Miscellaneous Accordions

[kevgermany]

My daughter's looking like adding the piano accordians to her instrumental skills.

Anyone care to share their knowledge about what to look out for? And which are good makes/makes to be avoided?

What about tuning, leaky bellows, bellows replacement?

 

[Ads]

Avoid anything Chinese - unlike Saxes, they`ve not made the advances in accordions they have with Brass and woodwind .. I`d suggest a used Hohner , very serviceable, easy to fix should it go wrong and can be picked up at a good price . the Chinese made ones are made in Hohner factories in China not generic Chinese factories so , although not as good as the older German stuff, a lot better than the generic Chinese stuff ..

Another is Weltmeister - preferably made within the last few years .. the older ones aren`t a patch on Hohners of the same era but the new stuff (since about 2007) give them a good run .. should be plentiful used in Germany

Older boxes can suffer those ills - Tuning can be costly - Accordion Techs seem to charge a lot more for the work done than Sax techs and a full tuneup of a 72 bass PA is often more than the box could be worth if old

 

[llamedos]

Having had accordions for nearly three score years and ten, I think the best advice is, as with most purchases, to get the best you can afford. It could be a mistake to start off with too large an instrument but to go for the biggest that your daughter would find manageable - a lack of treble keys can be very frustrating.

As for brands I have lost touch over the years but to be honest I always hankered after a Hohner but never achieved this ambition because other priorities intervened.

I have never owned an accordion that suffered from leaky bellows and I have never had a new one - quite the opposite and I feel sure that there are thousands out there that in spite of antiquity are more than capable of providing joy to the player if no-one else. The first one I had was a little 24 bass Italian job that my father bought out of his gratuity when he was demobbed in 1946 but I soon found it too small.

Doubtless others will be along with better and more up-to-date advice but I wish your daughter well with this extension to her musical talents.

Dave

 

[Andrew Sanders]

Just in passing... I saw the great diatonic button accordian player Andy Cutting yesterday in his new band Leveret.
Traditional English Music at it's best. Sorry to detract from the post Kev.

 

[kevgermany]

Funny, I met the boss of Weltmeister a couple of years ago. He was proud that their instruments were all made in Germany - the last ones to be made here. A new one's out, just far too expensive. Lots of Hohners and other makes like Weltmeister around.

Going to have to wait, though. Pennies are very tight at the moment.

 

[Vlad]

I had a dabble with accordions some years ago ( tho I find gives me a back ache rapidly !! )...there's loads around, I've still got a GDR made thing that was about £25 in a local ad that kind of pretty much works ..as well as I'd ever need in my crude playing capacity !
I'd try one first ( don't buy off ebay ) and avoid anything needing 'overhaul' as repairers want Really Stupid money to do any work on 'em

 

[Pete Thomas]

Hope you don't mind Mr. Pedantic here changing the subject from accordians to accordions.

We don't want the accordion police after us saxophone players.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I bought my wife an accordion kit as a present when she was 8 months pregnant. Gave her something to do and the glue smell probably helped the development of my son.

I will post a pic. I think it was a Hohner - great fun to make. So she tells me.

 

[Pete Thomas]

great fun to make. So she tells me.

You may be wondering if I am referring to the accordion or the baby.

 

[Andrew Sanders]

You may be wondering if I am referring to the accordion or the baby.

Naughty boy, go to your room.

 

[Jeanette]

Naughty boy, go to your room.

That may have been where it all started!!!

No Pete we don't need any more details

Jx

 

[ProfJames]

You may be wondering if I am referring to the accordion or the baby.

I never said or typed anything..........................................boy......it was difficult not to comment!!

 

[Targa]

I never said or typed anything..........................................boy......it was difficult not to comment!!

I'm sure something could have been squeezed out.

 

[kevgermany]

I want to complain. The mods are trying to keep the forum clean, child friendly..... And the boss goes and sets this one up.

Was obviously the accordian. Otherwise there'd be more babies.

 

[Jeanette]

And the boss goes and sets this one up.

Just keeping us busy as if there isn't enough to do

Jx

 

[Targa]

I want to complain. The mods are trying to keep the forum clean, child friendly..... And the boss goes and sets this one up.

Was obviously the accordian. Otherwise there'd be more babies.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/who/squeezebox.html

 

[U CAN CALL ME AL]

I'm late on this one as I missed its posting. Minimum requirement 72 stradella bass, will allow full bass development. Button or keyboard treble will depend on preference although button is probably faster in fingering terms, with easy arpeggios and chromatics. As for sound you may prefer a straight or musette ( continental sounding ) tuning where multiple reeds are tuned ever so slightly off for each note.
I own 2, one accoustic 120 bass Soprani and a digtal 120 bass Roland. Someone starting should probably opt for used refurbished through a dealer, as for avoiding Chinese I can personally recommend a Black Diamond (Chines made with Italian reeds) I gave one as a gift and it performs admirably.

 

[aldevis]

multiple reeds are tuned ever so slightly off for each note.

We have the Cafesaxophone meet for this.