Just picked up a new toy this afternoon

[Mike K]

I just got a fantastic deal on a La Tosca accordion today. Never heard of that make and it says it was made by Gretsch...the guitar company. Everything appears to be in great condition, do not think it was played a lot. Case and back pad are like new...maybe the pad was replaced. Mine looks beat compared to this one. Has Musette tuning so great on the French music side. Stereo pickups built in.

A few weird things, the register selectors are in a different order than other accordions I have played. Two lower selections on top then switches to Violin and Musette, then Master in the Middle, then back to Organ below. Just need to get used to it.

This makes three....I may have to sell my Giulietti Continental. It has the extra three bassetti rows on top and I have never been able to get used to playing them up there. I learned on a Convertor style and it is just awkward for me trying to play way up there. Also makes it awkward to switch registers in the middle of a song.

The straps are in good shape but there is very little cushioning on them. Previously I read that some people had gotten a "harness" instead of straps and a back strap. Would like to investigate that option, any recommendations appreciated. Also any history on the La Tosca accordions would be interesting to hear.

 

[Ventura]

the Gretch company was one of the Great American Music brands,
originally world famous for their Drums which were multi-ply Birch
and rivaled the best kits offered by their peers Slingerland and Ludwig..

Gene Krupa was a famous Gretch user

they branched out into Guitars, and made some of the most iconic
Acoustic-Electric models still sought after by collectors such as
the Chet Atkins country gentleman

Fred Gretch ran the company for most of my life, and just
like his contemporary Chris Martin at Martin Guitars, he did
an excellent job keeping the Gretch company relevant through
years of market changes as well as profitable while still being
very committed to supporting and inspiring young people
to become Musicians

Gretch branched out into many other instrument lines, typically
offering from Beginner through Semi-Professional instruments
(except of course they contimued Pro Guitar and Drum models)
they even had a full line of Strings and accessories and were
a full line "jobber" to independant Music Stores, as well as
providing several lines to Sears and Roebucks, who handled
their beginner Drum kits.

the la Tosca accordion line was part of that, also offered through
Sears for a long time, while a better quality level La Tosca was
made available to the independant music stores who became
Gretch Dealers

i do not know which Italian companies were used to source the
la Tosca models, though obviously Gretch USA handled the
cosmetic and logo design specifications, while the Accordions would
have been ordered for "price point" targets and to cover all levels
of beginner through student to Semi-Pro use. in general Gretch
ordered/required better quality for la Tosca than other jobber
accordion rivals as their reputation in general for higher quality
was respected and maintained

occasionally a La Tosca is found with very high quality features and
components, so there were some custom or extra fancy boxes made,
likely for the Music School teachers (who were seling the lesser models,
but the teachers needed to play and show off using inspiring looking
and sounding models of course)

back in the 50's the nomenclature of the shifts had not been
standardized, so you will find many different positions and
names on the shifts when the companies were largely trying
to one up each other, or just avoid copycatting exactly for fear
of litigation

seems like you found a nice one and should enjoy it for many years to come

i liked Fred, and always respected his company and instruments
and his positive involvement in the Music trades was considerable

 

[Mike K]

Thank you for the info. Seems like a pretty nice accordion. My original Giulietti still needs some work that I need to get done on it. Have to travel a couple hours to get it to someone to work on it and I keep putting it off. This will give me something else to use while it is gone. Also will likely be my go to for my French Music sessions.

 

[Mike K]

This appears to be the same accordion I just got. If this price is realistic, I got a great deal.

