Which are the 'metalbauweise' Hohners?

[jozz]

I've seen the model list where Atlantic and Lucia are listed as 'metalbauweise'. I suppose this is correct?

I'm in the market for a secondhand 96-bass of this sort for busking. Can also be another brand besides Hohner.

Which are the models I need to be looking at?

 

[debra]

Afaik (from the list) the Hohners that use the cheap metalbauweise construction include the Atlantic (PA) and Atlanta (CBA), Imperator IV and V, Lucia and Pirola. The metal construction gives these instruments a rather "sharp" tone. Some of them (Atlantic for instance, but not the N series) have a Jalousie which players tend to keep closed permanently to reduce the sharpness a bit. The metal construction can be produced very cheaply in large quantities in a large "press" and is therefore very cheap compared to building the treble and bass side using wood (with lots of manual labour). But to keep it cheap the large quantity of pieces need to all be identical, hence the lack of variation in these models. The only ones that are still worth getting are the Imperators (because the cassotto does a better job at reducing the sharpness of the tone than just a jalousie). But none of them come in 96 bass. Only the Lucia is smaller and is 96 bass. and only comes in 96 bass. In the metalbauweise mass production was the key to getting the highest profits and therefore there were so very few variations. With wooden cases production cost does not increase by having several different sizes, hence the larger variety of models and sizes with wooden cases.

 

[jozz]

Afaik (from the list) the Hohners that use the cheap metalbauweise construction include the Atlantic (PA) and Atlanta (CBA), Imperator IV and V, Lucia and Pirola. The metal construction gives these instruments a rather "sharp" tone. Some of them (Atlantic for instance, but not the N series) have a Jalousie which players tend to keep closed permanently to reduce the sharpness a bit. The metal construction can be produced very cheaply in large quantities in a large "press" and is therefore very cheap compared to building the treble and bass side using wood (with lots of manual labour). But to keep it cheap the large quantity of pieces need to all be identical, hence the lack of variation in these models. The only ones that are still worth getting are the Imperators (because the cassotto does a better job at reducing the sharpness of the tone than just a jalousie). But none of them come in 96 bass. Only the Lucia is smaller and is 96 bass. and only comes in 96 bass. In the metalbauweise mass production was the key to getting the highest profits and therefore there were so very few variations. With wooden cases production cost does not increase by having several different sizes, hence the larger variety of models and sizes with wooden cases.

thanks for confirming

 

[Paul vdV]

Afaik (from the list) the Hohners that use the cheap metalbauweise construction include the Atlantic (PA) and Atlanta (CBA), Imperator IV and V, Lucia and Pirola. The metal construction gives these instruments a rather "sharp" tone. Some of them (Atlantic for instance, but not the N series) have a Jalousie which players tend to keep closed permanently to reduce the sharpness a bit. The metal construction can be produced very cheaply in large quantities in a large "press" and is therefore very cheap compared to building the treble and bass side using wood (with lots of manual labour). But to keep it cheap the large quantity of pieces need to all be identical, hence the lack of variation in these models. The only ones that are still worth getting are the Imperators (because the cassotto does a better job at reducing the sharpness of the tone than just a jalousie). But none of them come in 96 bass. Only the Lucia is smaller and is 96 bass. and only comes in 96 bass. In the metalbauweise mass production was the key to getting the highest profits and therefore there were so very few variations. With wooden cases production cost does not increase by having several different sizes, hence the larger variety of models and sizes with wooden cases.

Hohner Lucia II is eighty bass.

 

[boxplayer4000]

I believe the Hohner Atlantic was one of the most popular accordions ever made. They seem to keep their value and are still seen to be selling in the 500 to 1200+ GBP range. 'Indestructible' might have been the word made for the Atlantic. Their 'sharpness' is referred to above as if it was fault but to many tastes it was a feature which was liked and admired. Besides, as also explained above, they had 'jalousie', which was a blind like device which could be extended under the treble grille and had the effect of muffling and reducing the higher frequencies. When used with the LM (bandoneon) coupler the accordion had a sound which was almost that of a casottoed one and gave the player a very wide range of sounds.

