3 Countries in 2 weeks!

[JerryPH]

Thanks for sharing! I recently got a very nice 1963 Gola 414 and I've been reading every article on the Internet about Golas and watching every YouTube videos played on a Gola

Welcome to the club, looking forward to seeing your videos on YouTube with your Gola!

 

[JerryPH]

Sad to say the current Gola hardly even resembles a Gola - it looks only half-baked... it was a terrible decision to change the grille decoration by removing the elegant, gold-plated metal lengths. I hope they rethink that, and give the Gola back it's 6 voice bass... if they can...​

It's all about cost cutting and availability now. Like in other companies where a line is not making them a lot of money, I really don't think that the Gola is getting the support it once had. Today no company is injecting serious amount of money into a product that is not giving them serious returns.

I'll look later to see if I can show a couple of the pics I saw on the walls in that section, THOSE look like someone had some serious dreams about advancing the Gola, whomever they were.

 

[Walker]

It's all about cost cutting and availability now. Like in other companies where a line is not making them a lot of money, I really don't think that the Gola is getting the support it once had. Today no company is injecting serious amount of money into a product that is not giving them serious returns.

If this is true then it would be better for Hohner to cancel the GOLA line altogether, because this needs to be an instrument built without compromise. Hohner charge an astronomical sum for their product. The last time I checked, some years ago, I think the standard 414 was around £32,000. The customer should be getting the absolute best that can be made for this silly price. However, you are right, they are cutting costs - if you have a look at their pictures on their website the GOLA appears to have black plasticky bass couplers. They should actually be gold-plated metal. Hohner even have the audacity to say "learn more about the highest quality accordion in the world". Really?

Gola

Each Gola accordion is made exactly to the specifications of the player. Learn more about the highest quality accordion in the world

hohner.de

 

[JerryPH]

If this is true then it would be better for Hohner to cancel the GOLA line altogether, because this needs to be an instrument built without compromise. Hohner charge an astronomical sum for their product. The last time I checked, some years ago, I think the standard 414 was around £32,000. The customer should be getting the absolute best that can be made for this silly price.​

I agree, and their faltering and slowing sales are also in agreement with you.

However, you are right, they are cutting costs - if you have a look at their pictures on their website the GOLA appears to have black plasticky bass couplers. They should actually be gold-plated metal. Hohner even have the audacity to say "learn more about the highest quality accordion in the world". Really?
​

Yes, the earlier ones had gold plated parts along with the strap holders and gold plated adornments on the grills. For £32,000, there is way more than enough meat on the bones to not remove the traditional gold parts, it was integral to it's brand. I would never look at a new Gola, even if I was the richest man in the world.

On a similar note, the butchered Gola 459 in Japan is still on Ebay under various postings, but still unsold... that makes me very happy, as they are not bending on their ridiculous price trying to pawn off a $2000-$3000 instrument for that uber-ridiculous price.

 

[Walker]

I'll look later to see if I can show a couple of the pics I saw on the walls in that section, THOSE look like someone had some serious dreams about advancing the Gola, whomever they were.

It would indeed be interesting to see, Jerry.

It appears that Hohner may be facing some challenges lately. In my opinion, they should consider employing a master accordion builder from Castelfidardo to supervise the production of their GOLA model, and maybe increase production a little. They need someone with strong connections in Italy, especially since it seems illogical for Hohner to depend on Voci Armoniche for their reed supply. Every other accordion factory in Castelfidardo can do that too... so what makes Hohner GOLA any better? Well, it would be more sensible for them to approach an individual artisan to craft reeds specifically for them, ensuring meticulous attention to detail in the process. This would be a start towards recovering the GOLA as the best accordion in the world. They might never be as good as they once were, but then they don't need to be, they just need to be better than everyone else today...

