I have £300 to spend on a new piano accordion, which one?

[skippy]

Hi, Im buying an accordion for my wife for Christmas and I wanted to know the best option for a brand new piano accordion around £300. She is a complete beginner and I think 24 Bass keys is probably the best size for her. There are a couple of models for sale at that price...

Ive seen a

Pearl River
http://www.theaccordionshop.co.uk/shop/new/id-2870

and a Chanson
http://www.theaccordionshop.co.uk/shop/new/id-2596

Are either of these any good? Any other options to look for?

 

[Pippa]

Personally I wouldn't go for smaller than a 32 bass (or 48), you'll be limiting the functionality quite a lot! You can get reasonable accordions within that price range.

 

[skippy]

Thanks for your reply, which 32 bass accordions would you suggest at that price?

 

[george garside]

Thanks for your reply, which 32 bass accordions would you suggest at that price?

Both the ones at the accordion shop Rochdale are of course Chinese and they tend to vey from box to box in quality so would strongly advise to try before buying. Also consider the very high depreciation , which to be fair only comes into it when its going to be sold or part exed.

My thoughts would be to go for used, pre owned, second hand or whatever you want to call it . The Rochdale shop has 3 Hohner student 32 bass for around your price and these are good boxes that will keep their value and all things being equal be far nicer to play.

george

 

[Glenn]

I too would go for a second hand one.
If you have an accordion shop in the neighbourhood I would spend some time to visit it.
I'm sure they have plenty smaller accordions.
I agree, 48 bass is the minimum. There are many student models of this size.

 

[pentaprism]

I too recommend a second hand. I don't know about your side of the pond, but on this side, there are many decent used ones for US$ 500.

Of course you need to be more selective when buying used. It's better to buy from an accordion player who is upgrading or is trimming off his/her collection than buying from a person who just "discovered" an accordion in his/her basement.

 

[Happy girl]

Yes, all the previous posts are spot on.

The desire to present your wife with a brand new box by spending the maximum you can afford sounds, on the surface, to be an ideal situation, & she is indeed a very fortunate lady.

My husband paid for my accordion so I am in this category too, but this is where our similarities end.

My accordion looks like a beautiful brand new model & plays like a dream, but I got twice the value & therefore a superior instrument by purchasing second hand.

We went together to a reputable shop & received a wealth of advice & information; no rush, no pressure. Your wife will want to try on her new acquisition & have someone play it for her so that she can hear for herself if the sound is pleasing to her ears. This sort of service is priceless.

Why not explore new £300 modells & then compare with the value & quality you could get by buying second hand for the same amount of money? I think you will be amazed at the difference & it will be a lot of fun to do.

If you let us know your location, someone from this forum is bound to know a good shop/supplier to recommend.

Finally, maybe a member from this forum has a box suitable for your purpose.

Enjoy your search; take your time & remember; A dog is not just for Christmas & neither is an accordion!

Let us know how you get on.

Best wishes to you & your lovely wife - Happy Girl