Excelsior Symphony Grand

[danp76]

I’m guessing from the 50’s? I haven’t seen one with a wooden chamber, seems rare? A few of the bass reeds read “ Brevettato. I don’t see a name on any of the treble reeds. This will need wax and leather, tuning.

 

[Dingo40]

Brevettato simply means patented.
Humourously, it can mean "tried and tested "
It's certainly that!

 

[debra]

Look at the pictures of the reed blocks in cassotto! (image 1404 is very clear)
The first reed bank in the cassotto is for M reeds (No weights on the lowest reeds, no valves on the smallest/highest reeds). This is highly exceptional. In fact, this is the first accordion I have seen with this configuration. Almost all accordions start with the L reeds and then M reeds (white keys), and the next block is then again L first and then M. This results (when you look from the keyboard side) in the M reeds for the black keys being closest to the "exit". But this accordion then must have the L reeds for the black keys closest to the exit. That implies that all notes will have the most mellow sound on the M register (because the reeds are deeper in cassotto) as opposed to the L reeds (the reeds for the white keys deep inside but for the black keys close to the exit).
That's an interesting design choice. I wonder why this accordion is different than all the others...
Or is this a three voice accordion with only one reed bank in cassotto perhaps??? (and then it would still be strange that it's the M in cassotto)

 

[danp76]

Look at the pictures of the reed blocks in cassotto! (image 1404 is very clear)
The first reed bank in the cassotto is for M reeds (No weights on the lowest reeds, no valves on the smallest/highest reeds). This is highly exceptional. In fact, this is the first accordion I have seen with this configuration. Almost all accordions start with the L reeds and then M reeds (white keys), and the next block is then again L first and then M. This results (when you look from the keyboard side) in the M reeds for the black keys being closest to the "exit". But this accordion then must have the L reeds for the black keys closest to the exit. That implies that all notes will have the most mellow sound on the M register (because the reeds are deeper in cassotto) as opposed to the L reeds (the reeds for the white keys deep inside but for the black keys close to the exit).
That's an interesting design choice. I wonder why this accordion is different than all the others...
Or is this a three voice accordion with only one reed bank in cassotto perhaps??? (and then it would still be strange that it's the M in cassotto)

This accordion has 4 reed blocks on the treble side. Two in the chamber. The reed blocks don’t seem as nicely varnished as some of my other accordions. I’m guessing this is fairly rare with a wooden chamber? I usually see a metal chamber on older Excelsior accordions. I don’t see any reed names other than on a few bass reeds, which I mentioned already.

 

[Tom]

Congrats Dan, nice!

 

[debra]

This accordion has 4 reed blocks on the treble side. Two in the chamber. The reed blocks don’t seem as nicely varnished as some of my other accordions. I’m guessing this is fairly rare with a wooden chamber? I usually see a metal chamber on older Excelsior accordions. I don’t see any reed names other than on a few bass reeds, which I mentioned already.

I have seen wooden chambers on other accordions, for instance from Serenellini. Of course it is only two sides that are wood. The third side is the soundboard (with register sliders inside) and the fourth side is open (that's where the sound comes out).
The sound may be a bit different with a wooden chamber, but getting a good seal may be a bit harder. (I fixed a Serenellini where the wooden chamber leaked at both ends.)
So that's not so exceptional about this accordion. But the position of the L versus M reed banks is exceptional.

 

[danp76]

I have seen wooden chambers on other accordions, for instance from Serenellini. Of course it is only two sides that are wood. The third side is the soundboard (with register sliders inside) and the fourth side is open (that's where the sound comes out).
The sound may be a bit different with a wooden chamber, but getting a good seal may be a bit harder. (I fixed a Serenellini where the wooden chamber leaked at both ends.)
So that's not so exceptional about this accordion. But the position of the L versus M reed banks is exceptional.

