• Concertina Repairs
• Accordion Repairs and Old Accordions
• Accordion Maintenance
• Appraisals of Used Accordions
• How to check out the condition of an accordion
• Repair Tips for Do-It-Yourselfers
  
• How to Ship an Accordion safely
  
• More details on these and other squeezebox subjects can be found on the page "The Pretty Complete Guide to Squeezeboxes."

Accordion Repair Information & Policies

Jaime is able to complete very minor repairs such as re-waxing. He will contact you if he is not personally able to complete repairs. Most of our accordion repairs are handled by an extremely reputable shop which is one business day shipping away. Generally, an accordion will need to be shipped to this shop to get an estimate. There are minimum charges involved in this, as follows:

UPS Shipping charges -- $30 each way = $60

Examination Fees
$15 if accordion does not need to be opened up for problem to be diagnosed
$50 if accordion needs to be opened up
If you authorize repairs to be done after you receive an estimate, the Examination Fees will be waived. If you decline repairs, you must pay the Examination Fees.

Estimates
Our repair shop will contact us with an estimate once they've received the accordion and examined it. We will then relay this estimate to you, and you can decide whether to proceed with the work or not. No repairs will be done without your authorization.

Accordion Repairs and Old Accordions

Estimates are free, except for the shipping cost. How to Ship an Accordion

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, a full retuning, new leathers, and rewaxing of the reed plates - the shelflife of reed wax is only about 30 years. 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 sometimes it's not. See appraisals, and 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 that will give you consistently trouble-free service, unless it has been overhauled.
If you need a reliable instrument for the long haul, you should either 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, in overhauling an old accordion. The alternative is to be trudging into the repair shop every couple of months, every time yet another reed, or key, or button, or valve, or bellows seal, develops a problem.

Customers frequently walk into our shop with lovely old accordions, moldy and corroded, that have been living, neglected for years, in a damp basement or musty attic. In many of these cases the cost of repairs would far exceed the value of the instrument. However, repair estimates are free, and you are always welcome at HMT, especially if you have an interesting antique to show us.

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 our 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. 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 expensive repairs. It is a wise investment in the health of your instrument.

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. It would be wise to learn to do your own repairs -- most of these little twiddly problems are easily cured with a little mechanical ability, dexterity, care, and common sense. Most minor mechanical repairs are relatively simple to perform, requiring only a little dexterity, patience, readily available materials, and some common sense. We recommend the Concertina Maintenance Manual if you want to try doing your own repairs. Most repairs will have to be shipped out to our repair shop -- see information above on minimum costs. Alternatively, you could look for a shop near you in the Concertina FAQ. If you are in the New England area, we highly recommend the Button Box in Massachusetts, also excellent for melodeon repairs (be prepared for a wait, as their services are very much in demand, 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.