​

 

[xingfan1227]

The '63 is a lovely vintage. I used to have one - very responsive reeds... might have been stainless steel. What I liked the most was the 6 voice bass mechanism. The tone of the bass was silky smooth too. Yet the lowest bass was not particularly deep in pitch - the low was C2 - so sweet and so responsive. By comparison, I've seen vintage Petosa AM1100s from the early 1980s (Guidobaldi reeds?) with a low bass of A1, which is nice and deep - but the response was really, really sluggish - no good. Goes to show, Gola's early instruments were really quite special. That said, they weren't all carbon copies... over the years he selected different reeds for different instruments. I've also even seen some 414s with 5 voice bass instead of 6 voice bass. Sad to say the current Gola hardly even resembles a Gola - it looks only half-baked... it was a terrible decision to change the grille decoration by removing the elegant, gold-plated metal lengths. I hope they rethink that, and give the Gola back it's 6 voice bass... if they can...​

I just double checked the certificate I got from Hohner, mine is actually from 1965, not 1963. Also on the certificate, the "accordion model" is "GOLA 414", but in the "eventual more desired / existing data", it also says "Model-No,: 9206", I couldn't really find any information on this 9206 number.. must be an internal designation.

As for the bass reeds, I'm actually a bit confused, the seller did tell me it has 6 sets of bass reeds, but I can see that it has three reed blocks. Does that mean it's TWO sets of bass reeds per bass block? (Unlike on the treble side where it is ONE set of reed per reed block?)

 

[xingfan1227]

Welcome to the club, looking forward to seeing your videos on YouTube with your Gola!

Still waiting for your first Gola video on your channel

 

[Walker]

In the GOLA 414 model a "voice" is comprised of 12 notes because there are twelve notes in an octave... each side of a reed block will give you an octave "voice" (rows of twelve visible reed plates), therefore 12 notes x 6 reed block sides will give you all your voices.

On my GOLA 414 I had the (6 x 12) voices spread over 3 reed blocks (presumably like yours) However in some older (1950s) GOLA 414s the reeds could be spread over 2 centrally positioned reed blocks and two reed block "sides" on either side of the two larger reed blocks (so it looks like 4 reed blocks).

But not all GOLAs 414s are 6 voice. Some are 5 voice... Would be good to see a picture of the reed blocks.

 

[xingfan1227]

In the GOLA 414 model a "voice" is comprised of 12 notes because there are twelve notes in an octave... each side of a reed block will give you an octave "voice" (rows of twelve visible reed plates), therefore 12 notes x 6 reed block sides will give you all your voices.

On my GOLA 414 I had the (6 x 12) voices spread over 3 reed blocks (presumably like yours) However in some older (1950s) GOLA 414s the reeds could be spread over 2 centrally positioned reed blocks and two reed block "sides" on either side of the two larger reed blocks (so it looks like 4 reed blocks).

But not all GOLAs 414s are 6 voice. Some are 5 voice... Would be good to see a picture of the reed blocks.

Ah I see. Yeah I've seen the other type you mentioned with four blocks of 1, 2, 2, 1 set(s) per block. (This one for example https://www.accordiongallery.com/hohner-gola-limex-midi.htm). And yeah looks like it's a very early one with the grill lines extended to the keys and the reed number is 118!

 

[Walker]

And yeah looks like it's a very early one with the grill lines extended to the keys and the reed number is 118!

Yes, that's an older one. The "grille lines" down to the keys stopped around 1964. If your GOLA were 1963 it would have had that feature too, instead of the lines stopping short with a celluloid edge/frame. Also, notice the more "spoon" shaped oval couplers, not the narrower oval couplers, that's also a sign of the very early 1960s and 1950s GOLAs. Apparently, these Gola's were the better ones, but anything made on Mr. Gola's watch would be very good.

 

[jozz]

nice trip! and good of you to share that Hohner factory update, interesting
not surprisingly but still sad to read it's a bit downhill

 

[PhiliGol]

As for the bass reeds, I'm actually a bit confused, the seller did tell me it has 6 sets of bass reeds, but I can see that it has three reed blocks. Does that mean it's TWO sets of bass reeds per bass block? (Unlike on the treble side where it is ONE set of reed per reed block?)

Hi Xingfan

Welcome to the club.
Don't worry so much whether your instrument is 63 or 65.
In any case it's from the "golden era" with a good chance that the master himself had his hands on it (he retired from HOHNER 1972).
Regarding the bass-side: yes it's 2 reed-sets per reed-block (one row of reeds on either side). In case yours looks like this:

it's a 6 voice-bass.

 

[xingfan1227]

Hi Xingfan

Welcome to the club.
Don't worry so much whether your instrument is 63 or 65.
In any case it's from the "golden era" with a good chance that the master himself had his hands on it (he retired from HOHNER 1972).
Regarding the bass-side: yes it's 2 reed-sets per reed-block (one row of reeds on either side). In case yours looks like this:

it's a 6 voice-bass.

