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superbayanist
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the instrument cost me 8500 euros. Would have been less had I decided to purchase last year. Will post photos and a recording once I've managed to get it back to the UK. 
AKKO models
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That would be very kind of you, thanks!superbayanist said:Will post photos and a recording once Ive managed to get it back to the UK.
Congrats on your purchase. I can understand the excitement about getting an instrument with the 63 free bass notes, but the classic is quite heavy (16kg) so I could never use that. Just ordered and delivery in November sounds very fast. AKKO is not a very large factory shipping thousands of instruments each year so I heard their waiting time can easily be 9 to 12 months if not more.superbayanist said:
For me the interesting model is the Super de Luxe which is a more standard bayan (58 free bass notes) but should come in at 13.9kg. You never know of course as I have still to see the first accordion with a listed weight that is actually correct.
I attended a concert about a month ago where Oleg Lysenko was playing his Jupiter Bayan and Alexandr Skliarov was playing his AKKO. The sound amplification was not identical (Oleg had mics built into his Jupiter, Alexandr used external mics) but I must say I really prefer the AKKO sound over that of Jupiter. So its not just the many YouTube videos that show the sound difference. The sound is really different in real life. I also heard Oleg play the Jupiter and AKKO (different model though) at home (no amplification) and there too the AKKO was nicer to my ears.
I couldnt really play them myself as they are B-system and I play C-system so Ill have to wait until I get a C-system AKKO...
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superbayanist
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since all this political mess, the cost of my instrument in £ has gone from 6k to 7k. I ordered in may and the factory has August for holidays. There seem to be 3 very similar instruments, the super, super+ and super de lux which are vertually the same instrument. I'm failing to see much of a difference. I did consider the "quinta" but it takes a year to build, has tuning issues and, let's be honest, who needs 20 chin registers anyway?
20 chin registers???? Hell, I thought 5-7 was amazing and before that I was really happy with my Hohner Morino's ONE chin register... lol
What a bummer, these exchange rate issues...superbayanist said:since all this political mess, the cost of my instrument in £ has gone from 6k to 7k. I ordered in may and the factory has August for holidays. There seem to be 3 very similar instruments, the super, super+ and super de lux which are vertually the same instrument. Im failing to see much of a difference. I did consider the quinta but it takes a year to build, has tuning issues and, lets be honest, who needs 20 chin registers anyway?
The super and super de luxe have a small difference (7 vs. 8 chin switches) except for the weight. The super de luxe is 600 grams lighter and to me that really matters. The super+ is a bit larger, has a different bass section (2/4/6 reeds instead of 2/4) and has 61 bass notes instead of 58. It weighs in at 300 grams more than the super.
The differences between all these bayans is not large but every bit counts. Sizes from maestro to classic range from 45 to 48cm and weight from 12.9 for maestro to 16.5 for quinta. Im sure they are all fine instruments but the differences in size and weight may make the difference between a really good fit and learn to cope with it.
To most people, the weight should be a minor issue. The Hohner Morino that I play is 18kg, and even as a 13 year old, I never felt I was struggling. Sure, it's never going to be an accordion one walks around with all day, but I got used to it fast. Now in my mid-50's, even after a 25+ year lay-off, I still don't find it heavy. Yes, it's heavier than the Elkavox, for sure, but I don't find it too heavy to play comfortably for several hours at a time. I can see myself playing it 5-6 hours without breaks in the future without issues.
Where weight becomes an issue is if one is a stroller or if one has a physical issue like small body structure, weak arms & back or some other physical issue. Also if one is past a certain age where a certain amount of feebleness has set in, I can see it becoming an issue... but then that nice heavy accordion becomes great therapy... lol
Where weight becomes an issue is if one is a stroller or if one has a physical issue like small body structure, weak arms & back or some other physical issue. Also if one is past a certain age where a certain amount of feebleness has set in, I can see it becoming an issue... but then that nice heavy accordion becomes great therapy... lol
Im happy for you!JerryPH said:
When I started on CBA (after close to 40 years of PA) I bought a Hohner Morino Artiste XS that is 18kg and I soon started having issues with my left arm and shoulder (mostly with the shoulder). I changed to a Bugari that is 13.5kg and the problems went away. I can still occasionally play the Hohner, but I should not do it for hours on end. So for me the Akko Super de Luxe should be fine but I dont want to go to any of the heavier models (from any brand).
Several of my friends have no issues with the Hohner Morino VI or the similar Gola. Im happy for them, but alas for me it is just over the top. The heaviest accordion I could play without problems, 10 years ago I must say, was a Bugari 289/ARS/C5 which was around 15kg (straps included) but Im not sure I could still play that today.
