Beltuna Spirit V v Hohner Gola 414

[ianthomsonband@btinternet]

I currently play a Beltuna Spirit V, which is around 7 years old and is a very fine accordion. I had it tuned just over a year ago (slightly wider), but I don't like the tuning now. My question is how much better would a Hohner Gola 414 be compared to the Beltuna? I will have my Beltuna re-tuned soon so hopefully that will give the sound I'm looking for although I'm also a bit concerned about too many changes in terms of tuning. I bought the Beltuna 2nd hand but it was only a couple of years old and had been tuned just once from new.

My real dilemma is whether to sell the Beltuna and look for a "reasonably" priced Gola (if there is such a thing?)

 

[Ventura]

even if you find 100 Gola's for sale, they would
have 100 different tunings after all these decades
of different people with different tastes and needs
having owned them

so the answer is, no better at all unless you find one
that sounds exactly like you think you want by luck

so why didn't your tuning tech get it right the first time for you ?
was the problem in communication ? or a fundamental
deficiency in the reed setup of this specific Beltuna ?
i am guessing you had the tuning widened.. did he lower
the M- reed or raise the M+ reeds ?

you could try 2 different things.. first, define the sound you actually
want better.. take a friend with an accordion that sounds like you
wish yours sounded to your tech and let him hear it, and let him
tell you if it is possible to replicate on your Beltuna

or

since Beltuna is still in business and still makes this model,
ask then to send you a new set of reed-blocks and reeds to
swap out in other words, you keep the 2 reedblocks with the
L and M reeds, but swap out the others..

 

[debra]

Every accordion (model) has its typical overall sound. This can best be heard using the dry tuned L, M and H reeds (and combinations thereof).
Every accordion can come with different tunings of the MM register, with different amount of tremolo. No tuning will make the Beltuna sound like a Hohner Gola (of any era) or vice versa. You need to find out what tremolo you like, on an accordion with cassotto (one M inside and one M outside of the cassotto).

 

[Walker]

Hi @ianthomsonband@btinternet

I'm going to make a few assumptions here, which I don't think the others have picked up on... I could be wrong, but by your band name it sounds like you are a Scottish traditional musician, probably leading a dance/ceilidh band, and what you are looking for is a rich triple musette, as has become standard for Hohner Gola 414s in Scotland. I had a Gola 414 myself, and they are great accordions. Are they better than Beltunas? Usually, yes they are. You won't get that heady, complex Scottish musette from a Beltuna Spirit like you will from a vintage 'Scottish Gola'. However, maybe there is something to be said for individuality, and Beltuna Spirit V is still a decent accordion. Steven Carcary played one, for a while. I don't know if any new box will really give you that special vintage musette, but to be fair I've heard maybe three or four early Manfrini Esperto's that got quite close (not so much the later ones) and one or two modern Scandalli Super VIs with LMMM tuning that were good and powerful. But overall it's hard to replicate the sound you may be looking for. I think the aluminium mute behind the Gola grille helps, even when it's 'open'. However, it's the reeds and material quality that really raises the old Gola above 99% of other accordions. If you are going for one, try to get one built between 1956 and 1964, with the metal grille stripes that goes all the way down to the keyboard. When it comes to Golas the older the better.​

 

[ianthomsonband@btinternet]

Hi @ianthomsonband@btinternet

I'm going to make a few assumptions here, which I don't think the others have picked up on... I could be wrong, but by your band name it sounds like you are a Scottish traditional musician, probably leading a dance/ceilidh band, and what you are looking for is a rich triple musette, as has become standard for Hohner Gola 414s in Scotland. I had a Gola 414 myself, and they are great accordions. Are they better than Beltunas? Usually, yes they are. You won't get that heady, complex Scottish musette from a Beltuna Spirit like you will from a vintage 'Scottish Gola'. However, maybe there is something to be said for individuality, and Beltuna Spirit V is still a decent accordion. Steven Carcary played one, for a while. I don't know if any new box will really give you that special vintage musette, but to be fair I've heard maybe three or four early Manfrini Esperto's that got quite close (not so much the later ones) and one or two modern Scandalli Super VIs with LMMM tuning that were good and powerful. But overall it's hard to replicate the sound you may be looking for. I think the aluminium mute behind the Gola grille helps, even when it's 'open'. However, it's the reeds and material quality that really raises the old Gola above 99% of other accordions. If you are going for one, try to get one built between 1956 and 1964, with the metal grille stripes that goes all the way down to the keyboard. When it comes to Golas the older the better.​

Hi Walker, you hit the nail on the head, the Beltuna I have is the one previously owned by Steven Carcary. I was happier with the box pre-tuning last year when I asked for it to be tuned a wee bit "wider". Really not happy with the sound now hence debating whether I should look for something else or persevere with what I have. I play lead box with the Crynoch Ceilidh Band (you can hear our latest broadcast on BBC's Take The Floor on line (it was broadcast last weekend).

So, based on the comments here, the Beltuna is going in for tuning this weekend. I also have a Fisitalia which I really like the sound of, so will take that in for reference and see where we go from there. Will let you all know how it goes!!

Thanks for the comments and advice!

 

[Walker]

Hi Walker, you hit the nail on the head, the Beltuna I have is the one previously owned by Steven Carcary. I was happier with the box pre-tuning last year when I asked for it to be tuned a wee bit "wider". Really not happy with the sound now hence debating whether I should look for something else or persevere with what I have. I play lead box with the Crynoch Ceilidh Band (you can hear our latest broadcast on BBC's Take The Floor on line (it was broadcast last weekend).

So, based on the comments here, the Beltuna is going in for tuning this weekend. I also have a Fisitalia which I really like the sound of, so will take that in for reference and see where we go from there. Will let you all know how it goes!!

Thanks for the comments and advice!

Yeah, I suspected it was his Beltuna. It's a super accordion. I tried it out years ago at John Douglas shop in Dumfries. Lovely, silky musette. Some accordions don't sound as good when the tuning comes out a bit, but others do. The old Gola can take full Scottish better than most boxes. They hold their value well too. Mind you, Beltuna Spirit is well respected so will hold value also. Fisitalia has become quite popular in Scottish circles, they're good value and quality. The 37/96 instruments are so compact, super for ceilidh music.

Congratulations on the broadcast, that's a great thing to accomplish!