Never A Bad Colour.

[Stephen Hawkins]

There is an Old English proverb which states: "A Good Horse Is Never A Bad Colour", the meaning of which is patently obvious. (especially if you are old & English)

All three of my accordions are "Pearl Red", which is the accordion colour I like least of all. Though I do not consider myself to be a naturally flamboyant person, I actually like colourful accordions. My accordions were all purchased "second hand" (or pre-loved, if you prefer) so I had no choice in regard to the colour.

A year or so ago, I spotted an 80 Bass Pearl River for sale. This instrument was a kind of lilac/purple colour, and I really did think that it looked great. What it sounded like is anyone's guess, but it would certainly attract the attention of an audience.

Some E.Soprani accordions can be ordered with floral decoration, which I find very attractive. Weltmeister also offer for sale a variety of non-standard colours, some of which are quite gaudy. There is, unless I am mistaken, a Lime Green Weltmeister on offer, which may well be the epitome of gaudiness.

Does the colour of an accordion matter to you? What do you consider to be "no go" areas in accordion colour schemes?

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[JEBrown]

I was very happy that the first accordion I bought was 'pearl red' - it seemed a very appropriate colour for an accordion (which I think is a flamboyant instrument). But when I upgraded the only realistic options I had were black - although my Hohner has red bellows, which looks quite cool. Personally I don't like mother-of-pearl white / grey colour, just looks a bit old fashioned to me.

 

[TomBR]

Given the choice, I think Id always prefer black and there are some colours that would require the horse to be particularly good before it stopped being a bad colour.
Im not too keen on some of Weltmeisters purples etc.
If its not black, why not go for something really flashy, like Hohners Anacletos.
http://anacletoaccordions.com/accordions/latino/

 

[debra]

Given the choice, I think Id always prefer black and there are some colours that would require the horse to be particularly good before it stopped being a bad colour.
...

In my youth I had a white accordion. But ever since becoming a bit more serious about it I have always had only black accordions, and in the orchestras I play and/or have played anyone who wanted to join having a different color accordion was slowly but surely driven towards getting a black accordion.
The only variation in colors we tend to have is the color of the bellows (black on the outside but some are white or red when you open them) and color of the bass buttons and plate (some have white bass buttons, some black).

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Hello JEB,

I'm with you on the Pearl White & Grey colours, and agree that Pearl Red is a popular and appropriate colour. I don't seek to denigrate anyone's choice of colour, but am interested in what people may think about alternatives to the "run of the mill."

The Black Hohner with Red Bellows sounds very attractive, but what would you think if it was mid-blue with yellow bellows, for instance? Or, how about Purple with Floral Pattern Bellows?

The accordion, whether we like it or not, is often considered to be very "old hat." I am not, nor have I ever been, a follower of fashion, though I wonder if brighter coloured instruments may somehow assuage the dowdy image of our instrument. Just a thought !!!

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Tom,

I love the ANACLETOS !!! You could never be too serious playing one of those.

Brilliant ........... Thank You!

Stephen.

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Hi Paul,

I understand the desire for uniformity in your band, but I wonder if it is entirely necessary. (a good horse is never a bad colour)

The question I am raising, I suppose, concerns conservative attitudes within the accordion community. Is it not possible to be serious about playing whilst, at the same time, demonstrating a jolly and light hearted approach?

A year or two ago, I was approached to join a Male Voice Choir. The mistake I made was agreeing to join. I only attended three times, after which I told the Director of Music that there was not an ounce of fun in anything they did, and that I would not be coming again.

Oh, it was all very "worthy", right enough, but the whole thing was so "stuck in the mud" that I could not continue with it. Dullness ultimately destroys enterprise, which is why this choir could not attract new members.

I am not suggesting, for one minute, that the colour of an accordion is critical to its future popularity, though I do think that a bit of brightness may not go amiss.

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[losthobos]

I'm lucky enough to own three boxes
A black serious looking metal grill Sem/piermaria, a dusky silver/white odd textured red bellowed piermaria, and a totally bling pimped 72 bass (like ancelto..)
I take the box out according to the gig...cheerful pimp bling for beer gardens / street, Dusky white for cafe's and casual affairs....Black Sem for more serious sit down affairs or band gigs...
I didn't choose the colour of any...arrived that way preloved...well except the bling that was custom done in castelfidardo
Red would put me off...wood can be attractive

 

[debra]

Hi Paul,

I understand the desire for uniformity in your band, but I wonder if it is entirely necessary. (a good horse is never a bad colour)
...

