Scandalli super VI

[reno]

how can you tell if it is older model? What to look for

 

[debra]

Listen to a few notes being played in the M register. then you know.
I believe the old ones used Taborro (a mano) reeds. (But I could be mistaken. JimD will know with higher certainty.) These reeds are just fantastic (and also found in old accordions from other brands).
Even when you find a super VI that really is an early 60s model you need to check whether the original reeds are still in there.
There are accordion repairers who try to convince a customer that the old reeds in their Super VI should be replaced by new reeds to make the accordion sound even better. What they are really trying to do is to (legally) steal the reeds from that Super VI. There are old Super VI players who don't really know how special their accordion is and who might fall for tricks like this.

 

[JIM D.]

The accordion will have to be seen and heard to answer your question. And yes the practice of reed replacement on quality Pro
model accordions still shows up today. In my 40 years of accordion repair I've found many customers that have been scammed
by this practice. In all cases the customer only needed reed cleaning and valve replacement but was advised to a complete
reed replacement. In these cases the customer was charged from $1100.00 to $1500.00 USD and lost a fine set of hand made
reeds only to wind up with a new set of machine made reeds. I won't post these dealers here for professional courtesy but I will
advise a member in a PM.

 

[debra]

The accordion will have to be seen and heard to answer your question. And yes the practice of reed replacement on quality Pro
model accordions still shows up today. In my 40 years of accordion repair I've found many customers that have been scammed
by this practice. In all cases the customer only needed reed cleaning and valve replacement but was advised to a complete
reed replacement. In these cases the customer was charged from $1100.00 to $1500.00 USD and lost a fine set of hand made
reeds only to wind up with a new set of machine made reeds. I won't post these dealers here for professional courtesy but I will
advise a member in a PM.

This sounds even worse than my worst fears. I would hope that the customers would at least get new handmade reeds of a good brand... but even then the sound would be inferior than with the old reeds...

 

[Ventura]

there was a notorious instance of a GOLA on Ebay some years ago
that had the reeds pilfered then was resold in short order
(same photo's used in both listings)

 

[reno]

I have a Gola how can I tell if in tampered or altered. Thanks and I appreciate your knowledge

 

[Sebastian Bravo]

if the sound is amazing and responsive, the reeds are original. if the notes choke at high bellows pressure, they aren't.