Compact piano accordions for air travel

[MaxB]

Hello,
I imagine this question has been asked before, but I couldn't really find a reply despite my best attempts. I was wondering what are the make/models of PA you would recommend for air travel as carry on? One issue I found in general is that the depth of the instrument is too big to fit within the airlines' sizers once the angle of the keyboard is taken into account (for instance, a 18mm bellow width translates to 24mm or even more depending on the instrument). I have currently a 1950s Hohner Concerto (26/48, 2 voices) I had bought for this purpose when I started, but I have been finding the keyboard very stiff and the reeds somewhat unresponsive (it may be a setup issue?) in comparison to my better accordion I bought recently. I also tried a 26/32 Paolo Soprani (similar to the one shown below), but it had no dynamic whatsoever and I missed the counterbasses.

I was wondering if there is a model that you would consider of relatively decent quality for this around €1,000-2,000 (I have seen some people talking about the Weltmeister Rubin, but a friend advised me against the brand in general), or if I should really look at the likes of Pigini/Brandoni etc if I want something decent? And would anyone have an idea of the total depth of these models when taking into account the keyboard angle? 30 keys on the treble would be ideal, but 26 could also be ok...

Thank you in advance!

 

[Ventura]

i see no reason your 32 paolo in a soft case would be rejected as a carry-on

 

[dunlustin]

Weltmeister got its bad name when it was in the DDR.

 

[MaxB]

Hi,
Sorry I wasn't clear - the 26/32 Paolo above (which I only had for a try) would have been the right size but it just wasn't enjoyable to play as it had no dynamic range so it was just not feasible to put any accentuation, which is an issue with dance music. My regular Paolo is a 34/72 and slightly too big...

About Weltmeister, do you think they got better so in more recent years?

 

[JIM D.]

For size & price have you considered a used Roland FR-1 or FR-1x ??? We have members here that have one an I'm sure they will
comment.

 

[Ventura]

the 34 is too big ?

i guess things have changed since i last flew anywhere.. i have fit larger accordions in the overhead times passed

 

[MaxB]

Thank you for the replies! The issue with the 34 is the depth - the keyboard brings it to around 26-28mm and Ryanair/Aerlingus sizer is around 24mm... It would probably be fine on a flight that isn't too busy, but I tend to be overcautious about these things!

I hadn't considered the Roland no, as I didn't know the model (I know very little in terms of box models to be honest!) - is it a better quality than the Weltmeister Rubin or the Hohner concerto for instance? How are the dynamic range/keyboard stiffness/tone in comparison to these?

 

[Gonk]

The Roland is an electronic (reedless) instrument.

Petosa makes a model called the "Little Pro" which is a 32/72, and Brandoni makes the "Mod. Piccolo" which is a 30/72. Pigini has nothing in this category that I'm aware of, but I'm happy to be corrected.

Others: Titano Titan (available in a 30/50), Castiglione makes a 27/72 key, no idea as to the quality, and Dino Baffetti makes one called Studio 1B (30/72).

If you're willing to branch into chromatic button systems, there are more options. The "Black Diamond" 60 bass CBA are decent for the price. The reeds are Cagnoni (macchina).

 

[dunlustin]

I, too, was going to suggest Black Diamond - a UK supplier of Chinese made instruments who seem to try harder than most.
Coincidentally:
Search Black Diamond 48 Bass Accordion. 7 Months Old. Only played for 3 mnths. £499 new
on eb*y
Dims: 33W x 38H x 21D cm
See also: https://www.blackdiamondaccordions.com/piano-accordions

PS given the strains between ITM and piano accordions the electronic Roland is probably beyond the pale.

 

[knobby]

The issue with the 34 is the depth - the keyboard brings it to around 26-28mm and Ryanair/Aerlingus sizer is around 24mm... It would probably be fine on a flight that isn't too busy, but I tend to be overcautious about these things!

With Ryanair you'll struggle. Their allowable cabin bag size is (supposedly) 55x40x20cm, so I think you may struggle to get an accordion which is less than 20cm in any direction, particularly when you add some sort of case to it.
The gig bag for my Roland FR-1 is approx. 44x40x28cm.

Have you considered booking your accordion its own seat?

Booking a "Musical Instrument" on a flight

I'm looking to bring one of my accordions back from Spain with me when I next go over there, which will be by plane rather than car. Looking at the Ryanair website they have a thing for booking in a musical instrument, rather than just checked in luggage, for which they charge you a higher price...

www.accordionists.info

 

[jozz]

About Weltmeister, do you think they got better so in more recent years?

The current Rubin, especially the white one, is being used by professionals on stages all over.

I've played it and it's not bad. It has all the properties that are inviting. Lightweight, the 30 keys instead of 26. It's pretty loud.

The only reason that I don't have one - and instead - an old pre-owned white Weltmeister Unisella, is that I was able to buy and completely restore that for only 500 euros total, and thought the 1500 euros for a new Rubin kind of expensive for a box that will most likely see a beating.