Gretsch "La Tosca Tuxedo" Electrified Accordion w/ Case. 41/120. 9 Voices. 4/5 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Gretsch "La Tosca Tuxedo" Electrified Accordion w/ Case. 41/120. 9 Voices. 4/5 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Gretsch "La Tosca Tuxedo" Electrified Accordion w/ Case. 41/120. 9 Voices. 4/5​

Time Travel Music

• (3362)

• 100% positive
• Seller's other itemsSeller's other items
• Contact seller

US $1,275.00

 

[Alan Polivka]

The "Eldorado" was the most famous La Tosca model because Joe Biviano was involved in its design, gearing it toward the desires of his brother-in-law, Charles Magnante (often referred to as "the world's greatest accordionist"). Charles played an Eldorado for a while, breaking away from his decades of tradition of playing Excelsior accordions. Another famous accordionist and composer, Dominic Frontiere, played an Eldorado. Dominic composed several famous TV theme songs. He was the husband of Georgia Frontiere, who owned the LA Rams for several decades.
I am fortunate enough to own a La Tosca Eldorado (not to be confused with the Stradavox Eldorado, which I also have one of). The La Tosca Eldorado is a double tone chamber box with a beautiful, somewhat unique sound.
Your La Tosca does not look like an Eldorado, but it has the same type of shift (register) buttons. Does it have handmade reeds?

 

[Mike K]

The "Eldorado" was the most famous La Tosca model because Joe Biviano was involved in its design, gearing it toward the desires of his brother-in-law, Charles Magnante (often referred to as "the world's greatest accordionist"). Charles played an Eldorado for a while, breaking away from his decades of tradition of playing Excelsior accordions. Another famous accordionist and composer, Dominic Frontiere, played an Eldorado. Dominic composed several famous TV theme songs. He was the husband of Georgia Frontiere, who owned the LA Rams for several decades.
I am fortunate enough to own a La Tosca Eldorado (not to be confused with the Stradavox Eldorado, which I also have one of). The La Tosca Eldorado is a double tone chamber box with a beautiful, somewhat unique sound.
Your La Tosca does not look like an Eldorado, but it has the same type of shift (register) buttons. Does it have handmade reeds?

I have no idea and do not know how to tell. I have not opened it up yet. Appears the model is a "Tuxedo". Liberty Bellows had several listings for the Tuxedo but does not say anything about whether it is handmade reeds...prices were $1500 to 1900. Sweet musette for French and Italian but wish it had a selection with just one middle reed with the upper and lower for playing standards or jazz. The musette sounds a little off for that style.

 

[Alan Polivka]

I have no idea and do not know how to tell. I have not opened it up yet. Appears the model is a "Tuxedo". Liberty Bellows had several listings for the Tuxedo but does not say anything about whether it is handmade reeds...prices were $1500 to 1900. Sweet musette for French and Italian but wish it had a selection with just one middle reed with the upper and lower for playing standards or jazz. The musette sounds a little off for that style.

Here's how to tell if the reeds are "handmade" or not.

 

[dak]

Here's how to tell if the reeds are "handmade" or not.

You often get the blue. The difference indicated by the blue on the side of the rivet is that the steel has been cut into thin long stripes before tempering while at the base indicates that the steel has been tempered in larger bands. The reeds cut from the thin long stripes tend to be of slightly better properties than the ones cut sideways from broader bands.

Note that those are all details from processing industrial Swedish steel of superior quality. Those sources for steel have dried up. I don't really know what to look for in current-day instruments. When in doubt, play it.

 

[debra]

You often get the blue. The difference indicated by the blue on the side of the rivet is that the steel has been cut into thin long stripes before tempering while at the base indicates that the steel has been tempered in larger bands. The reeds cut from the thin long stripes tend to be of slightly better properties than the ones cut sideways from broader bands.

Note that those are all details from processing industrial Swedish steel of superior quality. Those sources for steel have dried up. I don't really know what to look for in current-day instruments. When in doubt, play it.

The word "sideways" is the key here. If the reed tongues were cut from a wider band of steel lengthwise they would be just as good as the a mano reeds cut from a narrow band of steel. It I think that reed manufacturers deliberately cut the reed tongues sideways is that this makes them have different (inferior) sound characteristics than the tongues that are cut out lengthwise.