Brand New Accordion with strange problems.

[colinm]

Thanks again. I have listened to the recording of the Akko (thank you, Paul) and since then tried every instrument I could get my hands on to test the low bass effect on the treble side. I have come to the conclusion that some vibration is indeed normal and simply depends on the size, quality & weight of the box, how low the bass goes, and how sensitive the treble valves are. Having said that, in real life I do believe there is a fault producing an additional and unusual flutter in the accordion. It cant easily be shown in a recording but is there nevertheless. I have shown the accordion to a few other local accordionists with experience not just in playing but also in maintaining accordions. All agree this box has an issue. To wrap things up I have decided to ship the accordion back for a refund, and will purchase a completely different accordion. Hopefully second time around I will have more luck. Have a happy new year! Thanks for your patience and advice.

Octoberfest girl, please do not just rely on luck, how are you going to ensure that you are satisfied withe the next accordion
Cm


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[debra]

People here could give you some suggestions... but we need to know what kind of instrument we are talking about. Specifically: convertor or not; 41 key, 45 key, more perhaps? Some things we can just assume to be present in a "top of the line" instrument, like a mano reeds and cassotto and LMMH setup, etc., but other things we cannot guess.

 

[OktoberfestGirl]

Thanks, guys. I have done a lot of research and already eliminated several brands which I was seriously considering. Many people have been keen to give advice on accordions they play or have played. Youtube is also a great source of info - I am starting to think the harder it is to find any reviews, photos or videos for a particular accordion model then the higher the risk of buying it. Some models are everywhere, lots of video uploads with happy owners showing them off, whilst others are conspicuously missing! At least I can hear and see the accordion being played before I buy something. In any case I am now thinking of buying a 45-47 cm keyboard ladies model cassotto piano accordion LMMH with 41 treble and 120 bass. Bass reeds only need to go to low C (which should avoid the problem I had with the other one). Suggestions welcome...but should I start a new thread for this? The other matter is closed as far as I am concerned.

 

[debra]

There are some smaller workshops making accordions in and around Castelfidardo, and you may find it harder to find good references or YT videos from them that really show what you want to hear.
A friend of ours has a Beltrami (41/120, cassotto) in ladies size that has a very nice sound. The friend is actually a tall guy so the accordion looks a bit out of place but he bought it specifically because he liked the sound so much. Its the one on the left in this picture: http://wwwis.win.tue.nl/~debra/photos/rel-woerden-2013/orig/PA128630.jpg . I am only including the link to show that instruments like what you want do exist. (That instrument is not for sale!)

The fact that you want a ladies model with narrower keys may easily rule out some brands. Its hard to find info on that online as brands not advertising ladies models may still offer to produce them. They can all do more than what they have in their catalogs. A ladies model requires a different shape case (keyboard side) and not all brands will have them or be willing to make them. The differences in the body may have adverse and less tested effects. Resonance will be different and it may only take a minor difference to suddenly have something resonate. When a model is made in small numbers this is less likely to have been well tested than in larger series.

Bass reeds only down to C may also be a problem because deviating from what their standard is may require special reed blocks (the hole for say a low A is too bit to fit an A that is an octave higher). Bugari goes down to A (so at least not to the G you found offensive in your previous accordion). Others may go down to E, F, G... you name it. They do not list this.

Another tricky thing is the tremolo (M-M register). Because one M reed is in cassotto and one is outside the cassotto its hard to get the balance just right to get a nice tremolo. (Its not the tuning Im talking about the the balance and mixing between the two reeds that have a different timbre, caused by the cassotto.) YT isnt the greatest help here because once recorded (and/or amplified) tremolo may no longer sound completely like the instrument itself.