Comfortable play for learning

[Dingo40]

A well written post, Tom??, even so:
"Buy a new or used Roland accordion that does not have compression, tuning or other analog issues."
But, occasionally, has issues of its own!?
See here:

The story of a used Roland FR-1x

I finally picked up a digital accordion last week. I thought it would be nice to collect my findings of it here. It is a used FR-1x of around 2014:

www.accordionists.info

Unfortunately, both electronic and highly rated analog instruments made by well respected makers can have issues from new ?
That's is why a beginner should buy close to home from a source that offers a warranty including repairs or a no hassles 30 day return policy ?

 

[Ventura]

online eBay advise is simple

only buy something within driving distance and pickup in person

 

[Tom]

online eBay advise is simple

only buy something within driving distance and pickup in person

Good advice here, thanks Ventura.

Thanks, Dingo, " a source that offers a warranty including repairs or a no hassles 30 day return policy." People who find this within driving distance are fortunate, indeed. Not in my backyard!

 

[yaroslav9728]

Ok, what reputable accordion dealer you could recommend me in Toronto, only not Musical Instruments of Canada, they sold me the Lucia/Pirola piano accordion in not sufficient condition, and they repaired me quite bad my instrument last year?

Or how can I return this accordion after one year after repair and playing and change on another one?

And, is it better to do with a professional assistance or by myself?

 

[Dingo40]

Yaroslav,
You can always try to trade in your accordion for another.
As for checking out your new purchase, here are some ideas posted by Scuromondo on another thread, today. ( Thanks Scuromondo ?)

Tips on Old Accordions from the experts at House of Musical Traditions

We can't give you specific information on your older accordion, but you may find some useful guidelines in this article.

hmtrad.com

"And, is it better to do with a professional assistance or by myself?"
I would suggest you spend some months visiting all the Toronto accordion shops and repairers you can find.
Play with and discuss with the assistants all their stock (including new) with the intention not of buying but of educating yourself about the accordion, new and used.
Keep asking questions about everything and anything that grabs your attention!!!?
You'll be surprised how quickly you learn ??

 

[Dingo40]

Also:
Be realistic about your goals.
Unless you intend to become a virtuoso concert accordionist don't aim for a concert instrument with 15 to 30 couplers in the right hand and 5 treble voices!
Have a good look at the humbler 3-voiced instruments with perhaps only two couplers in the right hand and none in the left: you'll be surprised what they can do!
Not only are they lighter to play and carry, they also have far less to go wrong and repair: and they are far cheaper to buy!
It's a bit like, there's no point in buying a Maserati just to sit in rush-hour gridlock traffic when a Fiat 500 will do equally well?
Check out the keyboard action: many cheaper models have rather a long key travel ( but this can be fixed, if necessary).
Make sure the price includes a good, solid carry case ( it's a big nuisance to find one separately!)
The bellows should be airtight. Leaky bellows are a dealbreaker ( unless they fix them for the same price before you buy?)
You're the customer, it's your money, be fussy and take your time: no hurry!
Accordions are like buses: there's always another one!
Good luck!??
(A potential source of used accordions is a pawnshop. But here, it's best to bring someone with some knowledge to help with advice ?)

 

[yaroslav9728]

Also:
Be realistic about your goals.
Unless you intend to become a virtuoso concert accordionist don't aim for a concert instrument with 15 to 30 couplers in the right hand and 5 treble voices!
Have a good look at the humbler 3-voiced instruments with perhaps only two couplers in the right hand and none in the left: you'll be surprised what they can do!
Not only are they lighter to play and carry, they also have far less to go wrong and repair: and they are far cheaper to buy!
It's a bit like, there's no point in buying a Maserati just to sit in rush-hour gridlock traffic when a Fiat 500 will do equally well?
Check out the keyboard action: many cheaper models have rather a long key travel ( but this can be fixed, if necessary).
Make sure the price includes a good, solid carry case ( it's a big nuisance to find one separately!)
The bellows should be airtight. Leaky bellows are a dealbreaker ( unless they fix them for the same price before you buy?)
You're the customer, it's your money, be fussy and take your time: no hurry!
Accordions are like buses: there's always another one!
Good luck!??
(A potential source of used accordions is a pawnshop. But here, it's best to bring someone with some knowledge to help with advice ?)

