Finally got my new AKKO. Incredible new experience!

[debra]

I got my new AKKO through Oleg Lysenko in the Netherlands (last Friday).
This is truly a Roll Royce among the accordions.
I would say its a bayan, even though it is a C-system instrument. (But opinions may differ.)
Im still fine-tuning it. It looks like the Russians are no better at tuning than the Italians. Probably good enough for most, but not good enough for me. The problem (in tuning the keyboard side, the bass side is fine) is that good tuners place the keyboard side either on the bellows or on a special separate tuning bellows to check the notes in the instrument. What they forget is that by leaving the holes open for the bellows pins (or screws) the air that is drawn in throws the notes off-key that are very close to a hole (which is the reed block deepest in the cassotto. The AKKO is only the second instrument I have ever seen where plugging the holes for tuning makes a difference. (The other one is the Hohner Morino Artiste X.) An excellent tuner will plug the holes throughout the tuning process.
The other thing I discovered that the Russians are just as honest about reporting the weight of their instruments as the Italians, meaning that the actual weight of an instrument is about 1kg higher than the listed weight. (They are about as honest as car manufacturers are about fuel consumption...) Im glad I got a relatively light instrument (the Super de Luxe) so that the actual weight is still acceptable for me.
Anyone who still thinks the Russian bayans are old-fashioned and clunky and perhaps even unreliable, better think again. The AKKO is mechanically every bit as refined as an Italian instrument yet produces a very nice but also very strong sound.
To superbayanist: I hope you get your instrument soon. Im sure it will be a joy to play!
http://oleglysenko.nl/wp-content/uploads/AKKO-Super-De-Luxe-C-griff_2016.jpg>

 

[Morne]

Congratulations Paul!

Would you be able to post some inside photos and demos of what it sounds like once you're done fine-tuning?

 

[debra]

Congratulations Paul!

Would you be able to post some inside photos and demos of what it sounds like once youre done fine-tuning?

I can do some photos next time I open it up. There are some interesting surprises inside like a few high notes on the bass side that are mounted directly on the sound board rather than on a reed block. But of course for the most part it looks pretty much like a standard accordion inside except for the clearly larger and rectangular reeds mounted on large reed plates, meaning no wax to mess with!

Recording the sound will take a while longer because I first want to learn something that is worth listening to. It takes a while to fully get to grips with a new instrument, and certainly now, moving to a bayan that has the keyboard further away from my body than the accordions I had before.

 

[JerryPH]

Congratulations Paul, an absolutely stunningly beautiful instrument and a surprising choice.

It is a bit hard to see because of the angle and reflections, but do I see 8 chin buttons and 5 bass registers? Also did you get it with Bayan style converter system (deepest bass notes on the bottom, highest notes up top) or the more traditional placement?

For me, I am of the mind that if it sounds like a duck and looks like a duck, that it is a Bayan, however the different tuning and (possibly) different bass layout may cause some Bayan purists to not wish to call it a true Bayan. Sincerely, this makes zero difference at the end of the day, it obviously makes you happy and that is what is the most important.

I look forward to hearing it too, if you get the chance to make a couple sound clips or videos.

Again, congratulations on your beautiful instrument, I hope it gives you decades of joy and happiness.

 

[debra]

Congratulations Paul, an absolutely stunningly beautiful instrument and a surprising choice.

It is a bit hard to see because of the angle and reflections, but do I see 8 chin buttons and 5 bass registers? Also did you get it with Bayan style converter system (deepest bass notes on the bottom, highest notes up top) or the more traditional placement?
...

Yep there are 8 chin buttons (the only visible difference between the Super and Super de luxe models is that the former has 7 and the latter 8 chin switches).
On the bass side there are just the convertor plus 2 options. The two switches at the top and those at the bottom are the same (working in sync) and switch between 4 reed base notes and 2 reed base notes. For the chords and the higher notes on the convertor there is nothing to choose. All higher notes use a 16+16 (L+L) register. The lowest octave is 16+8. So this instrument has similar strange behavior as the Morino VI (or Artiste X): an octave coupler in the lowest octave that cannot be disabled.

My bayan is completely a C system instrument, both on the keyboard and in the convertor, so lowest notes are at the top and highest at the bottom.

 

[JerryPH]

Simply gorgeous

"So this instrument has similar strange behavior as the Morino VI (or Artiste X): an octave coupler in the lowest octave that cannot be disabled."

