Bellows stiffness!?

[Dain]

I acquired small accordion that hasn't been played for a while. By the looks (no name brand) i'd say it's old Eastern Germany or USSR production. Now, the notes are such and such, but i have so much trouble in working the bellows, it's horribly stiff. Now, i'd say it's made of some kind of fake white-ish leather that is covered with a cloth. I have no idea what is causing this stiffness, i'd say that the leather isn't that much hardened, but the cloth is. Does someone know how could i fix this?

[lixnaw]

Let it hang like in the picture bellow,
don't let it dingle dangle!

[Dain]

I said it's stiff, no way it could go half a way like that picture, let alone dingle-dangle.

[RickC.]

Dain,

Whenever I'd get a new one I'd pull the bellows out as far as they'd go with the air button open and leave them streched out on a table or the couch all night for a few nights.

Are the bellows stiff just when you play some notes or both then and with the air button pushed? If they're only stiff when you play a note but are OK with the air button, it's the reeds.

What key(s) is it in?

(Did you make Zoukfest?)

Rick

[Dain]

Well, there is no air button, for some weird reason.
And it has 14 basses.

Now, i'm not a small man or a weak one, but i don't think it's normal for (essentially) a child accordion to be so hard to pull. Today i played it for fifteen minutes only and got pains in my shoulder and arm.
Also, i need to push hard in order to get sound, and basses are obviously eating a lot of air from the keyboard.

About the keys, i don't really know the terminology because i'm new to the accordion, and there isn't any markings on it. Also no register buttons.

[Dain]

Oh, and it's a piano accordion. It ranges two octaves from an A to a G.

[RickC.]

Oh, and it's a piano accordion. It ranges two octaves from an A to a G.

OH...

Well, if it's been sitting for a long time it may need new bellows. From what you describe it may not be worth that expense.

No air button at all? Wow...

[Dain]

New bellows? Darn.

No air button, it's obviously some cheap-o learning accordion for kids (lumberjack kids, according to bellows ).

[RickC.]

Well the good news is that if a 12 or even 48 bass PA to learn on is what you're looking for, they can be had without a huge layout of cash. One of the Chinese made ones with the Italian-sounding names on Ebay would probably work for starters and would probably be better than what you have there now. Is there anyone around your neck of the woods who plays PA and could have a look at that thing for you?

[Dain]

Well, i could take it to the service, but i hear that it's pretty expansive.

Anyways, it got a bit better now, i guess it needed some workout.