Perhaps I should say that anyone that plays long enough is going to go through the same thing eventually, Paul. Maybe I am just lucky that I never experienced these issues, though I do have a sensitive back that has given out on me twice in my life so far, but it's never affected my playing, thank goodness. I sit while playing and never was much of a stroller, except with the Elka. Even I wouldn't be sill enough to try to walk around with my Hohner for anything more than a few minutes. There is always something intimate feeling for me when paying the Hohner, it just feels so responsive and solid
The 16.5kg AKKO would actually be a healthy reduction in weight for me!
The 16.5kg AKKO would actually be a healthy reduction in weight for me!
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superbayanist
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This is interesting. 16kg is just, to me a number without a reference point. I played, as a kid, a Hohner Morino VI N (45 notes and 5v right, 185 bass and 6v left hand. how much does this weigh? Might give me an idea of what I'm up against.
Thankfully I paid the total on the instrument before this EU referendum so I paid a good price for it. I did ask Akko if they could combine 63 notes RH with Quinta right hand but they flatly refused saying the instrument would be well over 18 kg and ridiculous.
I wonder why quint reeds are easier to fit in piano accordions like the pitosa piano bayan and the titano instruments but such a problem in button accordions?
Thankfully I paid the total on the instrument before this EU referendum so I paid a good price for it. I did ask Akko if they could combine 63 notes RH with Quinta right hand but they flatly refused saying the instrument would be well over 18 kg and ridiculous.
I wonder why quint reeds are easier to fit in piano accordions like the pitosa piano bayan and the titano instruments but such a problem in button accordions?
If you look up a couple of posts, you see me mention that I play a Morino VI N with 185 bass... at 18kg. The Bayan is almost a couple of kilo lighter.
A button version of the Gola 454 (free bass) is 18.5kg... lol
They probably are concerned about the complexity as well as the weight. 64 buttons and all those chin buttons is probably a packaging nightmare.
superbayanist said:
A button version of the Gola 454 (free bass) is 18.5kg... lol
They probably are concerned about the complexity as well as the weight. 64 buttons and all those chin buttons is probably a packaging nightmare.
The Morino VI N is around 18kg. (So is my Artiste XS which has more notes but no winkelbas.)superbayanist said:
You probably mean a Quinta right hand and 63 notes left hand. The Quinta already has the heaviest right hand and the 63 notes (6 reed) left hand side is the heaviest left hand side. So indeed I would not be surprised if it totaled close to 18kg. By todays standard that is ridiculous. 40 years ago 18kg was considered normal. Times do change.
Its not that quint reeds are easier to fit in piano accordions but it is that the larger piano accordions have 45 notes and the bayan has 64 notes,
My Hohner Artiste XS has 56 notes and is 5 reeds. The 5th reed is not a quint but thats not the problem. The problem is the 56x5 reeds. The reed plates have all been made narrower so that 56 notes would fit in the same case as the 45 notes of the Morino VI. Fitting 64 notes in 5 reeds is just absolutely amazing.
To superbayanist: have you specified whether you want A=440Hz or 442Hz? I think Akko does 442Hz by default.
debra said:
Just to clarify, are we talking 45 different notes vs 64 *different* notes on a piano vs button accordion? I always thought that many of the buttons on a button accordion are the same, not requiring more reeds, they are repeats of notes in different locations on the button (when I watched someone playing a bit button accordion, I often saw many buttons that were un-pressed, drop down).
Was I wrong in thinking this?
Button accordions usually have more notes and duplicate buttons. On the smaller, full size CBA's you'll have 50+ different notes on 3 rows. That's already more than the largest piano accordion. Only when you have more rows do you actually get the duplicates (a little over 100 treble buttons in total).
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superbayanist
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Don't worry. Have already thought of tuning. they sent me a specification before I paid them and it was one thing I specifically asked to be changed. I didn't find the Morino too heavy when I was a kid so this should be no problem.
Just need to sell my current instrument now as, technically, the Akko belongs to my local bank for the next five years.
Just need to sell my current instrument now as, technically, the Akko belongs to my local bank for the next five years.
Atta boy! Now I dont feel so alone... lolsuperbayanist said:
I was looking at some old pictures today during my first days of playing the Morino VI N, and even at 13, my back and shoulder positions were not looking strained, bowed down or anything, though I must admit, I did look a little ridiculous compared to the other musicians in my orchestra... smallest kid, biggest accordion. I was so happy that they never bugged me about that... well, not too much anyway.
I think that later on, the biggest thing that used to bother me was the complete lack of hair on my left forearm (when the right side was all nicely even with hair), and the lack of hair on my upper left thigh (no gloves in those days!). It looked funny on those warm summer days to be wearing shorts and a t-shirt and see those perfectly shaved areas. Short of that and basic fatigue after many long hours of practice, I never recall any discomfort at any time.
oof! Well, no one can ever doubt your commitment now! :b :chsuperbayanist said:Just need to sell my current instrument now as, technically, the Akko belongs to my local bank for the next five years.
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