Otherwise I would be playing the Rubin currently.

 

[donn]

Some time back, when I had this idea I might visit Europe and buy an accordion there, my vague and ill-considered plan was to take it apart and carry it on in two pieces.

 

[MaxB]

I have considered booking a seat obviously, but financially it would be more interesting to actually buy a new accordion as it would pay for itself in only a few years... I think I'm going to look to try a Weltmeister and a Brandoni Piccolo, and see if any fits what I'm looking for in terms of not only size but also tone, dynamic and responsiveness. If the Weltmeister is similar to the Hohner Concerto but with a nicer keyboard action, that would probably enough for a box I will realistically only play a few weeks a year. Thomann currently have the Rubin on sale and with a 30 day return policy so it's tempting to give it a go...

It's also a good way to have a spare instrument when the main one is at the doctor for a bit of tuning!

Regarding Ryanair's sizer, it's worth noting that the sizer is actually bigger than what they say on the website - it's about 24mm depth which fits my Hohner concerto in a soft case for instance (the soft case is actually too big by maybe a couple mm, but no one would notice that).

 

[Corsaire]

MaxB - I have a Brandoni Piccolo and a Weltmeister Rubin. The Brandoni is streets ahead of the Rubin. The piano keys are wider than the Rubin and the sound is far better. Mine is demi-swing tuned as I requested, the Rubin has a little more vibrato.

 

[NickC]

Bugari makes a 26/60 and 26/72 model. They are 2 reed instruments.

 

[MaxB]

Just got a Rubin to try for a few days - the keyboard feel and tone is nicer than the Hohner Concerto that I had so that's already a step up. Dimensions wise, it's perfect.

Obviously, at that price, you don't get much depth in the tone, but once again it's an instrument I'll probably play outside only a few times a year (either when visiting family abroad, which only happens a few times a year normally, or when my main box will be at the tuner) so there may not be much point paying twice the cost. The one thing I may ask a friend (who is the local accordion tuner and repairer, and who I trust 100%) to look at if I decide de keeo the weltmeister is checking if the pressure required for the keys can be slightly reduced without resulting in air leaks. I'd like also a drier tuning and a quieter left hand (maybe by muting some of the bass reeds with tape?), but that can be sorted in time too!

 

[oldbayan]

Hohner Student VM if you can sacrifice basses and stay with plain keys!

 

[OuijaBoard]

I advise against the Petosa "Little Pro." At $4K-plus it is ridiculously overpriced, even if you wanted to acquire a nice Italian-made small PA. The grille looks like what Delicia uses, and the reeds appear to be Durall. Highway robbery based on the appeal of the Petosa name to naive PA fans. If you wanted to invest in a small Italian, Beltuna, Serenellini and Ottavianelli are more fairly priced, and Serenellini usually has handmade reeds.

30-key is my favorite PA size, but many 30-key PAs will not work for the plane's overhead compartments. The small Italian PAs I mentioned above are 26-treble models, as the 30-key Beltuna and Ottavianelli probaby won't go easily into the overhead, compact though they are. I have two vintage 30-key Titano LM PAs, love them for tango and Eastern-European stuff that the LM is great for. They're wonderfully compact compared to the refrigerator-size PAs . . . but they won't fit on the plane. For that you really need a PA the dimensions of a 26-key treble.

This is the beauty of the 30/60 Welt Rubin, which gives you 30 keys and all 12 scale notes in the bass, in a chassis the dimensions of a 26/48. If you get along with the slim keys. Also, I believe the 30-LMM Welt Juwel is no bigger dimension-wise than the Rubin. Another slim-key compact model with more basses, a 30/72. I'm almost sure the dimensions are the same as the Rubin.

Delicia is another thought, but they don't have a slim-key 30. You'd have to go with a 26 treble size. New, not used unless it is an Excellent-plus new model. Like Welts, older Delicias have an iffy East German history. New are good folk boxes. I think Delicias tend to be a tad wider and heavier than Welts and Hohners, but not sure.

I'm guessing you want an easy-travel PA to play out in sessions and things, but if you didn't care about volume and wanted it just for practice or playing on your own, another thought is to get a single-voice small PA for travel. Just an "M." Hohner makes a single-voice Bravo model. 26 treble and with single-note freebass buttons (about 2 octaves' worth) They're Asian-made but very playable and super-light, about 4.3 kg! I believe Pigini and other Italian labels do small single-voice freebass PAs as well, at higher prices.

The Hohner one-voice is the Hohner Bravo I 49 F.

 

[JeffJetton]

There's the new Hohner XS. It's not too far removed from a glorified (and perhaps overpriced) melodica, but it is quite small and light.

 

[Tom]

Thanks, Jeff, a very interesting product from Hohner. Very portable, I wonder if they will make, for example, a 26/48 version as an introductory/travel adult model.