Im sure that if a new candidate member who came with a red Hohner Gola would be treated differently from one arriving with a red Parrot, Golden Cup, or the likes...
Obviously all kinds of music, lighthearted or serious, can be played on any color accordion. The reality is that when I look at accordions for sale on almost any on-line marketplace, the good (expensive) instruments are almost invariably black, unless they are in vibrant designs or in pure wood design. A plain red or blue accordion is seldom a Hohner Morino, Gola or a Bugari, Pigini, Jupiter or Akko bayan model. (For the variety types white is not that uncommon).
We may be living in a dull world with standard colors... A decent camera is black or black and silver, rarely red or blue. (I have seen a dark red dslr once and it looked really odd. A TV, decoders, stereo, speakers... black is very dominant there too...
The world could be much more colorful... but Im happy with an orchestra with all black accordions.

 

[Geoff de Limousin]

Funny thing ; I was asked , yesterday,for my colour preferences when making an enquiry regarding a new accordion. The choices were pearl Red, Blue or White and... Black. I said Black...

But I have old accordions in Red, Faded Orange pearl, fake Walnut, pearly Pinky Grey, Greeny-Blue- Black mottled ( almost camoflage)..... and BLACK....!

I have read it on this forum that Black accordions sell better secondhand.

 

[JerryPH]

After having played many accordions at the NEAM and having seen first hand, side-by-side, from standard Celluloid black to red, blue to all natural wood, painted, plain, no rhinestones to hundreds of rhinestones, all I can say is that what an accordion looks like is rarely an indication of what it sounds and plays like. That said, all my accordions always were black... up until last week, when I picked up the little Free Bass Hohner, which is a lovely pearl red. I cannot see this accordion looking nicer in any other color (and I have pictures of this accordion in black).

Accordions are like women... not all can be brunettes, having the odd blonde, deep black, red or platinum white hair is always lovely, and every woman has a special unique look that makes her beautiful.

The reality is that when I look at accordions for sale on almost any on-line marketplace, the good (expensive) instruments are almost invariably black, unless they are in vibrant designs or in pure wood design. A plain red or blue accordion is seldom a Hohner Morino, Gola or a Bugari, Pigini, Jupiter or Akko bayan model. (For the variety types white is not that uncommon).

As far as colours go, taste is individual. If I won the lottery or came in to a large sum of disposable cash, I dont know if I would stick to a black Gola or not. They do look stunning in pearl white with red color bellows as well:

<YOUTUBE id=8t6wYbTb0vw url=></YOUTUBE>

I bet it would look lovely in pearl red, maybe I would get that.

 

[donn]

Yeah, I suppose that if my Cavagnolo had been a modest black - someone else would have snagged it. Its metallic gold flake, with black buttons. With a weird decoration glued to the grille - tiny musical instruments, and fingers.

I wonder if you all are congratulating yourselves over your conservative black accordions and forgetting the blinding glitter of the grille. I hope theyre bright and colorful, anyway - its so sad when an accordion grille is just black stripes or something on that order. And the bellows. My older Fratelli Crosio had bright gold grille with a bold design in one corner, and deep red bellows with light blue tape, and of course some rhinestones. Its black.

 

[Anyanka]

I'm with Paul on this - black says 'serious'. I've bought all my accordions second-hand but was grateful that the two Piginis I found (Wing PA, followed by CBA) were not only black but also had simple, stylish designs. I would tolerate other colours, but really dislike pearlescent, white and sparkly boxes! I associate those with the kind of accordion music that gives the instrument a bad reputation...

However, my Morris accordion, the Hohner Amati, is red with yellow bellows, which is perfect as the Rampant Rooster colours are red, green & yellow. I'd not swap that for anything else either!

 

[wout]

I think I prefer black as well. White can be charming, but I like the pure white not the pearly celluloid white.
I think my favorite combination would be black with gold parts and the bellows folds red. I think it looks very warm. I think my favorite grilldesign would be the traditional scandalli grill. I am not the most creative person in accordionlooks I guess

 

[debra]

...
I wonder if you all are congratulating yourselves over your conservative black accordions and forgetting the blinding glitter of the grille. I hope theyre bright and colorful, anyway - ...

