oggie,
Of course I don't question your report that for Bandoneons too the reed qualities are crucial but at the same time we have to be aware - just as with "our" concertinas - that there may be several other co-existing factors that may differ between traditional and new products - "even though they look traditional and everything else is the same" .
A couple of details: I don't know exactly the routines for "trad" tuning of bandoneons.You do have two reed sets one octave apart but has there been any routine having a slight pitch difference as well?
= s c "Wet tuning"? The trad (Arnold for instance) bandoneon boxes I have had did have a rather large space between action board and end construction.This as sid before has acoustic effect. Are there any differences in this respect concerning late products?