Dingo40
Been here for ages!
Doing her bit to popularise the accordion ??
And, she also sings!??
And, she also sings!??
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Popularising the accordion!
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Cheshire Chris
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Excellent! And she has her name on her accordion ?
ArtMustel
Active member
Great find Dingo! It proves that beauty and accordion playing are compatible ?
Hard to watch with a straight face but certainly it could attract a certain type of man to the instrument. My Dad would love it!
The people that need to love the accordion for a bright future are kids of course which needs something a bit more substantial...
The people that need to love the accordion for a bright future are kids of course which needs something a bit more substantial...
Well, back in the day, when the accordion WAS super popular, the women would all go crazy for Dick Contino and the like, so I guess turnabout is fair play. It's a long established tradition of musicians using their beauty to attract followers, and really, why not, we need something to take our minds off the crazy days we live in. I honestly don't know who the current men accordionist heartthrobs are, although I could guess, having watched many, many videos. I say live and let live, enjoy, and don't take any of this too seriously!
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Dingo40
Been here for ages!
Thanks for responding, guys.?
"I say live and let live, enjoy, and don't take any of this too seriously!"
Well said, Tom!??
"I say live and let live, enjoy, and don't take any of this too seriously!"
Well said, Tom!??
ArtMustel
Active member
I agree 100% with Tom and Dingo.
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I took my first accordion lesson 67 years ago. Back in my early days the "Golden Age Of Accordion" was still alive here in
the US. The accordion was well accepted and popular up to the 60's when the popularity began to wain with the introduction
of Rock & Roll. The use of an accordion in popular music was replaced by Guitars & Drums as the most accepted instruments.
I continued with the accordion in performances for Weddings, Parties & night club gigs back in the 60's thru 80's with models of
Cordovox and then MiDi models. These electronic acoustic models aided in keeping the accordions acceptance alive but
never the same as the pre 60's. In the 90's the "V" type digital accordions appeared and the popularity of the accordion has
exploded in performances . Many talented accordionists are using these new digital models with enthusiastic response.
Michael Bridge as many other well known acoustic accordion performers are now appearing with a digital model and entertaining
new audiences --
You must listen from 5:40 of his performance.
THE ACCORDION IS BACK !!!
the US. The accordion was well accepted and popular up to the 60's when the popularity began to wain with the introduction
of Rock & Roll. The use of an accordion in popular music was replaced by Guitars & Drums as the most accepted instruments.
I continued with the accordion in performances for Weddings, Parties & night club gigs back in the 60's thru 80's with models of
Cordovox and then MiDi models. These electronic acoustic models aided in keeping the accordions acceptance alive but
never the same as the pre 60's. In the 90's the "V" type digital accordions appeared and the popularity of the accordion has
exploded in performances . Many talented accordionists are using these new digital models with enthusiastic response.
Michael Bridge as many other well known acoustic accordion performers are now appearing with a digital model and entertaining
new audiences --
You must listen from 5:40 of his performance.
THE ACCORDION IS BACK !!!
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Dingo40
Been here for ages!
Thanks, Jim ?
Great post, great clip!??
There's a place for everything and everything in its place?
Great post, great clip!??
There's a place for everything and everything in its place?
Thanks Jim, wow, amazing show of the versatility of the Roland, from the Chicken Dance to the Lone Ranger. He is a real ambassador of the instrument and the young people were enthralled, it would be so interesting to know their true "perception of the accordion" before the show......
ArtMustel
Active member
I wish with all my soul that accordions could make a come back, but when I see the prices for new, very entry level and dubious quality, i see it very difficult.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hohner-Acc...kAAOSwLndfryBv&LH_ItemCondition=1000&LH_BIN=1
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hohner-Acc...kAAOSwLndfryBv&LH_ItemCondition=1000&LH_BIN=1
Dingo40
Been here for ages!
Art,
Plenty of good quality used instruments about ( though often needing some repairs )
Even so, oftentimes a better outcome than totally new?
I have a 70 year old Busilacchio, all original body ( including pearl celluloid), keys (not a mark on them), bellows, & springs. It has had extensive tuning, valves, and some new reeds.
It's had a very hard life and it's present condition is a tribute to the original build quality .
The felt bits are still original and good, due to the original owner being a chain smoker and fumigating the instrument with cigarette smoke, so no moth damage (it took several years to lose the smell and buffing with neat toothpaste to remove the yellow nicotine stain from the bass board - a left handed smoker.?)
This one did need all new straps, but it only cost $A20-00 at a yard sale.
I have several preloved ( Italian made) instruments, all cheaper than new and none needed more than one or two reeds to be sorted.?
