Love my Titano Cosmopolitan, Virtuoso as good?

[craigd]

The one thing missing from my Cosmopolitan that I'd like to try is quint convertor. I'm considering a Virtuoso with the convertor, too far away to try and I don't know if it will have the sound my Cosmopolitan has that I love. It's a very responsive, dynamic sound, with a subtle richness that's hard to describe. I suppose it derives mainly from the reeds and the reed blocks, so I'm wondering if anyone knows if these would be the same in the Virtuoso. I think the bodies of the accordions are very similar. They are both of 1960s vintage.

 

[craigd]

The one thing missing from my Cosmopolitan that I'd like to try is quint convertor. I'm considering a Virtuoso with the convertor, too far away to try and I don't know if it will have the sound my Cosmopolitan has that I love. It's a very responsive, dynamic sound, with a subtle richness that's hard to describe. I suppose it derives mainly from the reeds and the reed blocks, so I'm wondering if anyone knows if these would be the same in the Virtuoso. I think the bodies of the accordions are very similar. They are both of 1960s vintage.

I should add that neither instrument has a tone chamber.

 

[JIM D.]

Two answers --- First . these two models have the same construction and the same hand made reeds. I've owned
& them both and both have the same qualities & volume of sound. The bass machines of these two are the same
dimensions and can be interchanged with a re- drilling for bellows pins.

 

[craigd]

Two answers --- First . these two models have the same construction and the same hand made reeds. I've owned
& them both and both have the same qualities & volume of sound. The bass machines of these two are the same
dimensions and can be interchanged with a re- drilling for bellows pins.

Thanks Jim. I want to reduce my small accordion collection down to one full size and one compact accordion, so the possibility of interchanging bass and treble sides of the Virtuoso and Cosmopolitan intrigues me. I am so taken with the sound of my Cosmopolitan that I've come to believe it's one of a kind. if I can keep the treble side and add the convertor bass, that may give me my forever accordion

 

[Walker]

The old Cosmopolitan Converter is a fascinating and very elegant instrument. The absence of cassotto and the presence of marvellous reeds by the great names like Catraro, Binci, Baldelli etc., gives it a remarkable, warm and pure tone. Apparently they are light accordions too - and that matters! The Titano website states around 11kg.

Here's a Cosmopolitan Converter played by Dr. William Popp.



I really appreciate an instrument with true balance and high degree of consistency of tone between the hands. It is not an instrument that revels in the thunder and glory of a brutal bass line. No, this is for those that believe in a different version of the classical accordion.

The big brother of the Cosmopolitan Converter is the Royal Converter, which has cassotto. If you can get a 41 key version that would be very cool (but most RCs had extended keyboards). They are a bit heavier due to cassotto. I think the CC as an overall package is hard to beat.

 

[danp76]

The Cosmopolitans are great, I also have a chambered Virtuoso and Royal. There’s isn’t a huge difference in sound between the two Cosmopolitans that I have, the Royal and Virtuoso. I believe the Virtuoso models were equipped with hand finished reeds, where the Cosmo and Royal have the hand made reeds.

 

[Walker]

Absolutely @danp76, the Cosmopolitan is a Royal (more or less) minus the cassotto. Seems to me the Titano Royal is also the same instrument as Richard Galliano's 1963 Victoria W420V, just with a different badge (and keys instead of buttons).... and well, accordionists don't get more discerning than RG.

Just sayin'.​

 

[John Doe]

 

[KLR]

I've come across that chart too, and wondered if it applied to vintage instruments. The model names certainly haven't changed.

My old Virtuoso Converter arrived yesterday,and I'm making headway with building up stradella chords, after playing C griff forever. Mostly getting dizzy when the tonic is on the counterbass row... where's that pesky flat five...or finding where to go when you're at the end of the keyboard and need more room. But the treble is working great.

The bass notes don't respond so readily, which is to be expected to a point, sure, but a few of them are really in need of servicing. And it's crossed my mind to just have the bass side fitted with a mano reeds. Or get the reeds I have looked at - for what it's worth - the leathers don't appear curled too badly in the seller's photos. Maybe I could just have the bass notes worked on.

Or maybe I could save up or sell some items and buy the Royal Converter Liberty Bellows has...for $4k. The Virtuoso was $2.2k. I'd love to have cassoto while I'm at it.