• If you haven't done so already, please add a location to your profile. This helps when people are trying to assist you, suggest resources, etc. Thanks
  • We're having a little contest, running until 15th May. Please feel free to enter - see the thread in the "I Did That" section of the forum. Don't be shy, have a go!

Buying second hand accordions from Harmony

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

candychw

Guest
Hi all,
I am a new accordion player and am looking for an accordion at a more affordable price. On Amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, and ETSY, theres an accordion seller called Harmony Music Workshop selling second-hand accordions. This shop has its own webpage: http://accordion-bayan.com/accordions/?filter=3&page=2

Has anyone bought an accordion from this online seller? Thanks a million!!!
 
Hi,

I posted a detailed reply to your question, but lost it when the site apparently changed server.

The company you mention is based in Ukraine and also lists accordions on eBay, almost all of which are advertised as "refurbished". That usually means you are looking at a second hand accordion that has been given the once over and patched up at the cheapest possible cost. In fact, the seller probably won't undertake any refurbishment at all until he has a definite sale. Also remember that the instruments will be tuned for the local market, and may not be suitable for the style(s) of music you have in mind. If you are thinking of a CBA, the vast majority of Ukrainian models will be B system.

Personally speaking I wouldn't risk buying an accordion from any seller on eBay, even if they were based in my own country, unless I was capable of carrying out repairs to a reasonable standard myself. Your cheap accordion could end up costing more than double the purchase price if it needed any work done. There used to be an accordion shop about 20 miles away from where I now live, and I bought most of mine from there. It closed down about 15 years ago and I had to make a 400 mile round trip to buy one particular French built instrument after the closure. Having arrived at the shop I was faced with a choice of one, take it or leave it. When you travel that sort of distance and the adrenaline is pumping, you often do rash things. I took it, but with hindsight I might have been better making a trip to France where I'd have been able to try out a selection.

Last year I did actually buy a new instrument from a dealer in the USA via eBay, just to try and save money on the UK price. To cut a long story short I ended paying a lot of money on import duty and courier handling fees, as you would have to do when importing from the Ukraine, and when the instrument finally arrived it fell well short of my expectations. Had I actually tried one out I would have saved myself a lot of money. I suppose I could have returned it, but the cost would have been considerable, and I didn't want to tell my wife I had just wasted a lot of money on yet another accordion. Even lower quality instruments are not cheap, although second hand ones are a lot less expensive than they once were.

If you live near an accordion shop/store then IMO that's really the only way to go. If they have nothing suitable at your price ask them if they know anyone who is trying to sell an instrument. You literally never know what is around the corner.
 
If you're in the UK - Yep - Ukraine is outside the EU, so you'll pay VAT at 20% and duty, which as often with HMRC, is clear as mud - but I think will be due if the cost including shipping and insurance is over £135... of course imports from all the EU countries will have this imposed too, soon.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top