Another crazy find

[squeezeboy]

A guy on a Facebook accordion page posted pics of his late dad's accordion, saying he wanted to sell it, it needed a bit of repairs, but didn't know for how much.
After a number of questions and replies, he suddenly says that the first one to come with $200 gets it!
I replied within seconds of his posting and met him on the following day.

The box is from 1968 and has seen better days, some bass large reed plates fell off their block, and there are a few broken bass buttons. However, all reeds are in tune, the bellows is fine and all the flappers close tight. Amazing.

I already re-waxed the bass reeds, I am awaiting the replacement buttons and this baby will be just like new! Treble side is LMMM and 5 sets of reeds on the bass side.

Can't wait to play it. That is my second incredible find this year

 

[Soulsaver]

Absolutely splendid - you'll have 'em coming out your ears soon, lol! I had a PS PA from think the same period similar grill & couplers(1960s) also with the big bass reeds dropping off, but the wax wasn't brittle. Think it had been dropped while inside it's case.

 

[Matt Butcher]

Congratulations, that's very similar to mine - I think these sound better than you'd expect them to...

 

[squeezeboy]

... also with the big bass reeds dropping off, but the wax wasnt brittle. Think it had been dropped while inside its case

The reedblock that holds the big reeds has a L shape and they are at 90 degrees from the other reed sets. Neat way to save space, but if the accordion is dropped on its feet this can get the reed plates to detach. My accordion has signs of having been dropped on its feet, the bass side cover had one corner bent in, the flange inside the wood frame is cracked and the foot in that corner is missing...

 

[Soulsaver]

Thought Id got a pic with the reeds missing but cant find it - but like this:

 

[squeezeboy]

Thought Id got a pic with the reeds missing but cant find it - but like this:

Exactly. On my accordion about half the reed plates fell off, and there were signs of a previous wax job that wasnt done very well...
All fixed now, I removed all the large reed plates, scraped the old wax, and re-waxed everything.

 

[landro]

I`m always careful when I have the opportunity to purchase a Paolo Soprani of that era. My (limited) experience , with them (at least 2) having reeds that were loose and/or fell out has shown me what might seem to be a less than ideal wax used . Of course all accordions from that era are going to have some degree of hardened wax , but those Paolo Soprani`s seemed to be a bit worse than average to me.
Aside from that issue I always thought they were a good sounding instrument .

 

[squeezeboy]

I`m always careful when I have the opportunity to purchase a Paolo Soprani of that era. My (limited) experience , with them (at least 2) having reeds that were loose and/or fell out has shown me what might seem to be a less than ideal wax used . Of course all accordions from that era are going to have some degree of hardened wax , but those Paolo Soprani`s seemed to be a bit worse than average to me.
Aside from that issue I always thought they were a good sounding instrument .

Indeed the wax is brown and brittle...

The treble side seems OK but the bass side has more wax around the reed plates due to their sizes so its more apparent. In my case I knew I was buying something that needed repairs but if someone wants a box thats ready to play this could be an issue.

I never buy an instrument without opening it and checking inside first!

Most sellers tend to be very optimistic about the condition of their accordion, I am very suspicious of things like mint or excellent condition when the box has 50 or 60 years !

 

[maugein96]

Quite a few accordions identical in appearance to the one you have were available in Scotland up to about the 80s. The reeds were capable of sounding good when given the typical Scottish three voice musette tuning required here. I used to work beside a guy who still plays a black one, although it may have a tone chamber and hand made reeds. He has made several CDs with it.

There are not many CBAs in Scotland, and the Paolo Soprani model preferred by the Italian community in Edinburgh was the "Internazionale", a 5 row with all white treble buttons. There was always at least one of those for sale in one of several Edinburgh shops which sold accordions in the 70s. They were amongst the very few LMMM accordions in Scotland which had the sweeter Italian musette tuning as opposed to the very wet Scottish version, although no doubt some of them were probably retuned Scottish. I always had a notion for one, but by the time I came to buy a box the new price had gone through the roof, and they couldn't be had used. I later saw them for sale in London but by that time I was playing French accordions exclusively.

That box appears to be a real find. Well done!

 

[debra]

...
The reedblock that holds the big reeds has a L shape and they are at 90 degrees from the other reed sets. Neat way to save space, ...

Actually this construction does not save space. It actually costs more space. But the sound of each of these large reeds travels through a longer tube and then ends up being more mellow, like with a cassotto. This construction is commonly known (in German) as the Winkelbas. Some bass accordions have a 180 degree angle and that is really a space saver over using 90 degrees.

 

[squeezeboy]

Actually this construction does not save space. It actually costs more space. But the sound of each of these large reeds travels through a longer tube and then ends up being more mellow, like with a cassotto.

Interesting. Thanks for the precision

 

[squeezeboy]

... The reeds were capable of sounding good when given the typical Scottish three voice musette tuning required here. (...)
There are not many CBAs in Scotland (...)
That box appears to be a real find. Well done!

The reeds in my box look like some "macchina" type but surprisingly, they are all well in tune, not sure if the previous owner had a tuning job done at some point.
CBA'a are not very common in Canada either, there must be a handful people playing them in the Toronto area. It's all PA's in shops too.
A box like that in good condition sells for around CAD 1500.

Good find indeed for $200 and a few hours of repairs!