Can’t find it anywhere!!!

[Pezh]

Hi All
Old member but posting here for the first time I guess!
I’m looking to buy a new Hohner bravo lll 120 base and can’t find it anywhere in US.
Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated.

 

[Scuromondo]

Quite surprising that you cannot find one of these. They must be among the most common new accordions anywhere in the states. I just did a quick online search and found several sources, including Amazon!

 

[JerryPH]

Google, Craigslist, eBay and possibly Facebook Marketplace are all things that you can use to find one of the easier accordions to find on the market. Failing EVERYTHING else, reaching out to your local Hohner dealer will 100% net you some results.

 

[Ventura]

well, everyone is a newbie at some point in their lives..

to include the most easily found music store in the USA with
over 300 brick and mortar locations as well as one of the oldest and
most extensive sister e-commerce sites (musiciansfriend.com)

Hohner Bravo III 120 Accordion With Black Bellows Red | Guitar Center

Shop for the Hohner Bravo III 120 Accordion With Black Bellows in Red and receive free shipping and guaranteed lowest price.

www.guitarcenter.com

though i personally tend to check SamAsh.com first for market pricing
(if i am not in town to drive over to Chuck Levin's Washington Music)

many people of course have become fans of Sweetwater.com who have
a stellar reputation and deep knowledge of Recording and Audio equipment
plus many niche products that lowest common denpminator retailers can't bother to SKU

 

[Ben-jammin]

i feel it prudent to point out that generally speaking these Chinese made Hohners don’t have a completely spotless reputation and although likely higher quality than others with the same country of origin are considered by many to be inferior to Italian and German made instruments. Someone please correct me if I am incorrect about this model being in that category. If I had a similar budget I would look at a serviced used Italian or German instrument from a reputable accordion dealer instead.

 

[JerryPH]

I'd suggest avoiding SamAsh like the plague, the last few people that bought accordions from them that I spoke to were basically ripped off. Things like missing/bad straps, needing valve work badly and items not working or broken in the register mechanisms or the best one, shipped without any care taken resulting in damage seems to be the protocol du jour with them.

 

[JerryPH]

i feel it prudent to point out that generally speaking these Chinese made Hohners don’t have a completely spotless reputation and although likely higher quality than others with the same country of origin are considered by many to be inferior to Italian and German made instruments.

That I can attest to. The story of my uncle's brand new Bravo III and how he got rid of it fast due to QC issues is documented on this forum. I'd look for the older German built ones for sure, the new ones are not all that good.

 

[Scuromondo]

i feel it prudent to point out that generally speaking these Chinese made Hohners don’t have a completely spotless reputation and although likely higher quality than others with the same country of origin are considered by many to be inferior to Italian and German made instruments. Someone please correct me if I am incorrect about this model being in that category. If I had a similar budget I would look at a serviced used Italian or German instrument from a reputable accordion dealer instead.

I certainly agree with you here. Ten years ago I tried a Hohner Amica which is very similar to the Bravo except that it has a piccolo reed set. Mechanically, I was very satisfied with it. But I was not pleased with its overall sound quality— the lows were anemic and the highs a bit shrill for my taste. At the time I could not afford a new Italian accordion so I did exactly what you described and bought a used Excelsior for less than the price of the Amica and was very happy with it.

 

[Pezh]

Quite surprising that you cannot find one of these. They must be among the most common new accordions anywhere in the states. I just did a quick online search and found several sources, including Amazo

Hi All
Old member but posting here for the first time I guess!
I’m looking to buy a new Hohner bravo lll 120 base and can’t find it anywhere in US.
Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated.

Quite surprising that you cannot find one of these. They must be among the most common new accordions anywhere in the states. I just did a quick online search and found several sources, including Amazon!

Thank you very much for your reply. I contacted every seller and there is only 1 on Amazon. Every other seller are out of stock till March 2024.

 

[Tom]

“You get what you pay for!” Don’t buy that crap. If you’re smart enough to make an account on this forum you’re smart enough to either pony up for decent new, or to get help buying decent used. Come to my house, I’ll give you a dam accordion. Please. There are so many out there. One time some lovely young people came to our accordion club and I gave them an accordion to try out. They never returned. I was not sad or angry, I was happy about it, hopefully it’s being played somewhere. Plus I’ll teach you to play it and you’ll be in the most naturally beautiful place in the world. Just my (non) humble opinion.

