What is the best diatonic accordion I can get with a budget of $400?

[AloetheFerret]

Hello everyone. I have been playing the Great Highland Bagpipe for 6 years now, and it is about time I got another hobby. The accordion is an instrument that has truly stolen my heart, and I would love to pick it up. I actually used to have a Hohner panther accordion, but I didnt know anything about music theory at the time so I sold it. But now that I know so much, I am yearning to get back into playing!

Being stuck indoors during this corona virus, I would love to get back into accordion playing. So of course I have started to shop online to see if I can find an accordion that suits my needs for $400 or less. If I have to increase it a tiny bit from there, then sure. Here is my ideal accordion:

• Diatonic, and covers at least 2 octaves. 

I have tried amazon, and found a HUGE range of good accordions that are exactly within my price range. This is just a sample, but these kinds of accordions go up to about 350-390:


Can someone say Too good to be true? xD

None of these accordions have any ratings, at all. They seem to  be sold by some Russian company. I cannot write it off as TOTALLY illegitimate though, because when I looked at the profile of the seller, they DO sell appropriately priced accordions: chromatic accordions in the thousands price range. If anyone has any experience with this seller, input would be appreciated! Overall my gut is saying not to trust this. Does anyone else know if I can get a diatonic accordion for $400? If not, then I guess I will just go ahead and get the $600 Hohner panther again. Thank you all!

 

[jozz]

400 dollars is on the low side

100 more and it gets easier

 

[dunlustin]

There's nothing wrong with Russian accordions but the ones shown do not seem to fit your spec.
When the Panther came out, I read a number of first time players say they were happy with it.
Cheap by Hohner standards it seemed better then many.
One thing: I think it's a 3 row - not very popular and a bit of a handful.
'TexMex' players often take out the bass side to help.
Two rows are the most widespread but on balance, buy back the Panther if you were happy with it.

 

[Tom]

My guess is these are used accordions that will probably need significant work to sound good. I think you could get a good used button box for $400 but would need to get it from a reputable dealer or private sale where you could try out. The new Panther is probably safe. Good luck!

 

[TomBR]

Most of the accordions shown above are three row chromatics, B system. Same note both ways on the bellows.
They are not diatonics.

The two garmons are a different system, but look very carefully at note layout charts before you buy one. I think they are a bit like a harmonica, but two rows of buttons instead of suck and blow. Not diatonics in the normal western sense.

Your Panther would have been a three row diatonic, different notes push and pull on each button, most probably three rows a musical fourth apart but maybe three rows a semitone apart? Fourth apart is the layout used for TexMex etc.

The crucial thing about diatonics is getting the one that suits the style of music you want to play. They are lovely characterful light expressive instruments, but they are more musically specialised than piano and chromatic accordions. (Which is what this forum is mainly about.)

Over at melodeon.net they talk about diatonics all day every day.
Good luck
Tom

 

[AloetheFerret]

Most of the accordions shown above are three row chromatics, B system. Same note both ways on the bellows.
They are not diatonics.

The two garmons are a different system, but look very carefully at note layout charts before you buy one. I think they are a bit like a harmonica, but two rows of buttons instead of suck and blow. Not diatonics in the normal western sense.

Your Panther would have been a three row diatonic, different notes push and pull on each button, most probably three rows a musical fourth apart but maybe three rows a semitone apart? Fourth apart is the layout used for TexMex etc.

The crucial thing about diatonics is getting the one that suits the style of music you want to play. They are lovely characterful light expressive instruments, but they are more musically specialised than piano and chromatic accordions. (Which is what this forum is mainly about.)

Over at melodeon.net they talk about diatonics all day every day.
Good luck
Tom

In terms of music I'd like to play, for the most part, polka music, or English naval hornpipes. Stuff like The Sloe, Blaydon Races, or just Oktoberfest style stuff. I'll see what I can gather from melodeon.net, but if you have a response that'd save me time!

 

[Chrisrayner]

The principal instrument used in English folk accordion music is the D/G fourth apart two row diatonic. A halfway decent example will set you back £500, which even in these volatile times is still a good bit more than $400. Much of what you describe can be played on a single row diatonic, but of course that limits you to the single key of the box. If I were obliged to choose, I’d choose one in D, but both C and G have their attractions.
Not sure what you mean by Oktoberfest fun stuff, but I do know a bloke who plays what he calls Bierkeller music, and it sounds quite like Schlager music. He plays a c-griff CBA. I’m no authority, it’s not really my kind of thing, but I’ve noticed most varieties of accordion being played in this area, piano and CBAs and the peculiarly Bavarian/Austrian diatonics with lots of rows and enormous bass sounds. Heligonka or Steirisches Harmonikas. These last described are enormous things, and cost lots of money. I doubt you’d find one in Arizona, and the carriage from their native area would probably consume a fair chunk of your $400 budget. The remainder would not buy the instrument.
I suggest you get hold of a cheap Panther or similar. Try it out to see if you get on with it, then by the time you’ve had it for a few months you’ll have a much better idea of what you want. Playing both diatonic and CBA myself I wish I’d started off on a CBA. It’s a much more versatile thing. But then you won’t get one of those for $400. You might get a piano accordion.

 

[AloetheFerret]

Ah, thank you guys. I just went ahead and bought the Hohner panther accordion. Most of what I was describing is just simple stuff in a few major keys, so I think I will manage just fine!

(Is there a way to close the thread?)

 

[TomBR]

Hi AtF
Good for you! I think the Panther will do what you want, it should be easy to sell if you ever decide you don't need it, and most importantly you'll have an instrument in you hands when you want it!

The Panther is in GCF. Fair enough, in the world of diatonics you play in the keys that suit your instrument and if you're playing on your own, you choose! If you play with other people who play in a different key, you need a different instrument but the fingering stays the same.

Good luck!
Tom

Threads don't normally close here.
Tom

 

[Corsaire]

The crucial thing about diatonics is getting the one that suits the style of music you want to play. They are lovely characterful light expressive instruments, but they are more musically specialised than piano and chromatic accordions. (Which is what this forum is mainly about.)

Over at melodeon.net they talk about diatonics all day every day.
Good luck
Tom

In terms of music I'd like to play, for the most part, polka music, or English naval hornpipes. Stuff like The Sloe, Blaydon Races, or just Oktoberfest style stuff. I'll see what I can gather from melodeon.net, but if you have a response that'd save me time!

As a chromatic player turned diatonic, I agree with what Tom says.  Melodeon.net would seem to be the venue for diatonics though I don't use it myself.  A lot depends on what you want to play and perhaps who you might play with - different countries and different music styles use different layouts and tunings.  I have a 2 1/2 row C/G which enables me to play quite a variety of different music.

Like Chris Rayner, now I play the diatonic, I wish I'd changed from PA to CBA a long time ago.  Buttons are so much easier !

 

[oldbayan]

Remember that russian garmons are diatonic but also unisonoric! Ty to get a second hand Hohner Pokerwork or Erica.