I wonder why the heck do they do that? I know mine does that. Also, I have the switch that disables the piccolo reed on the left hand... and effectively cuts out the highest octave of the free bass as well. PITA!

 

[debra]

Simply gorgeous

So this instrument has similar strange behavior as the Morino VI (or Artiste X): an octave coupler in the lowest octave that cannot be disabled.

I wonder why the heck do they do that? I know mine does that. Also, I have the switch that disables the piccolo reed on the left hand... and effectively cuts out the highest octave of the free bass as well. PITA!

On the AKKO the 2/4 reed register adds reeds to that lowest octave of melody bass and to the main base notes. It has no effect on the higher notes. These are all in 16+16 (unlike most Italian instruments that have the melody bass in 16+8). On the Morino you can choose 16, 16+8 or 8 (L, L+M, M) but on the AKKO there is nothing to choose, and the melody bass therefore only goes up to one octave lower than the 8 (M) switch on the Morino. So there is no switch to disable the highest octave / piccolo reed because there simply is no piccolo reed.

 

[Morne]

I can do some photos next time I open it up. There are some interesting surprises inside like a few high notes on the bass side that are mounted directly on the sound board rather than on a reed block. But of course for the most part it looks pretty much like a standard accordion inside except for the clearly larger and rectangular reeds mounted on large reed plates, meaning no wax to mess with!

I dont think Ive seen the inside of an AKKO yet, but I recently saw this video of somebody taking apart a Jupiter (the Barinov kind, going by the logo):
It has an interesting bass reed block construction:

Ive seen other converter bayans with some of the reeds directly on the sound board, e.g.
Loose reeds:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Converter-B...885277?hash=item43d75b2bdd:g:NOQAAOSw8d9U1fCG
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bayan-Rubin...761596?hash=item465087667c:g:DxMAAOSwOVpXcjyO
Solid reed plates:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Luxury-Conv...727681?hash=item464b75e2c1:g:lcEAAOSwGYVW-5pn

 

[debra]

Finally took a few pictures of my Akko. First the general appearance with the grille removed. You can see that the keyboard mechanics look pretty standard, and the register mechanism is identical to what is found on Italian accordions. The chin switches have a bit of an odd shape: they are actually buttons like on the keyboard. (Works fine though.) Also there is a bit of a spring inside with each chin switch which is safer than on Italian accordions that use rods without any springs.
http://wwwis.win.tue.nl/~debra/photos/divers2016/slides/PA059589.jpg>
Next, the inside of the keyboard side. Looks standard for any cassotto instrument, but of course with large reed plates. Apparently the tuner has removed the leather valve from one high note (I believe that is C, it normally does not have a leather on Italian boxes either.)
At the top left you can see how close the reeds in cassotto get to two holes for bellow pins (screws actually). This throws the tuning off when the holes are open. So while tuning the instrument these two holes must be plugged (or at least the second one)!
Let me add a comment (edit): The reeds are a very tight fit. If the reed block isnt pressed firmly all the way to the right the larger reeds will rub against the wooden side of their box and wont play. Also if you see how close the reeds are together it would be a massive challenge to do this with individual reed plates in a box as compact as this one.
http://wwwis.win.tue.nl/~debra/photos/divers2016/slides/PA059585.jpg>
Next up a picture from the bass side. The construction is very similar to what is found in a Jupiter. The top reed block has the lowest octave + 1 note (E to E) and is L+M. There are two smaller blocks attached to it which are switched by the one bass register that selects between 2 and 4 reeds for the base notes. The next thing you may notice on the lefthand side of the other blocks is that the first notes (F and Fis) are also L+M and all the others are L+L.
http://wwwis.win.tue.nl/~debra/photos/divers2016/slides/PA059586.jpg>
In the top right there is a hint of the 3 highest notes which I believe are just L, not L+L. They are mounted directly on the sound board. The picture below shows the detail. I think the explanation is that there isnt room for these highest notes to still go on a reed block without having to make the instrument larger. I am beginning to understand why the Italians are beginning to move towards large multi-note reed plates for the lowest bass notes: it can be done to make the instrument more compact. Even when you have just one mm of space between individual notes it quickly adds up to a noticeable increase in the size of the instrument.
http://wwwis.win.tue.nl/~debra/photos/divers2016/slides/PA059588.jpg>
Now off to play so that hopefully some time in the near future I can also demo what it sounds like (with real music).

