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MaxWhelp

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Hello All,
I just joined the forum, writing to you from the chilly Appalachian mountains in western North Carolina.
I'm intrigued by the chromatic button accordion and so am in the market. My year count is rather advanced so a 120 button bass is 98% surely too heavy. Just guessing, probably 19 pounds is my limit.

My question, which online stores do you suggest I visit. Harmony Musical Workshop impresses me as they appear (?) to really take an enthusiast's interest in rescuing/refurbishing older instruments. But, being in Ukraine, I can't imagine the degree if upheaval they are subjected to. Finding a store in the USA is wise. Or finding a scout here to help in the search. Any suggestions?

Reading online leaves me with impression that well-known manufacturers are cutting corners in the build, so I think I prefer older, refurbished instruments.

Looking forward to future conversations.
 
Welcome Max! Sorry I don’t know any accordion stores in your area. Many of us go with the established vendors in the US like Liberty Bellows or Petosa, or seek an accordion directly from an artigianale maker in Italy.

I believe the “well known manufacturers” have found it difficult to find enough buyers to build only at the quality they prefer because of the price they then need to ask. So they also offer lower priced instruments that require the corner cutting you mention.

The holy grail is to find the balance that fits your pocketbook.

At a certain age weight becomes a huge issue. Are you planning to stand for an hour at a gig, or sit in your studio playing for your own enjoyment? In case 1 you may want to look at a 2 or 3 voice accordion with reduced notes. Beware the giant monsters unless you really really need one.

This is just my 2 cents which cost you nothing and could be as valuable…..
 
Note that a lot of us--probably most?--play the accordion sitting down. In which case the weight of a full-sized accordion rests mainly on your left thigh (plus a bit on your hips if you're using a backstrap). The shoulder straps are mainly there to counteract the push/pull of the bellows.

So the weight might be less of an issue that you might expect. Although not a complete non-issue, since you're still going to have to lug the dang thing around, put it in/out of the case, etc.

I happen to think the 72-bass size is totally adequate for most casual players though, so not a tragedy if you do wind up going that route.
 
There is a store in Chapel Hill, North Carolina called "The Accordion Place". You can google it. His website says sales and repairs.
I have never been there - Yet.
It is about a three and a half hour drive for me as i am in Myrtle Beach.
 
Tom said:
Welcome Max! Sorry I don’t know any accordion stores in your area. Many of us go with the established vendors in the US like Liberty Bellows or Petosa, or seek an accordion directly from an artigianale maker in Italy.

I believe the “well known manufacturers” have found it difficult to find enough buyers to build only at the quality they prefer because of the price they then need to ask. So they also offer lower priced instruments that require the corner cutting you mention.

The holy grail is to find the balance that fits your pocketbook.

At a certain age weight becomes a huge issue. Are you planning to stand for an hour at a gig, or sit in your studio playing for your own enjoyment? In case 1 you may want to look at a 2 or 3 voice accordion with reduced notes. Beware the giant monsters unless you really really need one.

This is just my 2 cents which cost you nothing and could be as valuable…..
Click to expand...
Yes, good suggestions. I had a borrowed instrument back in the 2000s. It was too heavy in the end. 120 bass. I don't think I will be gigging any time soon (except in case of emergencies to empty the room).
I don't know enough music terminology to express it, but I suppose I'd want 2 octaves in the right hand, 72 or 90 buttons bass (or whatever the options are). I don't understand voices and accordions yet, I will have Liberty Bellow explain.
 
Caps said:
There is a store in Chapel Hill, North Carolina called "The Accordion Place". You can google it. His website says sales and repairs.
I have never been there - Yet.
It is about a three and a half hour drive for me as i am in Myrtle Beach.
Click to expand...
thanks for the suggestion. I think you are closer to the shop than I am. If I can establish a good relationship with Liberty Bellows (why not...) than probably shipping to them is more practical than Chapel Hill. But...you never know. !!
 
Welcome Max!

About two years ago, a forum member created this spreadsheet of all of the known accordion shops in the US and Canada. These are businesses that specialize in accordions. Some shops do repairs only, and some may have only piano accordions for sale. It will be harder to find chromatic button accordions, but they are available. Many forum members play them, including myself. Besides the size, you will have to decide on either a C-system or B-system keyboard. One of the best online shops is Liberty Bellows, and they have demo videos of most of their instruments.

BTW, right in Asheville you will find the Squeezebox Garage. Bob Snope is a very experienced and excellent accordion repairman, but I don't know that he sells instruments. If you were to find a used instrument, he could assess the condition and tell you if it needed repairs.
 
Last edited:
SteveBox said:
Welcome Max!

About two years ago, a forum member created this spreadsheet of all of the known accordion shops in the US and Canada. These are businesses that specialize in accordions. Some shops do repairs only, and some may have only piano accordions for sale. It will be harder to find chromatic button accordions, but they are available. Many forum members play them, including myself. Besides the size, you will have to decide on either a C-system or B-system keyboard. One of the best online shops is Liberty Bellows, and they have demo videos of most of their instruments.

BTW, right in Asheville you will find the Squeezebox Garage. Bob Snope is a very experienced and excellent accordion repairman, but I don't know that he sells instruments. If you were to find a used instrument nearby, he could access the condition and tell you if it needed repairs.
Click to expand...
Hey there,
A second vote for Liberty Bellows. Great. And Squeezebox Garage is my home town, for the moment. Thanks for the tips.
 
SteveBox said:
Welcome Max!

About two years ago, a forum member created this spreadsheet of all of the known accordion shops in the US and Canada. These are businesses that specialize in accordions. Some shops do repairs only, and some may have only piano accordions for sale. It will be harder to find chromatic button accordions, but they are available. Many forum members play them, including myself. Besides the size, you will have to decide on either a C-system or B-system keyboard. One of the best online shops is Liberty Bellows, and they have demo videos of most of their instruments.

BTW, right in Asheville you will find the Squeezebox Garage. Bob Snope is a very experienced and excellent accordion repairman, but I don't know that he sells instruments. If you were to find a used instrument nearby, he could access the condition and tell you if it needed repairs.
Click to expand...
BTW, I have researched B vs C-system. There doesn't seem to be any clear benefit for one or other, just what one is familiar with. Some maintain that Eastern European/Russian players prefer B-system for their style of music. Me-dunno...
 
MaxWhelp said:
BTW, I have researched B vs C-system. There doesn't seem to be any clear benefit for one or other, just what one is familiar with. Some maintain that Eastern European/Russian players prefer B-system for their style of music. Me-dunno...
Click to expand...

I have B griff accordions for which it is almost impossible to find tutorial material in English.

C griff is much more common outside of the Balkans and Russia and there is a greater choice of 'method' books available in English and French.
There are many more secondhand C griff instruments being sold and traded so your choice is much greater in that layout.
I have the English version of the 'Method' written by Luciano and Richard Galliano which, barring the treble fingering, I have found to be well suited to my own needs. It covers both C griff Chromatic Button and Piano keyboard fingerings.
 
You might want to try Tempo Trend in Victoria,B.C. The owner ships all around the world. In the past I bought all of my accordions from Liberty Bellows but if you are in the U.S. buying from Canada is a huge bargain right now as the rate of exchange is very low in Canada. There is also Keith in St.Catherine’s ,Ontario. It would be impossible for me to buy in the U.S. now but for people outside the country you can’t get a better deal today.
 
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