Hohner Norma CBA

[Ffingers]

Comments please - I'm getting desperate!

Almost Unused Hohner Norma III M Made in Germany 5 Row - Etsy Australia

This Accordions item by Harmony4Life has 4 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Germany. Listed on 28 Dec, 2022

www.etsy.com

"Sometime I feel like a motherless child..."

 

[Dingo40]

Here's a short review from 12 years ago.
The one you've posted looks alright!

 

[Ffingers]

Here's a short review from 12 years ago.
The one you've posted looks alright!

Review? Where?

 

[Dingo40]

Sorry Ffingers, here:

(Must be losing it!)
There's also some blurb with the notes on YouTube
Here's another:

One last one (there are English subtitles and he can play ):

 

[Siegmund]

Two things that jump out at me.

One, we have a thread going now about flat vs. stepped keyboards - and it looks to me like the seller's version is flat while the reviewed ones are stepped. That shouldn't matter to the sound, but may matter to you.

Two, this same seller (accordion-bayan.com) is on just about every website, and is, or was, based in Dnipro, Ukraine. It's interesting that a bunch of his stock from the past few months has those "shipping from Germany" labels on it. Given that the proprietor and half of his stock is, presumably, still in Ukraine... I would want to be asking who did this alleged professional tuning and inspecting and who is holding these in a warehouse for him. (And in any case, don't expect it to arrive in tune; you can plan on it getting jostled a good bit in transit.) If you do buy from him, he charges 10% less if you buy directly rather than through etsy. That does mean losing out on whatever shipping and condition guarantees you get from etsy.

 

[Dingo40]

and it looks to me like the seller's version is flat while the reviewed ones are stepped

And yet, they're all Norma iiis!
I didn't even notice!

 

[debra]

And yet, they're all Nirma iiis!
I didn't even notice!

I would not be surprised if all the old ones like the one listed have flat keyboards.
The newer ones you posted pictures of are all very likely rubbish made in China. (Same design as the old ones, but built using rubbish Chinese materials.)

 

[boxplayer4000]

Please tell me if I'm missing a point here. The head of the thread shows a Hohner Norma 111M which I believe was made in 1953. The sellers webpage mentions the 1980s but this may be doubtful and could refer to an overhaul (?). The thread moves on to Hohner Novas which are totally different accordions, probably made in China (perfectly playable instruments at the price range they are in).
The asking price for the original 111M seems quite steep for a 70 year old instrument but may be acceptable if well restored.

 

[Dingo40]

There do appear to be several different iterations.
I think Ffingers was referring to one of the older (pre-Chinese made) incarnations.

 

[debra]

Please tell me if I'm missing a point here. The head of the thread shows a Hohner Norma 111M which I believe was made in 1953. The sellers webpage mentions the 1980s but this may be doubtful and could refer to an overhaul (?). The thread moves on to Hohner Novas which are totally different accordions, probably made in China (perfectly playable instruments at the price range they are in).
The asking price for the original 111M seems quite steep for a 70 year old instrument but may be acceptable if well restored.

The asking price for the original Norma III M is just outrageous. This accordion, in good condition, is only worth about 1/3 of the asking price.

 

[Ffingers]

And yet, they're all Norma iiis!
I didn't even notice!

Novas there Maddog - I’looking at a Norma

 

[Ffingers]

The asking price for the original Norma III M is just outrageous. This accordion, in good condition, is only worth about 1/3 of the asking price.

The asking price is in Australian Dollars.
1AUD=€0.61 approximately
Hence €1715,00 or thereabouts for a fully inspected and serviced instrument.
Still too much?

 

[John Doe]

The asking price is in Australian Dollars.
1AUD=€0.61 approximately
Hence €1715,00 or thereabouts for a fully inspected and serviced instrument.
Still too much?

I purchased a "fully serviced ETC ETC" Bayan from this shop via eBay. That one was in Ukraine. It was pretty well packed and the shipping time was about what you'd expect (which is probably why the "Shipping from Germany" is there) but the workmanship of the servicing was absolutely appalling. It was clearly misdescribed. Leathers were mismatched, clearly reused (one was reused upside down and backwards so that the end which had shellac remnants on it was face up at the reed weight end, some were torn). The boosters were simply garbage; many different types all really used, most severely bent into arches to try to increase their effect- which almost always leads to terrible sealing over time. Clearly the annoyance of working on a fixed in place bayan bass reed block had led to the shop only working on the outer reed valves in place which of course are awkward to get at given the proximity of the other bass reed block. Pretty much unplayable and clearly not due to damage in shipment.

The one you are looking at is said to be in very good condition. The one I sprang for was "antique" -though given the glowing resored to top condition hoopla in the write up I had thought playable- so the results may well be better for this one.

Sample of one, and it might well be an exception to the rule for the shop's quality but there it is. The agony of return shipping overseas is just that; agony. In my case it was simply 900 bucks down the sewer and a box full of parts to my "might use it someday" collection.

PS You've got to consider that the poor soul/souls running the multi site "Harmony this and that used but fully playable" operation are pretty much in or very close to a war zone. I'm warm and comfortable while they are hawking used accordions in pretty substantial numbers to survive. (Why the instrument is in parts in my "may use them" assortment vice returned and why feedback was neutral vice negative. Difficulty in shipping aside I'm reluctant to kick someone when they're down regardless. I surely was not going to demand my money back from somebody in their circumstances.)

 

[Siegmund]

The asking price for the original Norma III M is just outrageous. This accordion, in good condition, is only worth about 1/3 of the asking price.

His prices have almost doubled since the start of the war. I don't know if that reflects the actual market conditions, or is an effort to get his fair share of the lets-help-the-Ukrainians sentiment.

I purchased a "fully serviced ETC ETC" Bayan from this shop via eBay. That one was in Ukraine. It was pretty well packed and the shipping time was about what you'd expect (which is probably why the "Shipping from Germany" is there) but the workmanship of the servicing was absolutely appalling.

My experience was similar. I got an instrument that was mostly-playable and mostly-in-tune... but leathers that look ancient, one reed that persistently refuses to speak, and a M+ register that varies note to note how sharp it is. I would only buy from him again if it was at a sale price and I was prepared to do some work myself.

 

[Ffingers]

Thank you all for your input.
Much appreciated.
I bought a real 'cheapie' from this outfit a couple of years ago and its condition was similar to that in the comments by henry d and Seigmund.
My search for a somewhat-lighter-than-13Kg B griff box continues ad infinitum, it seems
Does anyone know of a rockinghorse stables?

 

[lordzedd]

Thank you all for your input.
Much appreciated.
I bought a real 'cheapie' from this outfit a couple of years ago and its condition was similar to that in the comments by henry d and Seigmund.
My search for a somewhat-lighter-than-13Kg B griff box continues ad infinitum, it seems
Does anyone know of a rockinghorse stables?

I just sent you a message with a lead.