Bugari Banger Exclusive

[JerryPH]

The 2 I'm aware of (beside the already mentioned 1950's Hohner Atlantic):
Hohner GOLA
Excelsior Symphony Gold

Add the Beltuna Leader line and the Hohner Imperator.
I find the system that the Gola has as having the most dramatic sonic effect.

An interesting thing that I noted is that the "Amplisound" system on the Beltuna seems to mostly affect the piccolo reeds and makes the 5/5 setup sound very much like a 4/5 accordion without adding much mellow-ness like on the other systems as much.

In talking about companies that make bad name choices, Chevrolet falls under that umbrella too with the NOVA, which was hugely popular in North American, but in Spanish means "doesn't go" or "no go"... lol

 

[PhiliGol]

and the Hohner Imperator.

How could I overlook this one which I played myself few decades ago - yes of course the Imperator V S features a Sordino as well.

 

[JerryPH]

I am not sure about the other models, but the Hohner Imperator IV, V as well as the V S

 

[PhiliGol]

some players of for instance a Hohner Gola remove the sordino to get a more "open" sound

Holy cow - is that true?
Of course this goes down to very much to personal preference but to de-feature an instrument like the GOLA to me seems like replacing a V12 in a Ferrari by 3-cylinder Diesel (which is a fine machine - of course).

 

[debra]

Interesting post this. In view of what Paul says about the grille deadening the sound volume I wonder why I don't see buskers playoing their accordions with the grilles removed?
Not that I see many these days!

Many grille designs are sufficiently open that they do not really influence the sound (timbre or volume). So it makes no sense to endanger your accordion by removing the grille for busking. Someone who doesn't like your playing can very easily do a lot of damage when the grille is removed. (They can still do damage when the grille is in place but not quite as easily or as much.)
Exceptions are grilles that are closed with just smallish holes or with holes in a specific part. Giulietti immediately comes to mind: most of the grille is solid metal, with just one large oval cutout, which lets the sound true very well for the reeds under that cutout, but which dampens the sound of the other reeds.
With the Hohner Gola the Sordino, even when it is open, dampens the sound more than the grille. I know Gola players who do remove the sordino but leave the grille in place.

 

[debra]

Add the Beltuna Leader line and the Hohner Imperator.
I find the system that the Gola has as having the most dramatic sonic effect.

An interesting thing that I noted is that the "Amplisound" system on the Beltuna seems to mostly affect the piccolo reeds and makes the 5/5 setup sound very much like a 4/5 accordion without adding much mellow-ness like on the other systems as much.

In talking about companies that make bad name choices, Chevrolet falls under that umbrella too with the NOVA, which was hugely popular in North American, but in Spanish means "doesn't go" or "no go"... lol

Very strange that the Amplisound affects the piccolo reeds. Assuming that the L and M reeds are in the cassotto the amplisound should only affect these reed banks and the piccolo should remain unaffected.
The amplisound is an additional resonance chamber added at the back of the cassotto. As a result only the sound of the reeds in cassotto enter the amplisound chamber and are affected. Of course by changing the sound of L and M the mix of say L, M and H changes, but it is not the H reeds that have their sound changed.

 

[JerryPH]

How the Imperator sordino looks opened and closed:

Unlike the Gola, the Imperator has it integrated completely in to the grill:





Not as effective as the Gola, but it 100% has an effect on the tone.

 

[JerryPH]

debra said:
some players of for instance a Hohner Gola remove the sordino to get a more "open" sound

Do you know how much it costs from Hohner to replace the Sordino on a Hohner Gola? More than the cost of most accordions... lol
I was told about $5000CA if you find someone that butchered their Gola's sordino and wants to restore it (cost of labor not included)... so not the wisest move to make especially since its not a huge difference!

 

[Dingo40]

I was told about $5000CA if you find someone that butchered their Gola's sordino and wants to restore it (cost of labor not included)...

!!!

 

[debra]

debra said:
some players of for instance a Hohner Gola remove the sordino to get a more "open" sound

Do you know how much it costs from Hohner to replace the Sordino on a Hohner Gola? More than the cost of most accordions... lol
I was told about $5000CA if you find someone that butchered their Gola's sordino and wants to restore it (cost of labor not included)... so not the wisest move to make especially since its not a huge difference!

No reason to butcher the Gola. The sordino can be removed cleanly and reinstalled when you want. It's only problem when people have removed the sordino and then thrown it away. (I don't know anyone who was that stupid.) Of course how "cleanly" the sordino can be removed may depend on the exact generation of the Gola.
What I have seen (but not on a Gola) is some butchering of such a sordino to get microphones installed. (I saw that mostly on Excelsior, with a wooden sordino box.)

 

[Rosie C]

I must say I find the term "banger" used in connection with accordion somewhat bizarre.
Here's what "banger " means in Australia:
What is a banger in Australian slang?
"In Australian English, a "banger" has referred to a sausage since the time of the First World War. Before that in Australia, a banger meant a morning coat, or an unreliable motor vehicle. All of these are publicly documented by reputable lexicographers.20 Dec 2017"

If this usage (Bugari Banger) meant anything at all here, it would be an unreliable, beat up, knock-about Bugari accordion

It is similar for British English - banger is still used for sausage, but usually only as "bangers and mash"(ed potato). Banger for an old car too, but probably only older people using that. No morning coat usage, but a new meaning has come in as a good song "this one's a banger!". Possibly from head-banger.

 

[JerryPH]

It is similar for British English - banger is still used for sausage, but usually only as "bangers and mash"

The Bangers and Mash was something that I was familiar with, my sister spent some time in the UK and brought that expression over.
Not the best name for an accordion, as was discussed.

 

[Svanis]

For future reference - The term "Banger Exclusive" refers to Swedish Jazz Accordionist "Sone Banger" and he put his own name to these imported Bugaris. I have no experience with them but from videos they seem to be set up to play Jazz, with a dryer violin register and perhaps mellower reeds. He had his own music store in Stockholm for a number of years. I have seen plenty of Bugaris with sordinos and own one myself, they are not limited to this particular model.