 

[Pezh]

well, everyone is a newbie at some point in their lives..

to include the most easily found music store in the USA with
over 300 brick and mortar locations as well as one of the oldest and
most extensive sister e-commerce sites (musiciansfriend.com)

Hohner Bravo III 120 Accordion With Black Bellows Red | Guitar Center

Shop for the Hohner Bravo III 120 Accordion With Black Bellows in Red and receive free shipping and guaranteed lowest price.

www.guitarcenter.com

though i personally tend to check SamAsh.com first for market pricing
(if i am not in town to drive over to Chuck Levin's Washington Music)

many people of course have become fans of Sweetwater.com who have
a stellar reputation and deep knowledge of Recording and Audio equipment
plus many niche products that lowest common denpminator retailers can't bother to SKU

Thank you very much for your reply. Sweetwater, Guitar Center, all other stores are out of stock till March 2024

 

[debra]

“You get what you pay for!” Don’t buy that crap. If you’re smart enough to make an account on this forum you’re smart enough to either pony up for decent new, or to get help buying decent used. ...

That's the problem with the new Hohners that are made in China: "You don't get what you pay for!". These accordions may have some slightly better materials than "pure" chinese crap, but the quality is nowhere near what Hohner used to build in Germany. I'm not saying these Hohners are really bad, they are just hugely overpriced. (That of course has been an issue with Hohner for as long as I know about accordions.)

 

[Tom]

Good point. I am constantly amazed at the craftsmanship in the vintage Corona II. The talented and wonderful Mexicans around here are paying the big bucks for them, enriching the old polka players. If I wait long enough I can probably parlay it into a Super 6, or maybe even a cart of groceries.

 

[Ventura]

but (sadly) this affordably priced hohner line is likely the best
value in it's price point and of a more reliable out of the box
quality (not up to OUR standards, but comparatively) than
any other entry level new accordion in the marketplace.

many more Christmas presents will have the hohner brand
than bugari.. n'est ce pas ?

 

[JeffJetton]

I'm not saying these Hohners are really bad, they are just hugely overpriced.

I'm inclined to agree. I have a Hohner Bravo 72-bass, and it's not a bad little box at all. It's fairly light, so it comes in handy for strolling gigs.

I bought it new, but "open box", several years ago for somewhere around $700, and feel like I got a good deal. Now I'm seeing them sold for well over twice that, which does seem to be bit... much.

 

[Pezh]

“You get what you pay for!” Don’t buy that crap. If you’re smart enough to make an account on this forum you’re smart enough to either pony up for decent new, or to get help buying decent used. Come to my house, I’ll give you a dam accordion. Please. There are so many out there. One time some lovely young people came to our accordion club and I gave them an accordion to try out. They never returned. I was not sad or angry, I was happy about it, hopefully it’s being played somewhere. Plus I’ll teach you to play it and you’ll be in the most naturally beautiful place in the world. Just my (non) humble opinion.

Tom thank you very much for your reply. I really appreciate your kind and generous offer and I appreciate your help. Are you and is your club in California? I’m in OC but don’t mind driving for couple of hours to meet. I’m playing piano but my son is a big fan of accordion and started about 6 weeks ago. He practice seriously and his teacher said he needs to switch to 120 bass now.

 

[debra]

...
many more Christmas presents will have the hohner brand
than bugari.. n'est ce pas ?

I have never seen any accordion that was a christmas present. But some people have a budget I won't even dare to dream of.
Hohner of course sells items that are cheap enough to qualify as a christmas present even in my budget, like for instance some of their harmonicas.

 

[Tom]

Tom thank you very much for your reply. I really appreciate your kind and generous offer and I appreciate your help. Are you and is your club in California? I’m in OC but don’t mind driving for couple of hours to meet. I’m playing piano but my son is a big fan of accordion and started about 6 weeks ago. He practice seriously and his teacher said he needs to switch to 120 bass now.

Unfortunately I’m in Wisconsin where there seem to be way more accordions than accordion players these days.

 

[Pezh]

Unfortunately I’m in Wisconsin where there seem to be way more accordions than accordion players these days.

It’s everywhere Tom not only Wisconsin. Thank you again. What is your suggestion for 12 YO?

 

[Ben-jammin]

Most accordion size charts use height to correspond to recommended keyboard length. This helps identify an instrument that can comfortably be worn and also suggest a key dimension that should be appropriate for hand size.

This is one I found. This should only be considered a rough guide and also projected growth of a younger student should be considered. https://images.app.goo.gl/R5GScoi4LhfqXr9S6