Beltuna Accordion

[Bloviator]

I was wondering why it would then not be the one with switchable Amplisound. Possible answers I came up with:

a) The switching mechanism might not be entirely reliable so they are removing a possible problem point.
b) they don't want the choice in order to avoid listeners saying "I've heard the Spirit and its cassotto sound wasn't as pronounced as Bugari's" (say) because the player chose not to use the Amplisound.
c) weight/space reasons
d) the Goldilucks effect: the switchable Amplisound is either too much or too little, the Spirit has it just right
e) the switchable Amplisound cannot be as strong as a fixed Amplisound

I have another brand with Amplisound and leave it on the majority of the time.

It does change the sound, but the sound was good to begin with you can flicking it on and off to try and figure what sounds better. Not better or worse.

It's common for me to go to turn it off only to realize it has been off. So for the sake of flipping a switch I then turn it on.

 

[Ffingers]

Those dentists drive the global market for luxury instruments

Well, they were always looking 'down in the mouth' before retirement, so perhaps the collecting of expensive things in retirement is some kind of compensation

 

[Dano458]

Would anyone be able to tell me the switch configuration in order based on the photos I provided of my new Beltuna. For instance I know the first switch is some type of bassoon. I can't seem to find any information specific to the switches.

Thank you in advance for your time.

 

[Dano458]

Let me provide a few more photos..

 

[dak]

Let me provide a few more photos..

The register switches contain dots and lines. A dot in the lowest row (closest to the keyboard) indicates the L reed. The dots in the middle indicate the M reeds, the normal and the tremolo one. The dot in the highest row indicates the H reed, the piccolo reed. The rightmost register apparently only plays the tremolo reed alone: in that case it will sound like a normal non-cassotto reed, possibly slightly sharp, and possibly with somewhat compressed tuning (flat octaves).

Typical "names" will be
L bassoon
M clarinet (outside cassotto)
M flute (inside cassotto)
H piccolo
LM bandonion
LH organ
LMH cello
LMMH master
MH oboe
LMM accordion
MMH musette
MM violin

Those names are not cast in stone,

 

[Dano458]

Thank you for your quick and thorough response. I appreciate it.

It really is a remarkable accordion.

 

[debra]

Let me provide a few more photos..

The switch icons are following the typical confusion used in accordions.
All registers that do not include the M outside cassotto have dots in the center: L, M and H and all combinations thereof. L (16') is the dot closest to the keyboard, M (8') is in the center and H (4') is furthest from the keyboard. (Some accordions have that reversed to add to the confusion...)
The dot for the M outside cassotto is off-center. But... instead of showing a dot in the center and a dot that is off-center for registers containing MM the icons use two dots that are off-center. It is confusing because 1) moving the center M dot off-center suggests it is a different reed bank which it isn't, and 2) on 5-voice accordions the M dot that is in the center always stays in the center and a register with the two off-center dots would than be an MM with the two non-cassotto M reed banks... so a different meaning for the same symbol... But this Beltuna is 4-voice so that second situation cannot occur.

 

[JerryPH]

.
I was wondering if someone could please explain the differences between the Beltuna Spirt vs. the Beltuna Leader, and also, would you please explain Amplisound to me.

The differences are mostly visual, the spirit is much more beautiful, more wood, inside they are the same a Mano reeds. I own a Leader V which is A 5/5 reed setup. The quality and sound are amazing. Amplisound is just a fancy word for Sordino… it is a way to slightly mute the higher pitched sounds to make it more mellow sounding.

 

[JerryPH]

In my video, I show the names that Beltuna uses… a little different but, it’s their accordion, I had no say… lol

 

[debra]

The differences are mostly visual, the spirit is much more beautiful, more wood, inside they are the same a Mano reeds. I own a Leader V which is A 5/5 reed setup. The quality and sound are amazing. Amplisound is just a fancy word for Sordino… it is a way to slightly mute the higher pitched sounds to make it more mellow sounding.

Amplisound is not a fancy word for Sordino and is not a sordino at all.
Photos of the amplisound system were shown here before: https://www.accordionists.info/threads/opinions-on-beltuna-leader-iv.11261/
On "normal" accordions with cassotto, when you open them up you will see the cassotto sitting in between the reed blocks in cassotto and those outside. The "back end" of the cassotto (tone chamber) is solid.
On the Beltuna with amplisound that back end has rectangular holes and a "regisrter slider" that opens and closes this back end. Over the back end an additional wooden box (chamber) is placed so the sound can resonate inside that additional chamber. The amplisound chanber is removable to allow for service (to take out the reed blocks as needed for tuning).
The purpose of a sordino is to mute the higher frequencies. The purpose of amplisound is to amplify the lower frequencies even more than what the cassotto already does.

 

[Ignacchitti]

The purpose of amplisound is to amplify the lower frequencies even more than what the cassotto already does.

Well put. Similar to the intended purpose of Sonola's proprietary "resovox" system. Which is a completely different design compared to amplisound but also claims to amplify lower frequencies (rather than dulling higher frequencies as the sordino). Those who play it say that indeed that is what they feel - a deeper and still very loud tone.

(resovox is the extended V-shaped space on the left side of the image below, "under" the keyboard and as an extension of the tone chamber)

 

[debra]

Well put. Similar to the intended purpose of Sonola's proprietary "resovox" system. Which is a completely different design compared to amplisound but also claims to amplify lower frequencies (rather than dulling higher frequencies as the sordino). Those who play it say that indeed that is what they feel - a deeper and still very loud tone.

(resovox is the extended V-shaped space on the left side of the image below, "under" the keyboard and as an extension of the tone chamber)

I doubt that this "resovox" has much effect. It improves the airflow over the top of the reed blocks (which is on the left in the picture if the blocks are installed) and that should help to stabilize the tuning, to not vary depending on whether the bellows are almost closed or wide open. (Yes some accordions have an issue with tuning, causing the frequency of one or two notes in the cassotto to differ depending on how far the bellows are opened.)

 

[Walker]

In my video, I show the names that Beltuna uses… a little different but, it’s their accordion, I had no say… lol

Awesome video Jerry. Did you record on location? All the palm trees, grass huts and aquamarine sea... Where is that? Wisconsin.

Wow, Beltuna have the know-how to make a beautifully-toned accordion. They are definitely one of my faves. I really enjoyed the silky musette tone.

Great stuff!