Guerrini Super Italia?

[Zenreso]

Hi folks -
I just joined accordionists and this is my first post. Accordion was my first instrument and for several years it was intense, competing in contests as a 3rd-4th grader. After a lifetime as a professional guitarist and luthier I've been rediscovering the accordion. It's wonderful. After seeing Julian Labros play the chromatic accordion I had to have one and purchased the Roland FR4X-B. I've been thinking it would be great to have a purely acoustic chromatic accordion which brings me to the reason for posting.

I know that Guerrini is a well-respected brand now out of business. Can anyone suggest whether this Super Italia might be a safe/good buy? The grill seems to be atypical of the other Super Italias I've seen online. The seller seems solid and has been quick to respond to questions.

Thanks for any information, suggestions the group may have to offer.

Jim

 

[Tom]

Welcome Jim!

This question comes up here daily, and the answer is always the same: "it depends on the quality/condition of the essential parts that cannot be seen in a photo. Like reedwax, leather, tuning, etc."

Beyond that, an authentic Guerrini is a good start.

Good luck!

 

[SteveBox]

Welcome Jim,

I presume it is the accordion I see on Ebay, and the seller does not accept returns. I don't know this instrument, and can only make general suggestions. Obviously, it is risky to buy something expensive without being able to try it out first or return it if you discover problems. On the other hand, the seller is saying most of the right things in the description, and it looks great in the photos, probably a high-end instrument. It could be a great buy and a bargain, it is just not possible to say for sure. It could be decades old, and how has it been stored and maintained? As some have pointed out, there are some accordions not tuned to A440, but perhaps A442 or something else. Ask if it makes a difference to you.

Personally, I think anyone selling an expensive accordion should accept returns. It indicates they have nothing to hide.

I bought an expensive accordion on Ebay once (the one you see in my profile photo). I talked to the seller on the phone and had him play it for me, and it was only a few years old, all good signs that it was probably a safe buy. You take your chances on something like this. If nobody else bids, you could make a low offer and see what happens. Or, take a drive to North Carolina.

Isn't Cleveland the polka capital? There must be some local accordions for sale, although I don't know how hard it would be to find a chromatic button accordion in Ohio.

Good luck,
Steve

 

[Zenreso]

Thank you Steve and Tom for your comments. Yes, Cleveland is the polka capital but I've found no one that plays chromatic button accordion. I wasn't aware of them until I saw Julian Labros playing one with the Hot club of Detroit. I was blown away. There are piano accordions all over the place. We even have an accordion museum. As a luthier I'm an expert on used guitars, but NOT accordions. You're correct that this Guerrini is the one on Ebay. I'm put off by the odd air scoop style grill. All the Super Italia Guerrini chromatic accordions I've found in Google and YouTube searches have a more "normal" looking grill. I'll probably pass on this, eventually pay more for a used acoustic chromatic from a reputable dealer. The Ebay seller sells all kinds of stuff, toys, even cars. He did recently sell a Scandalli to a happy customer, based on the feedback.

 

[SteveBox]

CBAs are very popular in some European countries, but, yes, they are less common in the USA. Since they are less popular, there are fewer buyers. This can work to your advantage when you do find one.

When looking for local instruments, don't forget to check Facebook Marketplace or Craig's List.

Currently, I see a Hohner Riviera IV for sale in Wadsworth on Facebook. The seller doesn't know much about it, nor states if it is a C-system or B-system. I don't know much about it either, but it is probably a quality Hohner from several decades ago, built in Germany or Italy (and not China, like many of their current instruments). There seems to be a lot of information about this model on the internet and many others for sale. Hohner seems to have made different versions of this model over the years. This one appears to have a flat keyboard, rather than the more common tiered keyboard (like your Roland) found on other versions of this model. I have never played a flat keyboard, but I have read that it plays as well as the tiered design.

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Here is a demo. It has a strong mussette sound, good for French music.




As with any old accordion, a lot depends on it's age and how it was maintained. If you are not an expert, try to have any potential purchase evaluated by someone who is. There must be a lot of accordion experts in the Cleveland area.

BTW, I grew up in Ohio, but I didn't take up the accordion until after I moved away.

Good luck.