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Can you identify an accordion by sound alone (no visual access at all)?

Walker: Both the Morino VM and the 1VM are double cassotto.
The Shand Morino has no cassotto but has all the treble 16’ bassoon reeds on one reed block, at the inside/farthest away from the front of the accordion. This arrangement has a name (which I’ve forgotten) but has a decided effect on the tone.
Dingo40: Thanks for the video. It explains well the ‘pseudo’ cassotto effect on the bassoon reeds.
A rare accordion indeed, and a rare man who had a massive effect on the UK, Ireland and everywhere in the world where those emigrants had settled.
Thanks to all who have explored the subject.
Thanks for clarifying!

I never mentioned the Morino IVM because as far as I was aware at least 99% of them were double octave tuned and so didn't have a natural musette configuration without "conversion" work. However, if there was a naturally aspired Morino IVM with LMMM I would love to have one - especially in red!
 
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The Shand Morino has no cassotto but has all the treble 16’ bassoon reeds on one reed block, at the inside/farthest away from the front of the accordion. This arrangement has a name (which I’ve forgotten) but has a decided effect on the tone.
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The arrangement is called "declassement" It works best on a button accordion with the keyboard somewhat forward so the block with bassoon reeds is effectively under the keyboard (and register mechanism) and that part of the accordion acts a bit like a cassotto because the sound can only "exit" the accordion indirectly. The use of a declassement makes the keyboard and lever construction more complex and that's why it was later abandoned. The Hohner Artiste IV and VI models (N and S series) no longer had a declassement but simply all blocks in a row, causing an uneven sound (quite different on the first row of buttons than the second and third row). The Hohner Romandie and the Artiste IX, X and XI do have a cassotto and clearly better sound.
 
A Hohner Shand Morino in action:🙂

Many years ago, before I knew anything about them, I came across one in an accordion shop, near here. I though it was a CBA.
It was very appealing and looked well made. There was a groove along the edge of the treble board to guide the thumb.🙂
Not knowing anything about it and already fully occupied with PA, I passed it up.
 
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I believe that Brandon's Shand Morino was number one of the five (or was it six?) originally sent to Sir Jimmy, so may have been played by him.
 
There was a thread on this very question some years ago,
As I remember it, one of our members provided several sound samples and challenged one and all to identify the instruments (makes) producing them.
Although the results were not exactly encouraging, the attempt provided considerable entertainment for members!🙂
There was a similar instance of a double blind experiment in identifying a Stradivarius violin among a batch of lesser brands. What was interesting is no one succeeded with several amusing misattributions among the results!😄
I don't think I'll do particularly well wrt identifying the sounds coming from my own accordions (tuning aside). If it all, the clarinet sound from the bell 4511 - I used to own - is the only sound I might be able to name.

To me, the difference that I appreciate is not that of sound. It is the playability of the instrument (ergonomics, reed response and control over dynamics) that make me tell the differences between my instruments.
 
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After a long time listening to, repairing accordions and talking to their owners I have come to realize
that there’s a very wide range of hearing ability and perceptions.
I’d be interested to know if any of our accordion fanatics would be confident in identifying an accordion (maker, model etc.) simply by sound alone; having no sight of the accordion or player at all.
All of our perceptions depend on our 5 senses and when one is removed we’re much reduced in our capacity to decide.
This is a bit like recognizing winegrape varietals by the leaves of the vine. It CAN be done, but it's not easy to do, because all the leaves look like grape leaves, basically. There's a few where I could say I knew what it wasn't.
 
Walker: Both the Morino VM and the 1VM are double cassotto.
The Shand Morino has no cassotto but has all the treble 16’ bassoon reeds on one reed block, at the inside/farthest away from the front of the accordion. This arrangement has a name (which I’ve forgotten) but has a decided effect on the tone.
Dingo40: Thanks for the video. It explains well the ‘pseudo’ cassotto effect on the bassoon reeds.
A rare accordion indeed, and a rare man who had a massive effect on the UK, Ireland and everywhere in the world where those emigrants had settled.
Thanks to all who have explored the subject.
As I understand it, the Shand has a clever cassotto like arrangement of reeds, where it gets a bit of that effect? I've never seen one in person, nor played one, so I'm not about to fight about it, but I read something about how some reeds were nestled a bit under the treble keyboard?

Maybe one day I'll get one, but for now, I'm content with its predecessor, the L'Organola. I'm finding 36 basses to be a lot after 8. Versatile though.
 
I believe that Brandon's Shand Morino was number one of the five (or was it six?) originally sent to Sir Jimmy, so may have been played by him.
From the video he made it seems the accordion is not only that, but it may in fact be #1. Which is kind of amazing.

