looking for lightweight piano accordion

[rockie12us]

Hi
Newbie here. I have been playing 120 bass piano accordion for years. My lower back doesn't like it anymore. The accordion is 20lbs.
It's 20 inches across the keys. I am 6' 4" 250lbs... so my fingers need wider keys. In my profile pic you can see my wife and I playing our accordions.

I play german polkas and Mexican music too.

I like the unisonic (same sound on push and pull) and was looking at a duet concertina... not sure I want to go that route if there are piano accordions that are lighter.

Ok, so what options are there for lighter piano accordions?
Thanks in advance for your time
Dean-O

 

[Dingo40]

Seriously,
You could explore the suitability of some simpler accordions: 2 or 3 voices , 12 to 48 bases.
When you look into it, it's truly amazing how much can actually be achieved with these instruments. After all, the Cambridge Buskers duo did very well with a 32 bass instrument!
See here:

original cambridge buskers youtube - Google Search

Not only are they light to tote, they're also light on your pocket
For example, here's a 12 bass:

12 bass accordion YouTube - Google Search

A 24 bass:

24 bass accordion youtube - Google Search

A 32 bass:

32 bass accordion YouTube - Google Search

A 48 bass:

48 bass accordion youtube - Google Search

Another 48bass:

accordions sowth west 48 bass accordion YouTube - Google Search

So many choices!

 

[Walker]

Interesting question. 20lb is not heavy for a 41/120 accordion, and your instrument has 5 treble switches so it is likely a 3 voice instrument at most. Hmmm.

Here are some ideas to consider.

Do you play standing up all the time?
Or, if you play sitting down, is the instrument hanging on you, way above your lap?
Have you considered how the straps are adjusted?
Do you need a back strap?
Sitting on couches and chairs with no or little support can cause injury. Maybe a good drummers throne is worth investing in?

 

[Scuromondo]

If you can be satisfied with only 37 or 34 keys, there are a number of new 3/4 and 3/5 accordions in the 15 to 19 pound range. But most of them will have standard width (or narrower) keys; if you require keys the width of your current accordion (0.83” / 21.7mm) I think it will be difficult to find, and if you do, it will probably add at least a pound to the weight.

Generally when players are looking for a lighter accordion, the one they are hoping to replace is closer to 30 pounds. Yours is 20, which is already very light. If you cannot compromise one of your requirements, your best bet might be just to keep what you already have!

 

[JeffJetton]

You'll gain the biggest benefit by just sitting down to play rather than standing up. Let your left leg do the bulk of the heavy lifting. If your torso is a lot longer than your accordion is tall, you might need to prop your foot up a bit, or raise your heel up against the chair leg, etc.

If you must stand up, I'd suggest getting a back strap if you're not using one already. That takes a lot of the load off!

If you still want to shoot for a lighter accordion, you could switch to a 72-bass/34-key model. They're very common and should be able to accommodate most of the sort of the stuff you'd be playing on it. I always use a 72-bass when I do strolling gigs. Might only shave about three pounds off of your current 20-pound load, but that can make a noticeable difference.

BTW, at risk of introducing a touchy subject here... I'm 6'3" and have topped off around 220 at times. Currently trying to whittle that down. I've noticed that each pound I shave off myself is probably 3/4 or so of a pound less that my back has to cart around, so therefore equivalent to staying the same weight but playing a lighter accordion. Plus the less my accordion "sticks out", the less it pulls my center of gravity forward, which also helps reduce the work the ol' back has to do.

 

[Walker]

I might be wrong here, but I have taken a slightly closer look at the accordion in your photo. That accordion is a reduced size 41/120, as the top bass button is very near the edge of the white bass board. Normally there is a larger gap. Your fingers are nearly filling out the white keys, but I suspect these are reduced width keys. Standard keys are 20mm. Your's might be 18mm or 19mm - they are a little bit narrow for you. Also, I suspect you are measuring the keyboard from the top of the keyboard wing to the bottom of the keyboard wing to get a measurement of 20 inches across the keyboard, but this would not be the way to measure a keyboard. You should measure the distance on the outer edges of the white keys only.

If I am right (that's a big if) there is an argument to be made that this accordion is possibly too small for your stature! If you had a 41 key accordion with standard size keys the overall body of the accordion would be longer and therefore would not hang-off you when seated (thus putting unnecessary pressure on the lower back). As @JeffJetton says, you should be able to take the weight of the instrument on your knee - if sitting correctly with properly adjusted straps and sitting on an appropriate seat.