Thank you so much for your tips. I am planning to play in the majority of cases popular songs on concerts, festivals, etc. I am going to look for an instrument with 7-11 registers on the right hand, 3-4 switches on the left. As I am a very tall guy, I need a big accordion for learning and for more opportunities in music matter. I am learning sight-reading and playing music by ear, and I am listening pretty many songs in different genres at the moment for better development as a musician.

 

[Ventura]

well Yaro, if you find yourself in Quebeq there is an old, nice Music store there
with usually a few decent used accordions in stock.. Mario Bruneau and other
Accordionists live and work in the Quebeq area so there is much accordion music and
people to meet

if you watch the Craigslist from northwest New York, Buffalo, Rochester, you often
will find quite decent used Accordions as this is a very active region for Accordion
and not too far for you to drive

for playing Outdoors and Festivals, generally speaking a 7 shift (keyboard side)
accordion gives you one each Low, Middle, and High reeds for a full, straight sound
with power

5 shift LMM models are more typically Low Middle Middle for an ethnic or continental sound

but you have to look closely as some student accordions have fake (repeated) shifts to make them
appear more valuable

you can look back in our archives here for ideas on how best to Mic and amplify accordions

ciao

Ventura

 

[yaroslav9728]

well Yaro, if you find yourself in Quebeq there is an old, nice Music store there
with usually a few decent used accordions in stock.. Mario Bruneau and other
Accordionists live and work in the Quebeq area so there is much accordion music and
people to meet

if you watch the Craigslist from northwest New York, Buffalo, Rochester, you often
will find quite decent used Accordions as this is a very active region for Accordion
and not too far for you to drive

for playing Outdoors and Festivals, generally speaking a 7 shift (keyboard side)
accordion gives you one each Low, Middle, and High reeds for a full, straight sound
with power

5 shift LMM models are more typically Low Middle Middle for an ethnic or continental sound

but you have to look closely as some student accordions have fake (repeated) shifts to make them
appear more valuable

you can look back in our archives here for ideas on how best to Mic and amplify accordions

ciao

Ventura

Thank you very much for helpful information. Unfortunately, I don't have my own car to drive to these locations and for Quebec province I don't know French language. Unfortunately, there is one accordion shop in Toronto only. If you know any other stores or truth sales people, please provide me a list ASAP.

 

[Tom]

Andersons Accordions
4165 Upper Middle Rd
Burlington, ON L7M 0V4
Canada

Long and McQuade

Accordions & Hohner Accordions - Long & McQuade

Discover our large range of hohner accordions and other accordion brands. Shop at Long & McQuade, the largest chain of musical instrument stores in Canada.

www.long-mcquade.com

I don't know anything about these two shops, but they are a couple other places in the Toronto area you could check out.....

 

[Valski]

Here in the Toronto area you should probably start looking through Kijiji. You want to purchase an accordion that you can see and try first before buying, you can't do that from a distance. There are a lot of older accordions sitting in closets and you can probably get something to start learning on for a reasonable price. As long as all of the keys and buttons work when the bellows are pulled and pushed and none of them stick plus that it doesn't have a bad odor should be enough for the first instrument. You can always get a better accordion once you know that this is the instrument for you.

I would also be cautious when the accordion is described as "vintage", "rare" or antique. I know a young gentleman who picked up a reasonably decent instrument for about $100 a year or two ago so by all means if that's not too much to risk then try on your own.

It may not be possible to get the perfect instrument for the ideal price the first time so don't spend too much time worrying about something that may not be achievable. Go out and get something to start playing and soon enough with time and practice your next purchase will be so much easier.

 

[Valski]

Andersons Accordions
4165 Upper Middle Rd
Burlington, ON L7M 0V4
Canada

Long and McQuade

Accordions & Hohner Accordions - Long & McQuade

Discover our large range of hohner accordions and other accordion brands. Shop at Long & McQuade, the largest chain of musical instrument stores in Canada.

www.long-mcquade.com

I don't know anything about these two shops, but they are a couple other places in the Toronto area you could check out.....

Anderson's is a good shop and he won't sell you junk, but they will be more expensive. Long and McQuade is great but they don't know anything about accordions so it's probably best to buy from a store that knows accordions. They are also brand new accordions because they don't sell used.

