Busilacchio Eldorado Accordion Update

[boxplayer4000]

Busilacchio Update

I highlighted this interesting accordion a few weeks ago. It is made by 
Busilacchio, model ‘Eldorado’. It is 4 voice treble, double cassotto with a-mano reeds. Double octave tuning.
I have had another opportunity to look closer at the bass arrangement. It has a layout which I am not familiar with and I will try and describe it so 
that, hopefully, someone can shed some light.
The bass has 7 reeds blocks. 6 have the lowest note C and are in the ranges C2 to C5. the 7th reed block has the lowest note F sharp (F Sharp 3)
The bass has 10 couplers and I am identifying them 1 to 10 from the top of the accordion.  1,2,3,7,8, 9 and 10 are all arranged in the standard ‘Stradella’ style.
On couplers 4, 5 and 6 all buttons play single notes (no chords). On the button chart attached  buttons 2,4 and 6 play the fundamental bass note while buttons 1,3 and 5 play the 3rd. of the fundamental, ie. with C
fundamental the 3rd is E.

 

[Dingo40]

Boxplayer,
Where do I get one???

 

[boxplayer4000]

Dingo40.
It's certainly an exceptional instrument. I'm a Hohner Morino fan but the Busilacchio equals or exceeds.

 

[Dingo40]

 I’d certainly love to have one.
I already own a fairly basic two coupler, three reed 41/120 model (Busilacchio “Challenge “) from the late 1940s, and find it very good!
They sure made them to last!

 

[debra]

Busilacchio Update
...
On couplers 4, 5 and 6 all buttons play single notes (no chords). On the button chart attached  buttons 2,4 and 6 play the fundamental bass note while buttons 1,3 and 5 play the 3rd. of the fundamental, ie. with C
fundamental the 3rd is E.

This is not so exceptional. It is called "Quint Convertor" and is played for instance by Richard Galliano.
Most people play a chromatic convertor (if any convertor at all) but especially Victoria (and other brands they produced for, like Titano) specialized on the quint convertor. The two rows of base notes are followed by two rows with the same layout one octave higher and then the next rows are again one octave higher.
The quint convertor on a 120 bass convertor thus gives you 36 notes (starting from C2) but there are a few accordions with 160 basses (8 rows of basses) that give you 48 notes on the quint convertor. These are huge beasts. (Victoria typically has one opened up in their showroom in Castelfidardo.)

 

[boxplayer4000]

Debra.
Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
'Quint Convertor' is new to me.

 

[debra]

Dingo40.
It's certainly an exceptional instrument. I'm a Hohner Morino fan but the Busilacchio equals or exceeds.

Hohner used only tipo a mano reeds in their Morino series, and "saved" the a mano reeds for the Gola series.
(Had they used a mano reeds for the Morino there would not be enough difference to still sell Gola accordions.)

Many Italian makes do use a mano reeds in more than one of their better series, not just on the absolute top of the line.

Should you want a new accordion with quint convertor (and everything this Busilacchio has) I'm sure you can get one from Victoria.

 

[Jibberin]

Apparently the latest Deluxe Morino and the Gola are fitted with the same reeds. Designated H1.    Can’t vouch for the quality or the sound.

 

[debra]

Apparently the latest Deluxe Morino and the Gola are fitted with the same reeds. Designated H1.    Can’t vouch for the quality or the sound.

The Morino N and S series were built by Excelsior. Around 2000 Excelsior was acquired by Pigini and the Morinos built after that have a somewhat different design (like different register switches making them easy to recognise) and they also have different sound (not caused by the difference in reeds). Some new Morino owners I know are not very happy that the new Morino does not sound like the N  or S series.