I meant that it’s capped with wood, looks like maybe mahogany? I’m not sure if the entire chamber is wood. Most of the older Excelsiors don’t seem to be capped with wood like a typical wooden chamber.

 

[debra]

I meant that it’s capped with wood, looks like maybe mahogany? I’m not sure if the entire chamber is wood. Most of the older Excelsiors don’t seem to be capped with wood like a typical wooden chamber.

My experience with the Serenellini shows that that side of the chamber is entirely wood, not aluminium covered with wood. The ends are also wood. But the soundboard is of course metal.
It is a single thin piece of wood that is bent at a 90 degree angle to form an L-shaped piece. (I believe that is done with steam to make the wood pliable and then of course a press.)

 

[Alan Polivka]

I’m guessing from the 50’s? I haven’t seen one with a wooden chamber, seems rare? A few of the bass reeds read “ Brevettato. I don’t see a name on any of the treble reeds. This will need wax and leather, tuning.

Yes, it is from the 1950s. If you tell me its serial number, I can probably give you an idea of when in the 1950s it was made. I have a 1950 Symphony Grand that has no tone chamber, but has a wooden foundation plate. They seem to have been wanting a different sound than you get with the more traditional metal implementations.

 

[danp76]

Yes, it is from the 1950s. If you tell me its serial number, I can probably give you an idea of when in the 1950s it was made. I have a 1950 Symphony Grand that has no tone chamber, but has a wooden foundation plate. They seem to have been wanting a different sound than you get with the more traditional metal implementations.

 

[Alan Polivka]

1953.

 

[danp76]

1953.

Interesting, how did you determine that? Thank you. What years were considered the best?

 

[Alan Polivka]

Interesting, how did you determine that? Thank you. What years were considered the best?

How did I determine that date? I have a special interest in NY-built Excelsiors. I own several of them and have collected a lot of information about them over the years. Whenever I run across somebody who has provenance on their accordion (e.g., original bill of sale), I make note of the serial number and date of original sale. And a few of mine came with their original bill of sale. Also, during part of the 1930's, Excelsior stamped the date of manufacture on the reed blocks. From all of those various sources, I have created a database of serial number vs. manufacture date for NY-built Excelsiors. My data is a bit spotty, so I have to interpolate in some cases. However, in your case, I know of somebody with a serial number very close to yours and an associated date. I always welcome additional data points (date vs. SN) to add to my database, if anybody out there would like to contribute.
I do not know what years were the best, except that the NY-built Excelsiors are generally considered preferable over Italian-built ones. Mine range from 1930 to early 1950's models and they're all good. But there is definite variation in quality. I think it has to do with who at Excelsior happened to make the various parts of each box. The NY-built Excelsiors all had handmade reeds. That was no longer standard once production shifted to Italy.
For my own taste, I like the rocker boxes built in the 1940s the best. They were much like a Symphony model minus the heavy shift mechanism. Rocker boxes were excellent accordions and much lighter than later models. Since I play a lot of strolling gigs, the lighter weight is important to me.

 

[danp76]

How did I determine that date? I have a special interest in NY-built Excelsiors. I own several of them and have collected a lot of information about them over the years. Whenever I run across somebody who has provenance on their accordion (e.g., original bill of sale), I make note of the serial number and date of original sale. And a few of mine came with their original bill of sale. Also, during part of the 1930's, Excelsior stamped the date of manufacture on the reed blocks. From all of those various sources, I have created a database of serial number vs. manufacture date for NY-built Excelsiors. My data is a bit spotty, so I have to interpolate in some cases. However, in your case, I know of somebody with a serial number very close to yours and an associated date. I always welcome additional data points (date vs. SN) to add to my database, if anybody out there would like to contribute.
I do not know what years were the best, except that the NY-built Excelsiors are generally considered preferable over Italian-built ones. Mine range from 1930 to early 1950's models and they're all good. But there is definite variation in quality. I think it has to do with who at Excelsior happened to make the various parts of each box. The NY-built Excelsiors all had handmade reeds. That was no longer standard once production shifted to Italy.
For my own taste, I like the rocker boxes built in the 1940s the best. They were much like a Symphony model minus the heavy shift mechanism. Rocker boxes were excellent accordions and much lighter than later models. Since I play a lot of strolling gigs, the lighter weight is important to me.

