Advice on buying accordions please!

[Pippa]

Hi all,

My friend has asked for advice on buying an accordion. Shes been borrowing my 32 bass but (like me!) wants a bigger one.

She has a found a couple on eBay and would like to know if they are worth it:

Royal Standard Campania 120 Bass Piano Accordion, £339:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Royal-Sta..._MusicalInstr_Keyboard_RL&hash=item43cb9d7fb8

120 Bass, Setimino Soprani Piano Accordion., £95:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120-Bass-..._MusicalInstr_Keyboard_RL&hash=item2c869cb97e

Any input would be great!

Thanks {}

 

[JIM D.]

The Royal Standard (Weltmiester) is the better of the two but overpriced. The Setimino Soprani is for an amateur accordion repairman to fool with - it's long overdo for the landfill. Please remember any that most accordions listed on Ebay as "Vintage" simply means the owner has an accordion of no value and without dumping it will take a Crap Shoot on Ebay.

 

[Pippa]

Thanks Jim! Very overpriced, or just a little? I remember it being quite difficult to find a reasonably priced decent 120 bass

 

[JIM D.]

In good shape 275.00 GBP would be fair.

 

[Pippa]

Well, she bought it thanks for your advice

 

[donn]

I suppose she isn't going in to pick it up - rather it's quite far away - and the seller is not an accordion shop. The shipping method is interesting - Post, or "larger items" by "our courier - CCL/Businespost." I guess that is actually two different parcel services, CCL and Business Post? Signature delivery - will she unbox it while they wait, and check bass machine etc.? since you can't really detect damage from the outside of the box. If she can strike up a productive relationship with the seller, maybe she could relay some tips about packing that I've recently seen on this site.

 

[simonking]

I agree with Jim D, I bought one like the 30's Soprani for about the same price (i.e. far far more than it's worth) but only because I wanted to get hold of one easily to practice waxing, cleaning, revalving, levelling the keyboard, tuning etc. The other one will definitely be better than that but the keyboard looks a bit unlevel from the pictures.

 

[Soulsaver]

The Soprani is still listed - the Royal Standard is sold today, so I assume she bought the RS? From a well respected music shop in Falkirk - don't think she'll go far wrong.. tell her 'Good Luck' with it, from us all on here!!! Better buy than the landfill Soprani..

 

[kimric]

It really makes sense to buy an accordion you can try first. Otherwise it's like buying a car at a police auction where you can't see if it will even start before you buy it.