Your wife's accordion appears to be about the same size as yours. They are both compact. If I were you, I would be trying out a larger accordion, not a smaller one. I suspect you could easily manage a 45 key accordion, but lets not get carried away. A regular 41 key instrument with standard 20mm keys, might be just the thing...​

 

[Dingo40]

Rockie,
When people say, "Rest the accordion on your (left) knee when seated." I imagine left thigh would be more precise.
It does indeed look as if, even when seated, your accordion hangs off you instead of resting on your thigh.

 

[jozz]

Hi
Newbie here. I have been playing 120 bass piano accordion for years. My lower back doesn't like it anymore. The accordion is 20lbs.
It's 20 inches across the keys. I am 6' 4" 250lbs... so my fingers need wider keys. In my profile pic you can see my wife and I playing our accordions.

I play german polkas and Mexican music too.

I like the unisonic (same sound on push and pull) and was looking at a duet concertina... not sure I want to go that route if there are piano accordions that are lighter.

Ok, so what options are there for lighter piano accordions?
Thanks in advance for your time
Dean-O

german polkas and mexican sounds like a compact Hohner or Weltmeister to me

 

[rockie12us]

The one in the picture I don't have anymore. I have a 120 bass Generalfisa piano accordion and its 23LBS
I have a padded wide shoulder straps with a strap that goes across my back too
If I sit and play with it on my left thigh, the thigh starts to hurt from the weight after a bit

 

[rockie12us]

I might be wrong here, but I have taken a slightly closer look at the accordion in your photo. That accordion is a reduced size 41/120, as the top bass button is very near the edge of the white bass board. Normally there is a larger gap. Your fingers are nearly filling out the white keys, but I suspect these are reduced width keys. Standard keys are 20mm. Your's might be 18mm or 19mm - they are a little bit narrow for you. Also, I suspect you are measuring the keyboard from the top of the keyboard wing to the bottom of the keyboard wing to get a measurement of 20 inches across the keyboard, but this would not be the way to measure a keyboard. You should measure the distance on the outer edges of the white keys only.

If I am right (that's a big if) there is an argument to be made that this accordion is possibly too small for your stature! If you had a 41 key accordion with standard size keys the overall body of the accordion would be longer and therefore would not hang-off you when seated (thus putting unnecessary pressure on the lower back). As @JeffJetton says, you should be able to take the weight of the instrument on your knee - if sitting correctly with properly adjusted straps and sitting on an appropriate seat.

Your wife's accordion appears to be about the same size as yours. They are both compact. If I were you, I would be trying out a larger accordion, not a smaller one. I suspect you could easily manage a 45 key accordion, but lets not get carried away. A regular 41 key instrument with standard 20mm keys, might be just the thing...​

The one in the picture I don't have anymore. I have a 120 bass Generalfisa piano accordion and its 23LBS
I have a padded wide shoulder straps with a strap that goes across my back too
If I sit and play with it on my left thigh, the thigh starts to hurt from the weight after a bit

 

[Walker]

It's not an easy game playing the piano accordion but you must choose an instrument that makes you happy. That's the most important thing. Perhaps you should try different accordions out. No matter what you choose though, there will always be a compromise - that's the nature of accordions.

Here are a few things to think about when looking for a lighter instrument:

Instruments constructed to be light might not be quite as sturdy as a traditionally made instrument.

The size of an instrument will affect it's tonal qualities.

The smaller the accordion the more you will have to work the bellows, as the reservoir of air is reduced in an instrument with smaller capacity bellows. It might give an individual a sore shoulder.

Less keys = less versatile

Always consider the quality of reeds in any instrument, it can affect the sound, response and air efficiency.
​

Small accordions might look very small on a man who is 6'4" and could prove awkward to play. People rarely consider this, but the balance of an instrument on an individual is important for handling purposes. An instrument should fit an individual. The great piano accordions are rarely light or very compact, but they just lay into you perfectly regardless.

Now, I could list ten different accordions that have less keys or buttons or voices for you to consider, but it is your experience of playing them that matters more than the stats. The stats never give the full story.
​

Good luck.

 

[Dingo40]

I've known peoples to put a mat (eg a folded towel) on their thigh under the accordion while playing.

 

[JeffJetton]

Small accordions might look very small on a man who is 6'4" and could prove awkward to play.​

For reference, here's an old picture of 6'3" me with a 48-bass (and wife too).

I had signed up for the race but injured my knee. Since it was part of an Oktoberfest, I decided to walk the whole thing while playing accordion. 48-bass is not really practical for a "main" instrument in most cases, but for something like this, it was perfect. Very light, and I found it easy to play while walking too.

 

[Ben-jammin]

When I looked at a smaller accordion with “full-size” piano keys. My question was what registers do I need and what keys do I need to play on it. That can go a long way in identifying what bass config is the smallest you can go, assuming you want to stay with a piano accordion.

 

[Tom]

A lightweight 2 voice like an older Hohner Verdi might be worth looking at.