 

[superbayanist]

excellent news! Can't wait for mine now and am curious how they will implement the bottom c on the lh.
Have they provided a breast plate on the back which sits against your chest underneath the rh keyboard like they do on pigini instruments? The instrument I have now which is a zonta doesn't have this.
Interestingly, they don't offer a 16/16/4 setup. I did ask.
And about the octave bass switch, this is common in Russian bayans but I managed to get it removed in my zonta so it's a 16/16 scale all the way down the lh keyboard without that massive big sound.
I'll take it for a bottom c though.

 

[debra]

excellent news! Cant wait for mine now and am curious how they will implement the bottom c on the lh.
Have they provided a breast plate on the back which sits against your chest underneath the rh keyboard like they do on pigini instruments? The instrument I have now which is a zonta doesnt have this.
Interestingly, they dont offer a 16/16/4 setup. I did ask.
And about the octave bass switch, this is common in Russian bayans but I managed to get it removed in my zonta so its a 16/16 scale all the way down the lh keyboard without that massive big sound.
Ill take it for a bottom c though.

They have provided the breast plate on the back. In fact, on the first inside picture (that of the keyboard side) you can see 4 bolts/nuts that hold it in place. It is an option that you have to ask for. Im not certain that they will fit it by default but they will gladly do it when asked. There is no sound coming out from that side, unlike with Italian instruments like Bugari and Pigini that have holes in that curved piece.
You essentially have to specify everything you do or dont want, like color of buttons, which notes to mark if any (I have C and F marked on all 5 rows and on the first 3 rows in the convertor), which chin switches you waht, and whether you want tremolo. I believe the standard on a bayan is 4 cents tremolo (about 1 vibration per second) but I ordered 12 cents.
The one thing I asked that they really did not like and thus I relented was to have bellow straps. I guess they could have done a top one but they do not want to install a bottom bellow strap as the bottom is entirely flat and with a bellow strap the instrument would not sit flat on the ground.
The other thing I did not show is the carrying bag. It is a backpack that is constructed in such a way that you carry the instrument in the playing orientation. That way the chin switches are at the top, with a protector over them that wont fall off (like it would if it was on the side).

 

[superbayanist]

sorry for the dum sounding questions. As i'm completely blind, I'm obviously not good with photos. Will ask my contact at the factory about the breast plate. Would really appreciate that. What is the playing action like on the rh? Italian instruments, in my experience, have a quicker less deep action than Russian instruments.

 

[debra]

sorry for the dum sounding questions. As im completely blind, Im obviously not good with photos. Will ask my contact at the factory about the breast plate. Would really appreciate that. What is the playing action like on the rh? Italian instruments, in my experience, have a quicker less deep action than Russian instruments.

Didnt know about your visual impairment. The playing action is what I would describe as firm. With my small Bugari (540/ARS/C) I had a small issue that while feeling for the marked notes they would already play because very little force and movement was needed to make them sound. With the AKKO you need to really press the key to play a note. Not uncomfortably heavy but just firm enough. And on the bass side the keys have a clearly lighter touch on the melody bass than on standard bass so you do not need to play a note (only press a key) to know in which position he convertor is. And the switches all have strass elements so you can actually feel which switch is which. So really its all good without the need for sight, except that you will likely need a tuner to help you out, unless you can get them to fix problems at the factory.

 

[superbayanist]

I rarely talk about my VI. I hope it's the least interesting thing about me.
Finding the tuner in the UK could be interesting. Basically, there are no Russian reed tuning specialists here. May have to ask around. Much less expensive travelling anywhere in the EU than going back to the factory

 

[debra]

Finding the tuner in the UK could be interesting. Basically, there are no Russian reed tuning specialists here. May have to ask around. Much less expensive travelling anywhere in the EU than going back to the factory

Tuning a bayan can be done by any accordion tuner. It is easier in two ways: 1) You can click the reed plates in and out, so you always adjust (file) the reeds on the outside of the reed plate. You never have to pull it through. 2) The steel is tougher, so there is less risk of tuning a reed up (or down) by too much in one go.
The only reason why a tuner may be reluctant to do it is that should something go horribly wrong they cannot easily fix it as there are no spare reeds that are readily available like they are for Italian accordions. I have already spent several hours tuning just a few reeds because each time I file way too little and place everything back, close the instrument, try it in the playing position, then discover that a low reed that needs to go up (or down) by maybe 5 cents has moved just 1 cent or less... so it is a very repetitive process, very meticulous, very slow. Its no wonder the factory workers cannot spend the time to be that precise.