Thanks, yeah that's how mine looks like.

 

[JerryPH]

I just double checked the certificate I got from Hohner, mine is actually from 1965, not 1963. Also on the certificate, the "accordion model" is "GOLA 414", but in the "eventual more desired / existing data", it also says "Model-No,: 9206", I couldn't really find any information on this 9206 number.. must be an internal designation.

As for the bass reeds, I'm actually a bit confused, the seller did tell me it has 6 sets of bass reeds, but I can see that it has three reed blocks. Does that mean it's TWO sets of bass reeds per bass block? (Unlike on the treble side where it is ONE set of reed per reed block?)

I was told that mine was a 1980, but per my documentation, it is a 1979 Gola 459 model from April 1979. Model #3-290. The model # is more a designation in the event that the man that originally ordered your Gola did or did not add any custom options. You won't find any info on the internet about the model number, that is a Hohner internal number and not released to the public.

Talking about Golas, I found a video that is a COMPLETE surprise for me in that I found a video that has *2* PA Gola 414's and they are playing along to a... wait for it... Roland BK-7m.



I have a BK, and of course an 8X and the Gola... I may be uber-strange saying it, but I feel it's almost heresy mixing the Gola and digital worlds, and that is even after me seeing a Gola with a MIDI system installed... lol

Anyway, enjoy the video.

 

[xingfan1227]

I was told that mine was a 1980, but per my documentation, it is a 1979 Gola 459 model from April 1979. Model #3-290. The model # is more a designation in the event that the man that originally ordered your Gola did or did not add any custom options. You won't find any info on the internet about the model number, that is a Hohner internal number and not released to the public.

Talking about Golas, I found a video that is a COMPLETE surprise for me in that I found a video that has *2* PA Gola 414's and they are playing along to a... wait for it... Roland BK-7m.



I have a BK, and of course an 8X and the Gola... I may be uber-strange saying it, but I feel it's almost heresy mixing the Gola and digital worlds, and that is even after me seeing a Gola with a MIDI system installed... lol

Anyway, enjoy the video.

Nice.. but just curious.. how did you know it was a bk-7m in the background?

 

[Thomas N]

Nice.. but just curious.. how did you know it was a bk-7m in the background?

It's sitting right there to the left LOL!

 

[xingfan1227]

It's sitting right there to the left LOL!

Ah hahaha

 

[JerryPH]

Nice.. but just curious.. how did you know it was a bk-7m in the background?

I own one and know what they look like from the back!
Also if you play that video full page, you can just, just, just make it out too!

 

[OuijaBoard]

Quite possibly. I am only repeating what I was told.

The only models I saw there that were being tuned and placed on a rack were the Corona II, I was shown briefly where they were. My head was all about the Gola, as you might understand.


Unknown, it may well be... that model was not mentioned in my discussions, again, just repeating what I was told.

Yes, I understood that is what they told you. I was just noting some of what they told you doesn't seem accurate, in case potential shoppers looking for info about Hohners get the idea that Hohner Novas or all the Coronas are made in Europe. Hohner has a history of muddy waters regarding reliable intel about this stuff. Regardless, it sounds like an awesome trip.

 

[Pipemajor]

I was told that mine was a 1980, but per my documentation, it is a 1979 Gola 459 model from April 1979. Model #3-290. The model # is more a designation in the event that the man that originally ordered your Gola did or did not add any custom options. You won't find any info on the internet about the model number, that is a Hohner internal number and not released to the public.

Talking about Golas, I found a video that is a COMPLETE surprise for me in that I found a video that has *2* PA Gola 414's and they are playing along to a... wait for it... Roland BK-7m.



I have a BK, and of course an 8X and the Gola... I may be uber-strange saying it, but I feel it's almost heresy mixing the Gola and digital worlds, and that is even after me seeing a Gola with a MIDI system installed... lol

Anyway, enjoy the video.

loved the different playing styles of the two performers.
The gentleman was so relaxed he could have nodded off and still played on.
BTW although the lady appeared to have a cable coming from her accordion, I couldn't hear any "backing track" from the BK7.
Maybe just my ancient ears