Fantini SP20

[Graeme]

I have limited experience of playing and accordions, been playing four years. Have a Hohner verdi 120 base, use this for sing songs and folk clubs. Am looking for something lighter and more portable but want to keep.the bright musette sound.
A Fantini SP20 has come up reputable dealer £1750
Is this reasonable any pitfalls, advise welcome

 

[debra]

I'm not a big fan of Fantini accordions (and other brands they made accordions for like the German Kratt brand). My main issue with Fantini was the bad glue they used for the valves. As a result valves keep falling off at random times.
Fantini went out of business (in a bad way, taking payment from customers while knowing very well they could not deliver). This was about 10 years ago or thereabout.

 

[Graeme]

Thanks for the prompt reply. Valuable information for me, I will change tack in my search. This is exactly what I wanted.
Many thanks again
Graeme

 

[Frank Barocco]

I had a Fantini for a little while before upgrading to a better accordion, I did not keep it for long because gradually I started noticing the limitations in timbre. The voices in the tone chamber sounded thin and had a lot of overtones, almost as if they were not in the tone chamber. Especially when applying more force in order to get more volume. I don't think I'd ever go for a Fantini again.

 

[debra]

I had a Fantini for a little while before upgrading to a better accordion, I did not keep it for long because gradually I started noticing the limitations in timbre. The voices in the tone chamber sounded thin and had a lot of overtones, almost as if they were not in the tone chamber. Especially when applying more force in order to get more volume. I don't think I'd ever go for a Fantini again.

A friend of mine has a Fantini with cassotto that actually sounds reasonable, but indeed the cassotto has less effect than on other accordions (but you still wouldn't mistake it for not having a cassotto). I'm not saying all Fantini accordions are bad, and if you know how to open up the accordion, take reed blocks out (and put them back) and glue valves back on (also when it's inside the reed block) then it can be quite usable for non-professional practice use. (You don't want valves falling off in the middle of a performance.) The company didn't fare well in the end, but many other accordion makers also went bankrupt or simply closed down, and this does not mean in any way that their accordions were bad. Making good accordions and running a profitable business are two very different skills.

 

[OuijaBoard]

The OP is mulling one of the compact folk-size models, not a cassotto product. Numerous UK players acquired the compact folk-size Fantinis for Morris and Irish/Scottish trad through Emilio Allodi in London and swore by them until things went downhill with Fantini in Italy. I regret not nabbing a like-new 30/72 in brilliant emerald-green pearloid with red rhinestones that Emilio had in stock at a very reasonable price for several months during the pandemic lockdowns. Who could anticipate the scarcity, shrinking production, and sky-high pricing of the current era.

 

[debra]

The OP is mulling one of the compact folk-size models, not a cassotto product. Numerous UK players acquired the compact folk-size Fantinis for Morris and Irish/Scottish trad through Emilio Allodi in London and swore by them until things went downhill with Fantini in Italy. I regret not nabbing a like-new 30/72 in brilliant emerald-green pearloid with red rhinestones that Emilio had in stock at a very reasonable price for several months during the pandemic lockdowns. Who could anticipate the scarcity, shrinking production, and sky-high pricing of the current era.

Fantini went out of business years before the pandemic already. The story goes that the founder lived next to a jail and the way he took money from new customers to pay to finish previous orders, knowing he could never produce the accordions for the new orders meant he really belonged in that jail. That of course doesn't make the accordions he did make and deliver bad instruments in any way. Another friend of mine plays a non-cassotto Fantini and complained about the thin sharp sound, which I fixed by adding a wide strip of felt on the inside of the grille. That accordion has needed reed valves glued back on numerous occasions (I lost count). Other accordions made by Fantini also needed reed valves glued back but not quite as often as this one. As long as people are aware of the issue and take tools and glue with them at all times a Fantini can be fine.

 

[Graeme]

Again many thanks for all your comments. As late started still trying to improve my playing skill at 69. I don't think I have time to start learning to dismantle and glue in valves presently. I think I need a more reliable work horse, Italian if possible.
Perhaps In the future I would like to delve into the mechanics of these wonderful machines.
Many thanks again I will continue my search and as ever ask and take advice from you guys. Your experiences have been very useful.

 

[Ffingers]

Again many thanks for all your comments. As late started still trying to improve my playing skill at 69. I don't think I have time to start learning to dismantle and glue in valves presently. I think I need a more reliable work horse, Italian if possible.
Perhaps In the future I would like to delve into the mechanics of these wonderful machines.
Many thanks again I will continue my search and as ever ask and take advice from you guys. Your experiences have been very useful.

69?
I remember something like that.
A long time ago now - at 82.
Just in case I live forever (and it's a case of "so far, so good") with my aging body and recently acquired interest in things accordionistic, I got hold of a couple of instruments in poor/very poor condition for the sole purpose of educating myself on the mysteries of their workings.
So far, so good, again!
I have started to refurbish a well worn and not-so-worn-well Hohner single row diatonic apology for a musical instrument of which the innards look like they may have been created by a newby apprentice to an alcohol affected tradesman/woman.
Rough as guts, all of it, with the reed blocks glued to the soundboard and the reed plates at all angles except to the right!
It had never been previously opened, I was told, and by the amount of dust from cracker biscuits and nuts it may have been played mainly at weddings, birthdays and funerals within the immediate family ( Not a trace of the aromas of acqua vita/beer/wine etc. though.)
WInter is approaching in my region and the rains just setting in, so messing with this 'box' as a training/learning exercise will fill in the time usually spent outdoors.
"You are never too old until you are too debilitated" is a motto once passed on to me - and it still guides my approach to living.
But you youngsters give up far too easily

 

[KiwiSqueezer]

69? Barely geriatric! Plenty of time left (I hope - I'm older...). Now is the ideal time to start into accordion repair. After all, you can do it sitting down...

 

[Graeme]

Well you've inspired me, feel like a spring chicken now. I have seen a few well worn accordions and a couple of self build kits. Like the motto Ffingers I will use that.
Again many thanks.