Only with accordions does something like that seem possible. Imagine getting Elvis' red Hagstrom Viking for a few thousand as opposed to a few million.
 
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I may not be able to identify maker, but I can identify it by country of origin.

Usually, German accordions have a more prominent tremolo in their musette than Italian ones, and a more powerful bass sounds. Italians musette and tunning in general is more gentle and pleasant to the more sophisticated ears.

Bayans are usually dry tunned that is very similar to the western counterparts, and has a deeper bass sound.
 
I may not be able to identify maker, but I can identify it by country of origin.

Usually, German accordions have a more prominent tremolo in their musette than Italian ones, and a more powerful bass sounds. Italians musette and tunning in general is more gentle and pleasant to the more sophisticated ears.

Bayans are usually dry tunned that is very similar to the western counterparts, and has a deeper bass sound.
Jupiter have the best deep bass I think.
 
Jupiter have the best deep bass I think.
Russian bayans do indeed have the best deep bass (albeit always in LM in the lowest 14 or 15 notes, and LL higher up). It doesn't need to be Jupiter. All similar large Russian bayans use identical construction for the low bass notes.
And for the "blind test" that uses recordings the potential differences in the low bass notes, a recording doesn't really help because recordings tend to differ greatly between them in the lower note ranges.
 
Russian bayans do indeed have the best deep bass (albeit always in LM in the lowest 14 or 15 notes, and LL higher up). It doesn't need to be Jupiter. All similar large Russian bayans use identical construction for the low bass notes.
And for the "blind test" that uses recordings the potential differences in the low bass notes, a recording doesn't really help because recordings tend to differ greatly between them in the lower note ranges.
But that means they are heavy doesnt it? Low note = Big reed = Heavy instrument. My both Hohners lowest is G. They probably go down to D or C, I didnt search. It may also make harder to pull-push I guess. Sound will start a bit delayed from sucking air in a big reed. I can feel that too in treble L
 
Being in a room with 10 accordions, hearing them 1-2 times then being blindfolded, there is a good chance I could identify them. In a forum using unidentified accordions recorded by low quality audio equipment and listened to on my cell phone speakers… not going to happen, it’s very much an exercise in futility. :)
 
Being in a room with 10 accordions, hearing them 1-2 times then being blindfolded, there is a good chance I could identify them. In a forum using unidentified accordions recorded by low quality audio equipment and listened to on my cell phone speakers… not going to happen, it’s very much an exercise in futility. :)
Generally that is indeed true. But when the recordings are of good quality, like those made of professional players, and the accordions are all high-end instruments with convertor (or at least melody bass) and cassotto, and the music isn't fast (you need time to actually hear the notes)... I find that without seeing anything (for instance listening to the radio, without announcements and without looking at the play list) I can identify a Pigini with reasonable certainty, and quickly too. There is just something about the Pigini sound that sets it apart from everything else. (And it is something you either like or dislike...)
 
I always thought accordion as a hearty instrument, you play things you like, something from past or a learned song from your grandma... and its kind of fun. Its your buddy for music and expressing yourself in your limit. I expect from myself and others some level of decency, not to play wrong, naturally coming from my education and interest of music. As a player, everybody have a couple of tricks in years. But I m not towards "High End" of things. There is no highest end anyways, something more is always introduced to market. You get a better instrument for more money for sure but thats not the point. I think we all have a tendency of being better naturally, but being good was enough in art we dont accept for ourselves sometimes. Art is about being better always as we get it but there is an end of it. In the digital age, you always see a better model or performance. I admire them but not take as a competition. My father always said, if it does the job that satisfies you, you dont need a better vacuum cleaner or a toothbrush 😁
 
Compared to some other instruments that vary a lot in timbre among brands, I feel that the diversity in timbre among accordions is not so pronounced, but maybe that is just me. I can identify a couple of brands by sound, but not many. Excelsior may be the easiest, at least to me. Especially if there are isolated long notes, not fast playing or full chords.

Also if there is a double bassoon in the tone chamber, I think of some "French" accordions (Gadji, Cavagnolo). The timbre is a little unique too, even if playing a single bassoon.

And by playability/touch I think I could also identify some.

With acoustic and electric pianos, I think I have an easier time identifying brands, not because I have more experience, but rather because there is a more pronounced difference among brands (I think).
Yamahas are usually brighter. Bösendorfer darker. Steinway is in the middle.
Among electric ones, the differences are enormous. Rhodes are glassier, especially from the 70s. Wurlitzer have a lot more drive and are noisier, those annoying machines.
 
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