That is my favorite accordion. There are certain aspects in other Accordions that I like more, but as a full package the Artista pro xt will be my #1 pick. That is the reason that I ended up using this accordion for all of the competitions (except one) I've participated in. If only it had a free bass converter without making the dimensions bigger, this will be a dream machine.
These are what I like about my other full size Accordions and how they compare to the Artista pro.
- 1959 Petosa chambertone
- Has the best bass sound I've heard out of an accordion. The bass reeds can get very very loud but they are not noisy. The chords on the left hand just sing. Its just brilliant. Guidobaldi reeds at its best. My teacher Mike Zampiceni who has been an Excelsior guy listened to this and told me that this was the best sound he's heard out of an accordion.
- Treble reeds are also equally powerful to create a great balance between left and right hand.
- Ergonomics are great as well.
- The keyboard makes too much noise. I make more mistakes when I play on this keyboard. I think the action is a little bit different. I definitely like the keyboard action on my Artista pro better than this.
- Apart from the keyboard action, this is a beast.
- Siwa & Figli Yavor tone chamber accordion
- This accordion has specifications that are very similar to the Petosa Artista pro xt. Maple body. Hand Made reeds and tone chamber.
- The handmade Binci reeds on this accordion produce a very sweet sound. The response is great (as good as my artista pro). I'd say the tone is sweeter than the artista pro. The resonance is actually a little better than the artista pro.
- Has a low G bass configuration. The bass is deep and strong (but the 1959 chambertone will beat any bass sound hands down). Compared to the artista pro, the bass sound is very different. I like them both equally.
- Keyboard action is as good as the artista pro.
- The body of the accordion is bigger than the artista pro. Ergonomically, its very well balanced. But when I play the artista pro, I can appreciate how compact it is. The artista pro is easier to handle.
- Thanks to reed response and ergonomics, this is one of the few accordions in which I can execute bellows shake well. Although I can do it better on the artista pro.
- The workmanship and finish is a little sloppy. The board which has the holes for the bass buttons is cut crooked and has some open holes at the top. This was something that is disappointing for a high end model.
- 2022 Petosa AM 1100 Century Edition (blue star reeds)
- The tone and reed response is a little better than the Artista pro. Not sure if its better but its definitely different. The tone is as sweet and resonant as the Siwa Yavor.
- Comes with extra set replaceable reed blocks to switch between LMMH (unison tuning) and LMMM (wet tuning).
- The bass reeds sound good but nothing like the 1959 Petosa chambertone.
- The cabinet feels bulkier than older AM 1100s. Ergonomics are a significantly more challenging compared to the Artista Pro. I might need more time to get adjusted, but I don't think I'll ever feel as comfortable as I feel with the artista pro. For the love of God, I can not execute a bellows shake on this one. The reeds respond very well, but the ergonomics make it harder.
- Giulietti Super Model V Free bass accordion.
- This is the accordion I'm playing in the original post. Top of the line Golden Age Giulietti.
- Overall, its a great accordion. Extended keyboard that is great for classical music.
- The response on the lower Bass reeds is not great.
- My primary accordion for all things free bass (until I get a new converter accordion that I'm in the process of ordering).
- Solloni Custom Converter Accordion (From Kevin Solecki's Carnegie accordion company)
- Fantastic sound on the free bass reeds (especially the lower reeds). I like the sound better than the Giulietti Super.
- Treble reeds also sound great.
- Response on the bass reeds is not great. Almost impossible to do a bellows shake. Reed response and ergonomics are both not ideal.
- Keyboard action is as good as the artista pro.
- Has six sets of reeds on the bass, so the accordion is very thick. Probably the heaviest accordion I own.
- For a long time, I wasn't sure whether I liked the sound of the Giulietti Super V or this one. After spending a few months with both, I'm very surprised that I like this one better.
Overall, if I had to pick only one accordion from the lot I'll always go for the artista pro.
But I'll need a second accordion for free bass.
This ended up being much longer than what I expected.
