[Nathan Vander Wilt]

Yes, looking more closely I almost wonder if they connected the tube with hot-melt adhesive 🙂

[Nathan Vander Wilt]

Hmm, I noticed the B-24 in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkHkMnNsSGY has labelling perhaps more similar to the Melodica Men one than the product pictures I’ve seen online. (I also contacted the group through their website, so there’s a chance I’ll get a proper authoritative answer.)

[Nathan Vander Wilt]

Some older notes here, since I actually did the swap a few weeks ago but wanted to share:

I bought a broken Mylodica from Reverb, in retrospect wasn’t the best deal but I think it worked out. When it came it had two issues relative to new: the E4 reed was broken off (and everything fairly rusty in general), and the wood around the bottom two screws had stripped out.

The bottom panel was an easy fix, I used epoxy with wood flour since I had it handy but I imagine bits of toothpick and woodglue would have served just as well. One the filler was starting to set in the holes, I pre-drilled just to be sure the hardwood didn’t split, and it’s on quite solidly now.

As for the reed block, I can confirm that the Angel-branded “Melody Horn AM-37K3” melodica I found used on eBay did fit my broken Mylodica perfectly. (Likewise, the old innards went back into the green plastic Angel body just perfectly, including the spit valve. Gifted those leftovers to a young niece who hopefully will enjoy the remaining 36 keys 🙂

Unfortunately the Melodyhorns don’t seem available new anymore, though I found a few potential candidates like the Youngchang YM-NK37 (Korean-made as the Angel was, but different spit valve arrangement) and some unbranded China-manufactured 37 key instruments that looked similar. Hopefully I never need one.

It now works well and sounds good overall, though I’ve been using a new Suzuki as my “daily driver” since that one has a spit valve. At some point with the Mylodica, I’d like to add some rubber feet to the bottom for two handed playing, and perhaps work out some sort of spit valve lever — frankly I’ve yet to get much spit out of the bottom of any melodica anyway so that’s not going to be high priority.

[Nathan Vander Wilt]

The M37-C does look really nice, and only about $60 on the US Amazon site at the moment! Absolutely would have been a better option in hindsight. I will have some explaining to do when there are four melodicas in the house, but after a long/tiring/somewhat frustrating but mostly all invoice-able week at the grindstone the allure of a NON-project was too great 😉

I’m calling this my plan: enjoy the M37-C directly in the music room, attempt to fix the Mylodica using the Melodyhorn, then slap the Hohner together and Mylodica leftovers together to divest as parts or donate to a charity shop. Meanwhile I’ve brought this thread fairly off-topic, so I will try to update with any notes from any slap-dash repair of the Student 32.

[Nathan Vander Wilt]

That sounds like a nice deal Paul, and not a terrible price even if it turns out to be for parts.

I did work my own Hohner into a package deal with the Mylodica, but all the same… I’m might be learning a lesson re. used melodicas. Now I just “won” a Melodyhorn on eBay, at a relatively high minimum bid. Hoping it does fix the Mylodica. If not, then for the low price combining to nearly $100 plus all my research… there’s a chance I end up with three worn-out melodicas instead of just getting a decent new one in the first place :-/

But I digress… sounds like your vote on the Hohner Student 32 would be to consider it fully depreciated, caulk it shut, and leave it out for the kids to play [and PB&J sandwich] on?

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