 

[yaroslav9728]

Here in the Toronto area you should probably start looking through Kijiji. You want to purchase an accordion that you can see and try first before buying, you can't do that from a distance. There are a lot of older accordions sitting in closets and you can probably get something to start learning on for a reasonable price. As long as all of the keys and buttons work when the bellows are pulled and pushed and none of them stick plus that it doesn't have a bad odor should be enough for the first instrument. You can always get a better accordion once you know that this is the instrument for you.

I would also be cautious when the accordion is described as "vintage", "rare" or antique. I know a young gentleman who picked up a reasonably decent instrument for about $100 a year or two ago so by all means if that's not too much to risk then try on your own.

It may not be possible to get the perfect instrument for the ideal price the first time so don't spend too much time worrying about something that may not be achievable. Go out and get something to start playing and soon enough with time and practice your next purchase will be so much easier.

I purchased my accordion at Musical Instruments of Canada for 600 CAD in not good shape and even after repair by warranty that was last year it still has defects. As I mentioned last time.

 

[yaroslav9728]

Anderson's is a good shop and he won't sell you junk, but they will be more expensive. Long and McQuade is great but they don't know anything about accordions so it's probably best to buy from a store that knows accordions. They are also brand new accordions because they don't sell used.

Do you know any information about Ugur Nurcan Hifzibegovic? Is he honest with customers? Does sale he junks or accordions in perfect conditions that is true for adorable prices?

 

[yaroslav9728]

Here in the Toronto area you should probably start looking through Kijiji. You want to purchase an accordion that you can see and try first before buying, you can't do that from a distance. There are a lot of older accordions sitting in closets and you can probably get something to start learning on for a reasonable price. As long as all of the keys and buttons work when the bellows are pulled and pushed and none of them stick plus that it doesn't have a bad odor should be enough for the first instrument. You can always get a better accordion once you know that this is the instrument for you.

I would also be cautious when the accordion is described as "vintage", "rare" or antique. I know a young gentleman who picked up a reasonably decent instrument for about $100 a year or two ago so by all means if that's not too much to risk then try on your own.

It may not be possible to get the perfect instrument for the ideal price the first time so don't spend too much time worrying about something that may not be achievable. Go out and get something to start playing and soon enough with time and practice your next purchase will be so much easier.

This instrument is for me exactly. I need just a good teacher and an accordion with all opportunities and in perfect shape.

 

[Tom]

This instrument is for me exactly. I need just a good teacher and an accordion with all opportunities and in perfect shape.

I think you would benefit from a visit to Andersons in Burlington. Maybe they will be able to suggest a good teacher for you. Perhaps they will also take your Lucia in trade. Or tell you what exactly is wrong with it, so you can get good repair advice here. Good luck!

 

[Valski]

I think you would benefit from a visit to Andersons in Burlington. Maybe they will be able to suggest a good teacher for you. Perhaps they will also take your Lucia in trade. Or tell you what exactly is wrong with it, so you can get good repair advice here. Good luck!

I purchased my Roland Fr8x from Anderson's and am very happy with the purchase. He also sells various acoustic accordions both new and used and would surely be able to find you a good quality instrument for a reasonable price. He also does lessons and repairs. Give him a call and Burlington is reasonably close to Toronto.

 

[yaroslav9728]

I think you would benefit from a visit to Andersons in Burlington. Maybe they will be able to suggest a good teacher for you. Perhaps they will also take your Lucia in trade. Or tell you what exactly is wrong with it, so you can get good repair advice here. Good luck!

It is not Lucia exactly, there is Pirola

 

[yaroslav9728]

I purchased my Roland Fr8x from Anderson's and am very happy with the purchase. He also sells various acoustic accordions both new and used and would surely be able to find you a good quality instrument for a reasonable price. He also does lessons and repairs. Give him a call and Burlington is reasonably close to Toronto.

Ok, what can you say about the Musical Instruments of Canada store in Toronto?

 

[Valski]

Ok, what can you say about the Musical Instruments of Canada store in Toronto?

I can't say much about them because I haven't had much interaction with them lately. Many years ago I was at their store but I wasn't able to determine that I liked or disliked them. It was inconvenient for me to get to that location and therefore didn't return.