Excellent information, thank you. Do you see many with a wooden tone chamber?

 

[Zevy]

For my own taste, I like the rocker boxes built in the 1940s the best. They were much like a Symphony model minus the heavy shift mechanism. Rocker boxes were excellent accordions and much lighter than later models. Since I play a lot of strolling gigs, the lighter weight is important to me.

I had one of those. It was gifted to me and I had somebody work on it to bring it back to shape. I used it for quite a while and I enjoyed it. I recorded a few tunes with it and then I sold it to a friend because I had no need for it.
I visited Aldo Mencaccini a few years ago at his home in Albany, New York. (He just recently passed away; he was over 100 years old!) He worked on some of my accordions. He had a picture on the wall of himself at the Excelsior New York factory where he was employed. He challenged me to guess which one of those young men was him. I guessed correctly on the first shot, but I didn’t win any prize!

 

[Alan Polivka]

I had one of those. It was gifted to me and I had somebody work on it to bring it back to shape. I used it for quite a while and I enjoyed it. I recorded a few tunes with it and then I sold it to a friend because I had no need for it.
I visited Aldo Mencaccini a few years ago at his home in Albany, New York. (He just recently passed away; he was over 100 years old!) He worked on some of my accordions. He had a picture on the wall of himself at the Excelsior New York factory where he was employed. He challenged me to guess which one of those young men was him. I guessed correctly on the first shot, but I didn’t win any prize!

What a treat to have visited with Aldo. I would love to have met him. I knew he was old but I hadn't heard he'd passed. Angelo DiPippo offered to take me to meet Aldo, but I never had time to do so during one of my business trips to NY. Angelo seemed to trust Aldo more than anybody else to work on his accordions. I have a Bell 4/5 non-chambered from around 1960 or possibly earlier, and it is one of the best accordions I've ever played. It has so much power that I played it once with no amplification for a reunion in a huge, high-ceiling industrial building and people commented about how loud it was.

 

[Alan Polivka]

Excellent information, thank you. Do you see many with a wooden tone chamber?

None of my Excelsiors have a tone chamber and I've not seen the inside of any that do, so I can't answer that. My Symphony Grand has a wooden foundation plate (the thin plate with 164 square holes against which reed blocks sit on one side and key valve pallets on the other side. Is your foundation plate made of wood also? My Symphony model has a metal foundation plate, like most other accordions.

 

[Zevy]

What a treat to have visited with Aldo. I would love to have met him. I knew he was old but I hadn't heard he'd passed. Angelo DiPippo offered to take me to meet Aldo, but I never had time to do so during one of my business trips to NY. Angelo seemed to trust Aldo more than anybody else to work on his accordions. I have a Bell 4/5 non-chambered from around 1960 or possibly earlier, and it is one of the best accordions I've ever played. It has so much power that I played it once with no amplification for a reunion in a huge, high-ceiling industrial building and people commented about how loud it was.

Here are a few pictures of me with my Excelsior and with Angelo DiPippo.

 

[Alan Polivka]

Here are a few pictures of me with my Excelsior and with Angelo DiPippo.

Zevy, please send me an email, to: AcrdionMan&msn.com (change the & to @). Thank you, Alan

 

[danp76]

None of my Excelsiors have a tone chamber and I've not seen the inside of any that do, so I can't answer that. My Symphony Grand has a wooden foundation plate (the thin plate with 164 square holes against which reed blocks sit on one side and key valve pallets on the other side. Is your foundation plate made of wood also? My Symphony model has a metal foundation plate, like most other accordions.

I have taken some additional photos of the chamber and interior of the treble side.