Reply To: Melodica reeds – harmonica or accordion style?

#4560
Alan Brinton
Participant

My collection of Pianos 36 and Yamahas is competitive with Lowboy’s (!). I play the Yamaha 25 and 32 all the time all the time. Yesterday I decided to figure out which Piano 36 is best (in terms of playing condition), and I then compared alternated between it and the Yamaha P-32D and P-37D. The Piano 36 has richer tones, especially at the low end, but it takes a whole lot more air than any of the Yamahas, including the P-37D. And I was comparing the most air tight Piano 36. How much it has to do with age, I’m not sure, but the Piano 36 is more leaky than any Yamaha I have — and that actually includes a 1961 Yamaha Pianica 32 and other 1960s, 70s and 80s Yamahas. I think the Piano 36 is inherently more leaky, or at least more prone to leakiness as it ages. The Yamahas are more tightly constructed and have been so since the beginning. The parts fit together more snugly. At least that’s my opinion from taking a lot of them and several of the Piano 36 apart. It’s much harder for me to play a Piano 36 because I have to focus too much attention on my breathing.

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