ITALIAN ACCORDION- UNIVERSAL (Treasure or not?)

[szunajski]

HI experts,
I hope you are doing well!

I happened to buy accordion.
It is UNIVERSAL BRAND.
Very small although 120 bass.
I am not sure what it has inside. I believe 2 reeds HM (Not sure though)
I was wondering what is the value of it and in general if this is quality accordion or not.



Can you please help with any information about it?


I found identical accordion (Well, in much better shape) on the reverb site. But come on, the user is asking for 1,4k USD.
https://reverb.com/item/27878380-universal-120-bass-black-overhauled-used

I would really appreciate any input!

PS. I am learning how to play and to be honest i dont like the sound of the melody side, but bass side is very nice.

Thank you,
Grettings!!

 

[Dingo40]

Hi Szunajski!
Here's an earlier thread on Universal accordions :

Help identifying a Universal accordion

Hello, I am new to the forum and would like to know if anyone can give me any information about this Universal Accordion. I have searched all around and connot not find any info on the instrument not even a pic of the same model. Also in looking at the reeds I have been told that it may be made...

www.accordionists.info

 

[Dingo40]

Here's a related thread:

Can Anyone tell me Anything about this Accordion and/or the Company Who Made it?

If you read my thread in the Accordion Chat section you can read a nice story about how this nice vintage starter accordion is being donated to a deserving young boy who's parents are in tough financially at the moment. The name of that thread is "Accordion to me, this is a Cool Christmas...

www.accordionists.info

 

[Vladimir M.]

(Treasure or not?)​

Hi,

the question has two levels, both of which cannot be answered.

A/ substantive level: I can't see the inside of the instrument, the quality of the reeds, wax, resonators - I can't answer.
B/ emotional level: an instrument can become valuable for the owner also because, for example, it will help overcome a difficult period of life (health or relationship problems) - there is no answer to this either. You own it too short.

Of course, everything can always be expressed in financial value, but it is always relative...

Best regards, Vladimir

 

[boxplayer4000]

​

szunajski:
Your accordion looks like it may have been intended to be used in a marching band, as an accompanying instrument rather than playing the lead melody. Those 'bass' instruments are still available for sale. On yours it appears that on the treble end there is a single bass reed available or another single reed, probably an octave higher, but not both together. A 'mute' coupler is available to save air but still allow the player to 'play' the treble end.
Your observation that the instrument is very compact (light?) supports the idea that it was intended for a marching band.

 

[szunajski]

Thank you all for all the information you provided. I learned few new things thanks to you!

I am adding few pictures from the inside. The accordion has 2 set of reeds on melody side and 4 on bass side. Reeds look fine to me (but my eye is no expert eye)

One thing I noticed, it is challenging to not to press two/three keys at once. Very small keyboard and small distance between bass buttons

I think my main question was if the accordion in the perfect shape is really worth $1,400 as per reverb.

https://reverb.com/item/27878380-universal-120-bass-black-overhauled-used

How much would you guy willing to pay?

For the context, I am not selling the instrument. I have acquaintance who was interested in buying it and offered $400. I was wondering if he knows more abut the instrument and tries to make money of me or the value is about 400. The reverb price seem WAYYY To high.

Thank you all,
Regards,

 

[Ventura]

thank you for the internal pics

while you can see 3 reedblocks in the treble, if you count the reeds
and note the cut of the reedblocks, it verifies that this is a 2 octave
L M setup

the condition of the leathers indicates this accordion was stored
for many decades in a temperate environment with normal humidity

you mentioned you did not care for the sound ? did you mean out of tune
or just the quality of the reeds ? they are likely "export" or student level quality.

it is a 4 reed Bass section

it seems to me it would be a 3/4 size

the wood is finished inside, which means they took a bit more time
to build and finish the box than some "student level accordion" makers invest.

my God it certainly is glitzy and really over the top for shifts,
suggesting it was outfitted to "trick" parents into thinking
it was a very expensive instrument (a common practice)
with the nearly exclusive added feature of a Mute
(i am being facetious)
what kid would have ever practiced his accordion with only the
sound of the pads hitting !

