HONER GOLA
- Thread starter Chickers
- Start date
That is more the Scottish tuning style. Tuning a Gola to that level takes a niche instrument and makes.it an instrument for ONE person's pleasure... just my opinion.
Ventura
Been here for ages!
as you all know by now, pretty much everything i have an opinion about
is in the most practical sense and then filtered by the Gig perspective.
now this Morning i did a long Oktoberfest gig that had an hour of
essentially background music until the group called their Meeting to order,
then a more boisterous set while they had Lunch, then the real Party started
during the third set and beyond..
and i marveled, as always, just how incredibly sensitive the Gola is when
playing softly and quietly, and please understand i use the lower half of
the keyboard almost exclusively when playing like this.. all the way to the
lowest note. The Gola L reeds are the most responsive in existence..
literally instantaneous at any air pressure (and also please realize i
ALWAYS have the Sennheiser's on and live so the PA adds a dash of reverb)
so i am squeezing more softly than many of you can even imagine..
and the solo M also is so light and clean.. just amazing in it's crystal clarity
and precision of tone.. we got to talking about those who we lost this year
so i snuck in "i left my heart in San Francisco" for Anthony Dominick Benedetto
and i hope he heard the Gola reeds singing to him as sweetly as angels
the MM is so rich i DO NOT MISS my MMM accordions much, which i use
for serious musette gigs, but are not a good choice for the
"take the most versatile accordion for a variety of music" Gig
did i mention my left arm never feels tired or stressed because
the damn Gola reeds are so easy to move ? so efficient ?
and this is why, dear people, i occasionally am boggled when
someone asks "do you know if my brand/model/x has HM reeds?"
because HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW just from playing it ?
just from whether or not your left shoulder starts to hurt because you
have to squeeze the living shit out of your accordion to get enough sound ?
(sorry)
and when i sing Kishka then the 4th chorus is the instrumental and
all 4 reeds kicking ass in a full throated action packed whirlwind of sound..
yeah the stuff Gola did.. his reedwork.. his empiric discoveries that
he implemented into his accordions.. the sum of it all really is the
best and most versatile and easiest to play accordion i own
and you all know i have some mighty good ones hiding in the barn
one really hopes all Gola's stay in good hands.. players who make
peoples lives better with their music.. not collecting dust in some
rich collectors private museum/accordion purgatory
i hope this helps explain "why the Gola"
is in the most practical sense and then filtered by the Gig perspective.
now this Morning i did a long Oktoberfest gig that had an hour of
essentially background music until the group called their Meeting to order,
then a more boisterous set while they had Lunch, then the real Party started
during the third set and beyond..
and i marveled, as always, just how incredibly sensitive the Gola is when
playing softly and quietly, and please understand i use the lower half of
the keyboard almost exclusively when playing like this.. all the way to the
lowest note. The Gola L reeds are the most responsive in existence..
literally instantaneous at any air pressure (and also please realize i
ALWAYS have the Sennheiser's on and live so the PA adds a dash of reverb)
so i am squeezing more softly than many of you can even imagine..
and the solo M also is so light and clean.. just amazing in it's crystal clarity
and precision of tone.. we got to talking about those who we lost this year
so i snuck in "i left my heart in San Francisco" for Anthony Dominick Benedetto
and i hope he heard the Gola reeds singing to him as sweetly as angels
the MM is so rich i DO NOT MISS my MMM accordions much, which i use
for serious musette gigs, but are not a good choice for the
"take the most versatile accordion for a variety of music" Gig
did i mention my left arm never feels tired or stressed because
the damn Gola reeds are so easy to move ? so efficient ?
and this is why, dear people, i occasionally am boggled when
someone asks "do you know if my brand/model/x has HM reeds?"
because HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW just from playing it ?
just from whether or not your left shoulder starts to hurt because you
have to squeeze the living shit out of your accordion to get enough sound ?
(sorry)
and when i sing Kishka then the 4th chorus is the instrumental and
all 4 reeds kicking ass in a full throated action packed whirlwind of sound..
yeah the stuff Gola did.. his reedwork.. his empiric discoveries that
he implemented into his accordions.. the sum of it all really is the
best and most versatile and easiest to play accordion i own
and you all know i have some mighty good ones hiding in the barn
one really hopes all Gola's stay in good hands.. players who make
peoples lives better with their music.. not collecting dust in some
rich collectors private museum/accordion purgatory
i hope this helps explain "why the Gola"
Aaah, the legendary GOLA and all its myth about her 
Interesting to see this thread in this forum fed by more international - rather than plain German - enthusiasts.
Maybe it (still) polarises and some folks simply dislike it (maybe despite never having seen/played one).
And yes I fully agree Jerry:
Of course finally it always boils down to personal flavour - but I'd say a dry tuning sounds/looks better on her.
I was infected by the GOLA-virus mid 80's when I had the pleasure to not just see one, but also playing it for quite a while and was lucky enough to find a 67 model few years ago and since then being a proud owner and player of it.
What to say more ...
I think Ventura perfectly described the sound, the handling, the emotions and everything else what makes her so special - better than I ever could.
Interesting to see this thread in this forum fed by more international - rather than plain German - enthusiasts.
Maybe it (still) polarises and some folks simply dislike it (maybe despite never having seen/played one).
And yes I fully agree Jerry:
Hearing such a wet tuning it never would remind me the finest instrument I know.
Of course finally it always boils down to personal flavour - but I'd say a dry tuning sounds/looks better on her.
I was infected by the GOLA-virus mid 80's when I had the pleasure to not just see one, but also playing it for quite a while and was lucky enough to find a 67 model few years ago and since then being a proud owner and player of it.
What to say more ...
I think Ventura perfectly described the sound, the handling, the emotions and everything else what makes her so special - better than I ever could.
