Can Anyone tell me Anything about this Accordion and/or the Company Who Made it?

[DangerBoy]

If you read my thread in the Accordion Chat section you can read a nice story about how this nice vintage starter accordion is being donated to a deserving young boy who's parents are in tough financially at the moment. The name of that thread is "Accordion to me, this is a Cool Christmas Story".

(Sorry for the bad pun in the thread title. I simply couldn't resist. )

Below are pictures of the accordion that's being donated. What we've been told about it are that the brand name, Quagliardi, is not particularly well known and by the shape of it and the grill, it appears to have been made around the late 50s or early 60s. We also know it's a double reed 120 starter model and that Castelfidardo is likely the City where it was made although it appears that it could also be the model name for this accordion?

Can anyone give us anything more on this instrument? The boy who will be receiving it as a Christmas gift will want to know as much as he can about when and where it was made and the company who made it. Was Quagliardi a company or just a brand name of another company? Can we narrow the date of manufacture down a little? Can we get a little history of the company who made it and/or the brand name?

Here's the unit in question. I think it's a very nice looking instrument.

 

[knobby]

I'm sure @JIM D. will be able to shed some light on this for you, but while you wait there's a little bit of info here:

Welson guitars Italy

Welson were based in Castelfidardo in Italy ,making accordions and acoustics since the 20s and crazy electrics from the early 60s alongside Eko, Crucianelli, Bartolini and Galanti. Around 1967 Welson released a range of violin shaped guitars and basses using a

jedistar.com

It appears the business was founded by Orlando Quagliardi in 1921 & made guitars too.

Welson uk - Fetishguitars.com

www.fetishguitars.com

 

[JIM D.]

A student model made by Universal the firm was active 1952 to 1983. Universal made their models with the Universal badge
along with badges of many dealers that ordered them. This one was most likely badged and sold by a musical instrument
dealer that used these to supplement their line of musical instruments (Guitars ??). This one looks like a pristine 60's vintage.

Universal 120 Bass black overhauled used | Reverb

The Universal 120 bass accordion is in good condition and was completely tested in our specialist workshop. The accordion is equipped with 41 keys and 120 buttons. In the treble it has 2 choirs which can be switched via 3 treble-registers.It is delivered with an used case and new straps (made in ...

reverb.com

 

[DangerBoy]

Thanks @JIM D. What was the full name of Universal? Where did they make these accordions? Castelfidardo? Is there any way to narrow down the date of manufacture to, say, the early, mid or late 60s or is "60s vintage" as close as we're gonna get?

 

[JIM D.]

The Firms full name was indeed "Universal" and located in Castelfidardo. I say the vintage was 1960's because of the gold plastic
bass buttons & treble sharps & flats. The use of the gold plastic keys was replaced in the 70's with black cellulose buttons & keys.
The gold plastic buttons & keys did not hold up well with age and developed cracks in time.

 

[jozz]

right into the feel good section!

it looks mint, aside from something that has been scribbled on the keys once..or is that a play of the light?

 

[DangerBoy]

It's old scotch tape with pen writing on it. I was going to do another post to ask what the best way would be to remove that. There's also some old masking tape residue on the main chassis part just above and off to the side of the grill. That needs to be carefully removed as well...

 

[knobby]

It's old scotch tape with pen writing on it. I was going to do another post to ask what the best way would be to remove that. There's also some old masking tape residue on the main chassis part just above and off to the side of the grill. That needs to be carefully removed as well...

A little WD40 should do the trick.

 

[Dingo40]

Knobby,
WD40, the penetrating lubricant or what??

 

[JIM D.]

WD 40 will remove tape residue but best to use VM&P Naptha (lighter fluid) as it dries without oily residue and won't
harm accordion finishes.