though this WOULD be a bonus to someone who wanted a smaller
accordion for a MIDI conversion

so at the end of the day, a 2 reed accordion is a 2 reed accordion
as far as it's usefulness is concerned, and a fancy looking accordion may
be worth more to someone like a young player who will be busking
around town, and the condition is certainly playable with minor repair needs
that you may find as you test it out (a stuck reed or some sluggish shifts,
and of course give it a fresh bellows gasket)

but a nice find, because this box COULD be very very useful to someone
and easily give them years of service

personally, i am always watching for ones in this condition at the right price,
but i tend to just gift them to students or anyone who expresses a genuine
interest in playing accordion (in which case i give them one before they
change their mind, and hopefully/sometimes get them "hooked" before
they think twice)

in your area, this should be an easy sell, as used accordion prices
tend to be higher in your region, though there are a lot of instruments
available at any given moment too. Search your Craigslist within 100
miles of your zip code for comparison pricing

and considering parts prices, i suppose that many nice supple reedleathers and
re-inforcing springs are worth $400 bucks ?

was there a personalization nameplate where that black strip is next to the
BIG universal ? perhaps this was another Doris ?

 

[Tom]

I agree with Ventura about seeking price info in your area. It’s a cool accordion but I can’t see $1400 in my neck of the woods, even in perfect, meticulous condition, $400 seems closer to what I could get. Your results will vary!

 

[Vladimir M.]

I think my main question was if the accordion in the perfect shape is really worth $1,400 as per reverb.
https://reverb.com/item/27878380-universal-120-bass-black-overhauled-used

This is an advertisement of a German seller from Salzkotten (CLICK), whose prices are very exorbitant even by German standards. Please an exmple: CLICK.
On the other hand, it is questionable what a reasonable price is. It always depends on the needs of the accordionist whether the instrument suits him or not. If so, then the willingness to pay a higher amount is higher. I appreciate the clean and well-preserved reeds (without any signs of rust), valves and overall clean-looking interior of the instrument. Even its exterior looks very well preserved. But notice what's on that ad you linked to:

That instrument has been "rotting" in the offer there for 5 years. So it probably won't be a very sought-after model and if you wanted to sell something like that for such a high price, you might be sitting on it for the next 5 years. But who knows? If there were nice photos of the clean interior of the box in the ad and if the advantages of the instrument - its compactness and low weight - were praised, maybe there would be someone who needs it "right now" and would be willing to pay even that amount for it. In business, people often make subconscious and seemingly irrational decisions.

BTW, congrats on a nice and interesting box.

Best regards, Vladimir

 

[murathan]

I m not an expert but it seems in very good condition, probably a full maintenance done there. So it possibly be over 400 and 1400 is too much. I guess around 650-800 will be fair. Not an important or a standard model, that is making a price decrease but not as much as 400.

 

[boxplayer4000]

This is an advertisement of a German seller from Salzkotten (CLICK), whose prices are very exorbitant even by German standards. Please an exmple: CLICK.

Vladimir M:
"Universal' is a Universal name, maybe used by more than one supplier. The accordion in the German site has all the signs of a Chinese one.

 

[szunajski]

Thank you all for your input!!

 

[kimric]

I believe Universal was somehow associated with Guerrini. They are pretty common in my area. Almost all of them have hand finished reeds, yours has the backing washers on the rivets, i believe this was to distribute the clamping of the rivet over a larger area to even out the pressure. and possibly gain better tuning accuracy. I have rebuilt/tuned up a lot of these and they are generally better built than most student instruments of that size.
I sell a lot of them to women and children with smaller hands.
The one issue they have is that some of them were built using foam rubber instead of felt. this made for a very quiet keyboard , but the foam is now 70 years old. Sometimes the foam is still good, but usually it is hard and crumbles when poked and will disintegrate when played much.
I sell these after service for about $900, they sold for about $400+ in the 50's.

 

[Ben-jammin]

One thing is this sounds to be a reduced size instrument for a young child (how many inches is the 41 note keyboard?). Unless the person considering it is of appropriate size it may be uncomfortable if not impossible to play. Irregardless of the “market” value and “fair” price, there may not be too many people looking for such a small instrument.