Brazilian accordion factory: Minuano

[Morne]

I was not aware that they were still making accordions in Brazil. The Minuano factory has an indirect lineage through Hohner in the second half of the last century and before that Hering back to the 1920s. More info here:
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/119515-hering-diatonic-accordion
https://gumshoearcana.blogspot.com/...howComment=1397775719478#c7812905780884286329

Heres a tour of the Minuano factory. It is in Portuguese and YouTubes translations are a bit hairy, but youll get the gist of it. They talk in the beginning and the actual tour starts at around 7:00.
[video=youtube]

I doubt these instruments ever leave the country, so it would be difficult to judge the quality. But its an interesting look inside a non-European factory.

 

[jozz]

always nice to have a look inside one of these places

 

[Dingo40]

Interesting, thanks Jazz

 

[maugein96]

Hi Morne,

Todeschini made full sized PA accordions in Brazil until their factory burned down in the early 70s. The firm was started by Italian immigrants in the early 20th century, and many of their instruments are still going strong. 

The Italian maker, Piermaria, still supplies accordions (full sized PA and some CBA)  to South America under the brand name of Pampiana.  As far as I'm aware they are made in Italy to the same quality standards of the domestic product, and a Brazilian importer deals with them directly.  

Those Minuanos in the clip look like they could be based on the Hohner Corona, which I believe are now made in China, and mainly exported to the US and Central America, as well as to Venezuela and Colombia. I'd never seen or heard of them before. 

Thanks for the post. I always find anything about South America to be interesting.

 

[Deleted member 48]

Thank you for this video and info about this accordion factory.

 

[Eddy Yates]

Thanks, Morne. Very cool. I have musician friends who play in Brazil often. I’ll ask them to check it out.