None have given me any problems after the initial clean up and sort ( other than the occasional tweaking of an odd reed) ?
When asked, I have often said my accordions need less maintenance than my lawnmower ?
Plenty of good quality used instruments about ( though often needing some repairs )
Even so, oftentimes a better outcome than totally new?
I have a 70 year old Busilacchio, all original body ( including pearl celluloid), keys (not a mark on them), bellows, & springs. It has had extensive tuning, valves, and some new reeds.
It's had a very hard life and it's present condition is a tribute to the original build quality .
The felt bits are still original and good, due to the original owner being a chain smoker and fumigating the instrument with cigarette smoke, so no moth damage (it took several years to lose the smell and buffing with neat toothpaste to remove the yellow nicotine stain from the bass board - a left handed smoker.?)
This one did need all new straps, but it only cost $A20-00 at a yard sale.
I have several preloved ( Italian made) instruments, all cheaper than new and none needed more than one or two reeds to be sorted.?
None have given me any problems after the initial clean up and sort ( other than the occasional tweaking of an odd reed) ?
When asked, I have often said my accordions need less maintenance than my lawnmower ?
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ArtMustel
Active member
I agree on that Dingo but i was thinking of newcomers that most probably don't have a clue on how to repair an used accordion, although its true that some times there are some jewels that can be had for very good prices. New accordion prices are unreal and I'm not talking about professional instruments that of course need to be very expensive, but even China junk prices are discouraging and prohibitive for most 
Dingo40
Been here for ages!
Sorry If I've unintentionally misled you, Art, but all my repairs have been done by professional accordion repairers: my "talent " consists of turning a $5-00 repair into a $100-00 disaster ?!
Even so, my preloved purchases have all paid off for me personally. ?
(My lawnmower gets professional attention too)?
Even so, my preloved purchases have all paid off for me personally. ?
(My lawnmower gets professional attention too)?
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ArtMustel
Active member
Ok, lets forget about used accordions for a minute. Its true that you can find a good one now and then but it implies a certain knowledge...and a lot of luck. And generally, repairs are very expensive. I know you are correct but I was talking about brand new, very basic accordion prices.
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Sorry guys but electronic accordion it's not for me. I still don't understand it...
It's true. If you want to play a good sounding and well built new accordion it's going to set you back a couple thousand at least. It's not a poor man's hobby in that respect but relatively speaking, it's cheaper than polo of formula racing....
The one benefit of the accordion no longer being "popular" is that not ALL the vintage ones have been scooped up by collectors as in the guitar world. As has been stated, awesome bargains are still possible for the savvy player.....
The one benefit of the accordion no longer being "popular" is that not ALL the vintage ones have been scooped up by collectors as in the guitar world. As has been stated, awesome bargains are still possible for the savvy player.....
donn
Prolific poster
The cost of a good accordion is intimidating to an adult, but it's a serious market wide problem only to the degree that we're poorer than our parents. I'm sure they were expensive back in the day, too. But what kid has an accordion? That's a problem I don't see the electronic accordion addressing. Possibly an interesting option for some who already have a lot invested in accordion skills.
Interesting point. I wonder what the ratio of accordion price to average middle class income was in 1955 compared to today.
There's also the attention span factor. I believe that the internet, video games, social media etc. have reduced the attention span of the average youth. An accordion is a complicated instrument that takes hours and hours of patience to even play a song. Compare that to strumming a guitar, stealing some loops or hitting a beat box...
Not to mention the lack of role models. Yeah, maybe in some zydeco areas, or midwest old time music but in "popular culture"? Fuggedaboutit.
There's also the attention span factor. I believe that the internet, video games, social media etc. have reduced the attention span of the average youth. An accordion is a complicated instrument that takes hours and hours of patience to even play a song. Compare that to strumming a guitar, stealing some loops or hitting a beat box...
Not to mention the lack of role models. Yeah, maybe in some zydeco areas, or midwest old time music but in "popular culture"? Fuggedaboutit.
Dingo40
Been here for ages!
Tom,
"I wonder what the ratio of accordion price to average middle class income was in 1955 compared to today."
I know a relative, here in Australia, in 1949/50, paid £A80-00 for a new Settimio Soprani 3 voice, 41/120, two treble no bass couplers, ladies size model accordion , which was equal to two months pre-tax wages for a foreman carpenter.
They weren't cheap!
"I wonder what the ratio of accordion price to average middle class income was in 1955 compared to today."
I know a relative, here in Australia, in 1949/50, paid £A80-00 for a new Settimio Soprani 3 voice, 41/120, two treble no bass couplers, ladies size model accordion , which was equal to two months pre-tax wages for a foreman carpenter.
They weren't cheap!
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