 

[JerryPH]

I really enjoy the tone of my Imperator V, with and without the Sordino active. The sharpness is a trait and an option, one that I use and enjoy. It gives a sense of power and richness that I find very pleasant.

 

[boxplayer4000]

JerryPH: Indeed. The satisfaction in restoring such an instrument is immense and the result is an instrument which is up there in the top league. The Imperator V offers wet and dry and most levels of tremolo/musette in between.

 

[JerryPH]

JerryPH: Indeed. The satisfaction in restoring such an instrument is immense and the result is an instrument which is up there in the top league. The Imperator V offers wet and dry and most levels of tremolo/musette in between.

As I know them, there are 2 numerical Imperators, but 4 models.

Imperator V
Imperator V Musette
Imperator VS
Imperator VS Musette

From what I was told after I found and purchased mine, the one to have is the straight V as the musette is VERY heavy and the VS has a quint register setup that doesn't sound pleasant by itself... and this was confirmed to me by a Scottish gent afterwards (who owned all 4 and kept the V but sold off the other 3. I feel that this has to be more opinion than any musical fact, so being in the category that is not In to Scottish levels of tremolo, I am glad I have the one that I have.

I'm also lucky in that mine really doesn't need a ton of work and is very playable now.

 

[boxplayer4000]

JerryPH: Thanks for that post. I'm sure there's many of us, myself included, who are now better informed about this excellent Hohner accordion.
As with many things these days I'm a bit behind but I did catch up with your video made fairly recently to demonstrate this accordion. I hope you don't mind having the link posted here for those who may not have seen it.

 

[JerryPH]

I cannot recall, but I may have posted that video here somewhere two years ago when I made it. I don't mind of course.

Wow, I've had the Imperator 2 years now... time FLIES. If no one minds, I'd like to do a reader's digest of how I got this accordion.

Four years ago I was at the New England Accordion Museum getting ready to take the pictures for Paul's book. While there I found the little student model Hohner FB-36 Free Bass and just really liked it and so, purchased it. In the picture below it is the 2nd accordion from the left, top shelf.



Fast forward 2 years later my good friend Ed and I have a discussion about a $15,000 accordion he found online, if I could identify it... it was a Serenellini Imperator.

In that conversation I recalled that Paul had an Imperator too, but a Hohner.

I did some research about the Hohner Imperator V and really liked what I found... all the good stuff...
- internal metal construction with a Sordino
- Tipo a mano reeds
- 5/5 construction with double Cassotto.
- limited numbers, made only between 1961 to 1973
- 22 individual and unique registrations
- Reputation of excellent sound and online YouTube videos confirmed this as far as I could tell
- It looked amazing!

A few days later I was looking through my old pictures on my blog/website and saw that the FB-36 and Imperator V were literally beside each other and one shelf apart in one of my pics! Yes, that was 2 years later, and it was certainly sold by now, but I had been meaning to call Paul and this just added some incentive for me to do it that instant.

We spent a little time catching up and then I popped the question... he still had it! When I asked the price, he gave me a quote that was so good that (I am not kidding), I refused it and raised his asking price. We came to that agreement. He promised that thanks to COVID, he would hold it no matter how long I wanted to wait.

Now... it is 2020 and we are mid-pandemic, USA/Canada borders are closed and I could not go get it. I waited a month, then two... then simply asked Paul to send it to me and I sent over payment and covered cost of shipping.

Friday November 13th 2020 the accordion arrives and I've been enjoying it ever since.



Life for me seems to be a lot about a series of small stories!

 

[Tom]

Wow, great story Jerry! You were fated, even on Friday the 13th!

 

[JerryPH]

Wow, great story Jerry! You were fated, even on Friday the 13th!

It seems that there is a great and personal story involved in all my accordions... now if only I had a story to share about a Gola... LOLOL!