my research suggested that Golina were mostly leading UP to the eventual definitive
Gola model, but the Goletta was also concurrent and for a time the Chromatic
models were all goletta
for me the tipping point is the reedwork.... there are PA goletta's with the
identical reeds and tone chamber and sound of the GOLA, as well as
incorporating the incredibly delicate and beautifully made Gola Sordino,
and the Key-actions are identical as well
the difference is in the bodyweight and certain body materials,
there being some Aluminum in the Goletta where there is Wood in the Gola
(not a definitive statement, just observation from limited opportunities)
and some discussions with Helmi.. also that she played mine at the Coupe Mondiale
that year in Virginia..
i believe she has now assembled and re-furbished over 50 Gola built models
for the Accordion Museum, and you can hear them in various ensemble recordings
or if you visit them (someday after the Covid is gone)
A World of Accordions Museum in Superior, WI is the world's largest accordion museum
www.worldofaccordions.org
many were custom ordered of course but while he was alive
i believe there was an amount of fluidity. as he was never shy
about finding something new and better, then incorporating that
into his builds... i believe even at their busiest, he had his hands
and ears on everything that came out of Trossingen
and perhaps he was at his happiest at the workbench,
fine tuning a set of his unique and incomparable Reeds
just like that Super Six the old man let me play in the Accordion Museum in Castlefidardo,
as soon as you hold a true Gola accordion in your hands you just KNOW
and you must have it, if there is a price tag dangling off of it
or if the auction is about to begin !
and if you GET one, you know you have lucked out.. incredibly