soft, lint-free cloth wrapped around your index finger. Clean each key with a vigorous rubbing motion, especially in between the black keys. Do the same for the rest of your accordion. It works great. We do not recommend End Dust or other polishes. I see no problem with using compressed air in a can to remove light dust the same as one might use for a computer keyboard.

*Note: Be sure to use "rubbing" alcohol (like you'd find in your medicine cabinet), not Denatured alcohol that could damage the finish.

Winter care and travel tips for your accordion

Tip #1: - Keep your accordion at room temperature. From time to time we need to take our accordions out to play away from home but freezing temperatures are not recommended for lengthy periods of time. If an accordion is allowed to get so cold that it is uncomfortable to touch, do not play it! Let it warm to room temperature first. You can hurry this process a bit by holding down the air button while operating the bellows in and out. This brings warm air inside the instrument where it counts the most.

Tip #2: Traveling by air is extremely hazardous to accordions. Never, never allow your instrument to go into baggage without a flight case. Baggage handlers are especially busy at the Holidays and may not be as careful as they should. We have heard of too many horror stories where accordions were checked into baggage and came out demolished or needed major repair. Flight cases can be found online and although they are expensive they are well worth it. Some airlines allow a musical instrument as carry on luggage. Check with your flight before bringing your accordion to be sure. The Transportation Security Administration has issued guidelines for air travel of musical instruments. Go to: www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1235.shtm