Have a quick question about excelsiors. On American made symphony models I saw one that looks identical to other symphony models but says excelsiola on the back where it normally says symphony. Anyone ever come across this ever? Inside and out looks identical. Excelsior across front like normal. Reeds as well look same. Is it anything special?
Excelsior symphony model and excelsiola
- Thread starter nagant27
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2013
- Messages
- 5,178
- Reaction score
- 990
I had one of these myself. In the late 50's Pro models of Excelsior & Excelsiola used the same body build and were identical
except for the badge name & reed quality. At the time Excelsior gradually switched production to Italy. There were many US made parts
leftover and were used to assemble the last of US production.
except for the badge name & reed quality. At the time Excelsior gradually switched production to Italy. There were many US made parts
leftover and were used to assemble the last of US production.
Thanks Jim, I knew you would know. That’s what I was wondering.
This particular accordion is real nice and sounds very “warm”. Especially with the sordina closed. To my ears these older excelsiors have bassoon reeds that really sound amazing. Even with no chamber they sound full and round. The sordina actually makes a huge difference, not like just a mute under the grill.
Inside and out excelsiors like these were impeccably made.
This particular accordion is real nice and sounds very “warm”. Especially with the sordina closed. To my ears these older excelsiors have bassoon reeds that really sound amazing. Even with no chamber they sound full and round. The sordina actually makes a huge difference, not like just a mute under the grill.
Inside and out excelsiors like these were impeccably made.
crescendo
Member
Excelsior Symphony Grand 6/4 tone chambered....the very best accordion
I enjoy playing a lot of different accordions, but I do find my self always comparing others to my excelsiors. The symphony grand that you referred to is indeed awesone, as well as the ac chambered models, and excelsiolas 730, 740. There’s a reason so many people played them and still play them. Think about the great players historicallylike Van Damme, Magnante- They could have played any brand, but they chose excelsior.
jwgrosser
Newbie
I own an Excelsior Symphony Grand that was owned by Charles Magnante, the only difference from the "standard" Symphony Grand is the treble keyboard where he had custom sized black keys installed which obviously also meant the white keys had to be cut differently to accomodate them, that were slightly thinner than on the production model.
It plays as well as the number of other Excelsior models I have including another Symphony Grand, with 140 bass m lll extra bass row tuned concert, 911, and 940. The 940 is my "work horse" tuned concert on the bassoon reeds and musette on one of the middle reeds,, concert on the other and the piccolo concert, but I will use the other instruments for various genres, the 911 is LMMM tuned Musette, and another Symphony Grand tuned concert. Lately I have been using a Roland FR-8x digital accordion for a lot of performances, but I love my Excelsiors., but the sound of the jazz reeds that were employed by Roland was from the Excelsior accordion. One of my Rolands (I keep one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast) had a manufacturing defect where the bellows had an air leak where it met the bass side of the accordion in less than one year and have had the accordion almost a month and I am still waiting for it's return repaired, I have Excelsiors that go back to the 50's and none of them has lost compression or developed leaks like the Roland did. Roland should perhaps had learned that the pins that hold our bellows on the Excelsiors would make repair easier than their method of attaching bellows by glued gaskets and pressure closure as was described to me by a Roland Repair Manual and Repairman. I have never had a problem with my Excelsiors and repair people have always been able to deal with any minor problems that have occurred over the years. I miss the late Tom Bruno who worked on a number of my Excelsior accordions.
It plays as well as the number of other Excelsior models I have including another Symphony Grand, with 140 bass m lll extra bass row tuned concert, 911, and 940. The 940 is my "work horse" tuned concert on the bassoon reeds and musette on one of the middle reeds,, concert on the other and the piccolo concert, but I will use the other instruments for various genres, the 911 is LMMM tuned Musette, and another Symphony Grand tuned concert. Lately I have been using a Roland FR-8x digital accordion for a lot of performances, but I love my Excelsiors., but the sound of the jazz reeds that were employed by Roland was from the Excelsior accordion. One of my Rolands (I keep one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast) had a manufacturing defect where the bellows had an air leak where it met the bass side of the accordion in less than one year and have had the accordion almost a month and I am still waiting for it's return repaired, I have Excelsiors that go back to the 50's and none of them has lost compression or developed leaks like the Roland did. Roland should perhaps had learned that the pins that hold our bellows on the Excelsiors would make repair easier than their method of attaching bellows by glued gaskets and pressure closure as was described to me by a Roland Repair Manual and Repairman. I have never had a problem with my Excelsiors and repair people have always been able to deal with any minor problems that have occurred over the years. I miss the late Tom Bruno who worked on a number of my Excelsior accordions.
Similar threads
