HOHNER BRAVO III 120 BASS- BELLOW QUESTION

[szunajski]

Hi All,

I recently acquired a beautiful accordion Hohner Bravo III 120 bass.

I bought it off ebay. It was for parts only. Bellows were not included.

I want to make it playable. For that i need bellows.

I am thinking of the following options:

-Make frame myself and take any bellow with similar dimensions and glue it to the frame I make
- Use bellows from another accordion that might have exactly same frame dimensions
- go to repair shop and order bellows for my accordion (most expensive option)
- Go to repair shop, give them bellows and ask to make frame and glue bellows i give them

What do you think would be best and most cost effective option?
Do you know which accordion/ model could have exactly same bellow dimensions?

Dimensions are as follow:

treble side:
L: 47 CM (ROUNDED)
W: 17 CM (ROUNDED)

bass side:
L: 47 CM (ROUNDED)
W: 16.5 CM (ROUNDED)

PICTURES:

 

[murathan]

I think you better buy bellows for not having problems later.

 

[kimric]

The bellows come from Hohner with frames on them, unfortunately they cost more than a actual Italian set of bellows for some reason.

 

[debra]

The bellows come from Hohner with frames on them, unfortunately they cost more than a actual Italian set of bellows for some reason.

Bellows with frame will certainly cost more from Hohner than an Italian set of bellows without frame. Making the frame is a large part of the job.

 

[kimric]

I don't think Hohner sells plain bellows for the Bravo, not in the US anyway. I was quoted $425 wholesale from Hohner USA for the 72 bass Bravo though they are less than half that in europe retail. They are made in china, the frames are molded not wood ,they are so cheap to make this way that it is easier to just sell them with frames.
The other thing is that the gaskets from the factory are way too thick, you will probably damage the instrument trying to get the pins to line up, i recommend using thinner gaskets.
I can order them out of europe but it will take a bit.

 

[boxplayer4000]

szunajski: Is this not close to what you require?
The difference in your measurements and Hohner's may be down to how you're measuring.

HOHNER SPAREPARTS + MERCHANDISE | Bellow 480 x 185 for Bravo III 120 | purchase online

Bellow 480 x 185 for Bravo III 120 - Bellow 480 x 185 for Bravo III 120

www.hohner-cshop.de

 

[szunajski]

Hi Boxplayer400,

Thank you for the link! I am so surprised thet the bellow alone cost more than what I paid for the instrument.

Measurements I did were for frame alone (Inner edge) , I believe the link of the bellows are the measurements of the bellows, not the frame. I think this is exactly what I need but I do t think I will pay that much.

I will look for alternatives, like searching cheap accordion for parts with similar dimensions and just make frame myself to for the instrumentu

Thank you for replies!

 

[Ventura]

1: this model looks to be a $2000 range instrument brand new

2: the vast majority of old junky parts boxes will be Italian made,
so why would you think they would share much of anything dimensionally
with an accordion built in Asia ?

3: even paying for new bellows, your total cost of ownership would be
under $1000

4: you should then be able to sell for a modest profit if you decide
you don't like it enough to keep.

 

[szunajski]

Hi All,

Thank you for your input all!

I plan to keep it. Still don't want to pay 322 euro. (Converted to USD plus Shipping will be quite a lot if they ship to the us to begin with )

I was thinking of searching another hohner for parts only, from which i could use bellows.

I found this link with PDF file with hohner parts list and pricing.

Spare Accordion Consumer Hohner - PDFCOFFEE.COM

Pricelist Spare Parts Accordion Valid from 01/01/2013Consumer All former pricelists are void / subject to change witho...

pdfcoffee.com

I searched "480 x 185" in PDF and it looks like there are other hohners with same bellow dimensions:












I know what models of hohners i could potentially look for. I think I have tango or Verdi 120 i planned to send to grandpa for parts. I will check dimensions of this accordion bellow. maybe i am luckier than i thought

Now i am thinking this catalogue could be for the models from one generation only. Wonder if old Verdi/Tango will have same dimensions. Lets check!


Thank you,
best,

 

[kimric]

Hi Boxplayer400,

Thank you for the link! I am so surprised thet the bellow alone cost more than what I paid for the instrument.

I get this at my shop sometimes. It's a bit like going to the junkyard and getting a old car and finding out a new set of tires costs more than you paid for the car.
Typically the less you pay for the instrument the more work it will need, though your results may vary.

 

[debra]

If you are unwilling to pay the price for the bellows with frame, made exactly for the accordion you have then you are a bit better off ordering new bellows (from Italy or Slovenia) in the right dimensions but without frame, but to get a frame that will fit and end up with a total lower price than what Hohner charges you need to make the frame yourself. To get it made by a carpenter will also cost more.
It is not a surprise you paid less for the treble+bass parts that were sold "for parts". You did not buy an accordion. You bought parts.
I have to agree with Ventura that even when you pay Hohner for the bellows+frame the total cost will still be less than the actual value of the accordion you end up with. (Don't forget to also buy bellow pins!)

 

[boxplayer4000]

szunajski: I think what several people here are telling you, in different ways, is that while it seems you got a bargain on eBay, then it doesn't follow that you will automatically get the same favourable deal on buying bellows. The bellows prices going around on this thread seem reasonable to me and I suggest that if you were able to obtain the readymade bellows you would finish up with a bargain of an accordion.
The only unknown is the cost of shipping/taxes to the USA.

 

[Ventura]

(Don't forget to also buy bellow pins!)

hey D

since you noticed this thread, what do you think of those
long double riveted Bass reeds in the photo ? i just wasn't
expecting to see anything even mildly amazing on a bravo,
but they look like they might be worth hearing ?

 

[debra]

hey D

since you noticed this thread, what do you think of those
long double riveted Bass reeds in the photo ? i just wasn't
expecting to see anything even mildly amazing on a bravo,
but they look like they might be worth hearing ?

For the lowest bass reeds being double riveted doesn't make them "amazing". It just makes it easy to have the rivets be strong enough to not allow the reeds to move sideways. What is amazing is when you find an accordion where *all* the reeds are double-riveted.