Sorry to disappoint you. The first Bugari accordions I had still had a bit of a glittery grille but later ones not. Plain black metal plate (some with nice curly cut-out shapes) but a light almost transparent black screen behind it.
The one thing I dislike most about the looks of a black Roland FR8x is the grille. I prefer the more plain one of the FR7x. I guess you could call me dull and old-fashioned. I think that at my age Im entitled to that...

 

[Morne]

I like a bit of colour. Not as far back as the overly gaudy, sparkly early days, but also not plain black/white either. Specifically, I prefer the general look of my older 50's Morino. They used to come out in pearly white, red and grey (mine) before they went black later - some may be more familiar with these colours on the Shand Morino.

Another small important detail, beyond just the colour of the body, is that there is very little pure black or white on them. The accidentals are black, but the naturals and the "white" switches are all a striped, off-white colour. The bass buttons have a mother-of-pearl look. Some of them even still had pearly keys, although that's perhaps pushing it a little bit. I believe this off-white was partially present in the early N series and the early Golas.

Those Morino's feel like they are stuck (in a good way) in the middle of two eras, straddling both the early excesses and muted modernity.

I also like some of the modern wood finishes.

Having the pure black/white contrast always made it feel a little "unnatural" (not sure what better word to use). I like harpsichords and if you compare the way they look with pianos, then that is similar to my preference. I suppose most people see the majestic black and white piano as their archetypal "serious" and modern orchestras also tend to be conservative in appearance. If you move a lot in those circles, then that would be your ideal. But, for example, when I listen to baroque and early classical, I imagine that era's colours, not people dressed in black. I guess I have a similar feeling when I think about the accordion.

 

[Shand79MorinoMan]

:ch I prefer black. It took me 50 years to get a black Shand Morino OF 1956 vintage and for a PA I think a domino couplered Hohner Morino iv or v make an ideal combination for a Scottish dance band. That was the era when Hohner were at their best. Before Morino died. After his death Gola took over and incorporated many of his ideas and standardised parts for his and Morino's designs and of course many parts also became manufactured by machine rather than being handmade.
All the modern materials used now mean that you will never be able to reproduce the beautiful sounds those old boxes made.

 

[george garside]

seconded!

george

 

[AccordionUprising]

Ive always been enamoured with this little item:
http://shop.accordionheaven.com/images/013.jpg>

Anybody who wants to buy me a glittery Chemnitzer for $800, my birthday is only, um, ten months away....
http://shop.accordionheaven.com/Chemnitzer-Concertina-1012.htm

I have a huge pile of flashy accordion photos I love. Something can always be said for black, but I like the crazy options people have tried.

Like back in the days when you had to fill a vaudeville stage yourself:
https://accordionuprising.wordpress...iger-combo-cordion-1920s-flow-tone-accordion/

https://accordionuprising.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/33195646_1_x.jpg?w=600>

https://accordionuprising.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/33195646_3_x.jpg?w=600>

Whirlpools of rhinestones everywhere!

 

[Mr Mark]

The first accordion I ever owned is Black with a mostly inconspicuous bellows scheme - I like it. It's funny looking back that was used as a sales pitch to me but it didn't really matter as it was an accordion and stood out because no one else played one. Come to think of it, that fellow later came to a great stock of poor quality pink guitars 'as girls are buying more guitars these days' and if you stock it they will buy it...

Black is easy to go with anything and my preferred colour but thankfully I have found it not entirely necessary.

I have an old Hohner that is red with a gold and red bellows scheme that is pleasing without being over the top.

I had a Gold coloured beauty that really needed a much more golden player so off it went...

I rebuilt a brownish Hohner that is more or less a beater, and the colour is apt. This is my campfire special.

I currently love my gleaming green Lignatone with black bellows. It really goes well with a wide variety of colour in clothing selection.


My least favourite colour scheme is my Titano white with gold keys. It feels entirely feminine and contrasts badly with my giant black beard. I would need a seriously white suit, hat, shoes and personal dry cleaner to always be rocking that thing.

I am not a fan of super flash colour schemes, but to each their own and at the end of the day it has always been about tone first anyway.