Restoring an 1856 Mason & Hamlin Melodeon

[@JW-ei8gw]

Thanks for the video. I'm picking up my very first melodion tomorrow. It dates back to the 1860s. It looks similar to the one in this video. 😊

[@gregorylagerstam2488]

Nicely done....both the restoration and this video!! Thanks for sharing.

[@fatcatblue]

Amazing restoration extremely thorough! Loved the sweet sound of it at the end!!

[@Jacksirrom]

thanks for doing the work to make sure this thing is around for decades more. beautiful instrument.

[@josephcampbell8687]

Beautiful. And great playing at the end

[@rochellevanderhelm4944]

How beautiful! I am a 23-year-old newborn melodeon enthusiast. I recently picked one up to use as a communion table at my church but upon telling everyone that it was actually an organ, they were all very curious and encouraged me to discover more. I'm beginning to be interested in trying to restore it. It is from Treats Lindslay and Co. and appears to have been repaired once before as there is a newspaper clipping from 1920 adhered over the holes on top of the billows. It is missing its pedals and a few keys stick. I am interested in learning anything I can about the restoration process or if it is even realistic for our melodeon.

[@MrWolfSnack]

I found one at the thrift store for $15 not knowing what it was. Later turns out what I bought was a pile of junk, but oldest thing I ever found in a thrift store anyway. Mine is just the square insert piece, no legs or anything, and the bellows and all the internals are gone, and several keys are broken.

[@randypaul5427]

How much does a square melodeon of this period weigh? They look like the square piano counterpart but much much lighter.

[@billooms6507]

The legs remove quite easily as doe the metal lyre for the pedals. The rest of the melodeon is about 100 pounds and easy to handle with 2 people (and fits in the back of an SUV).

[@JERRY-zl2oz]

Hi Bill Thank You for sharing all your videos. It a great learning experience for me. Can you please tell me your suppler, I'm looking for .016 white pallet leather, .05 felt and bellow material? This is for an 1874 Packard. Again, Thank you, great work and the best of luck. Jerry

[@billooms6507]

I get all of my leather from Columbia Organ Leathers.

[@matthewconway9152]

I would like to ask if you do reed organ restorations for clients?

[@billooms6507]

I would consider it if the instrument was worth the investment. The materials are fairly costly and the it may take several months of labor.

[@virginiavaleri2559]

Ma che bello!!!