Hohner Morino 5555?

[baaartek]

Hello guys!
Yesterday i bought Hohner from man who didn't have any knowledge in accordions. He wasn't able to identify the model, neither was I. After hours of searching i think that this is the Morino 5555 but i want to hear your opinion and I'm asking for any information about it (year for example). I took a few photos of numbers inside of it. There's one photo with barely visible numbers written with pencil. I see it like 14/2??/48.

Sorry for any mistakes in spelling.
Thanks a lot!

 

[Vladimir M.]

Hello baaartek,
 
You have a smaller sister of the baryton model „Hohner  5555“  LMMM, 41/IV/5//164/IV/4:
 
http://www.akkordeon-museum.de/index.php?p=akkordeons&cat=1&id=104&lang=en
 
Your instrument is the „Hohner  5555 S“ – in the left hand withouth the two „bariton“ button rows:
 

 
Best regards, Vladimir

 

[baaartek]

Hi Vladimir!

I'm thankful for your answer. Do you have any idea which year of production is this?

Greetings, baaartek

 

[Vladimir M.]

Hi baaartek,
 
The larger 5555-model (with 8 rows of bass buttons) was produced in the Baroque  design in the thirties (together with the similar model Hohner 5055). Since the beginning of the 40´s it had been produced in a modernised, „facelifted“ design (as You have).  Production of the 5555 lasted reportedly until the beginning of 50´s and was severely limited by the events of the Second World War.

There exists only minimum informations about the smaller „S“ model (as You have), but I suppose it was made just in the 40´s, maybe in the post-war period.

All models of the 5555 and 5555S were revolutionary and immensely advanced. As one of the first instruments, these models have a cassotto in the discant and even have a full bass-cassotto in the bass.

Both models are sometimes mistakenly classified as Hohner Morino 5555. Thats a mistake. In the original Hohners catalogs are they marked with only the number and the name of the manufacturer: Hohner 5555 or Hohner 5055.
The production of the Hohners model Morino (Morino I) began the late 30´s and its discant is very similar to the newer version of the 5555:
 
http://www.akkordeon-museum.de/index.php?p=akkordeons&cat=1&id=103
 
In contrast, the model Morino I does not have a cassotto and the bass buttons and bass-register are arranged in another shape. This model was not as perfect as the 5555. At the time, the 5555 was the flagship instrument of Hohner factory and one of the most advanced accordions ever. Congratulations on buying a good and historically interesting model.
 
Best regards,
Vladimir

 

[baaartek]

Thanks again!
This is enough knowledge for me, it's such an interesting accordion. I will keep it in good shape for sure.

I'm still shocked because i bought it for only 400€.

Greetings!
baaartek

 

[Vladimir M.]

Hi baaartek,
 
Of course, it is not possible for me to define reliable conclusions about Your instrument from the above attached photographs, but:
 
The reeds on the photo seem to be rust-free. If there are all reeds in the instrument in such a condition, that is great!
The instrument had been good maintained, reed valves are plastic, not original from the leather  (as in 40´s).
The tuning is preserved?
The keyboard (pearl) is original but well adjusted.
Anyway, for that money, it is really a bargain.
 
Greetings, Vladimir

 

[debra]

...
The reeds on the photo seem to be rust-free. If there are all reeds in the instrument in such a condition, that is great!...

Actually we can't tell from the photo. I have just worked on an Atlantic IV N (much more recent than the 5555s) and the reeds look just like this from the outside. However, when I lifted the valves I could see that most reeds were rusty on the inside. The same applied to the bass reeds: nice and shiny and 100% rust free on the outside, and seriously rusted on the inside.

I sincerely hope that this 5555s is free from rust, but you should never trust what you see on the outside of the reeds.

 

[Vladimir M.]

I sincerely hope that this 5555s is free from rust, but you should never trust what you see on the outside of the reeds.

Yes, this is an absolutely fundamental reminder! Reeds tend to corrode more often from the inside (under the valve). It is important to carefully divert the valve (for example with tweezers) and see the steel reed underneath it.  But even if we do it, we only see 50% of the reeds steel area (available and visible after opening the instrument). For normal purposes it is enough, of course. For a more detailed examination of reeds it would be necessary to remove the reed blocks and inspect them separately. Either way, this instrument is 70 years old. You can expect everything...
 
Best regards, Vladimir

 

[baaartek]

Yes, every tone is perfectly tuned. I guess before someone sold it in Germany to the person which sold it to me, it was renovated.
Mechanically it's great. Sound is perfect too.
Only three metal elements on grille need replacing and one is missing i guess - there is some of glue left.