Piermaria or Pierre Mario?

[Inflammo]

I’ve been looking for a good instrument to play folk on in a separate thread and Jamie Smiths accordion was mentioned. I think this is actually a Pierre Mario though and not a Piermaria- am I right? What are Piermarias like as I’ve spotted what looks like a decent 96 bass 3 voice box?

 

[maugein96]

Piermaria is a top name maker from Castelfidardo in Italy, and I would have no hesitation in recommending their accordions, to anybody, with the usual caveat concerning used accordions. .

The name "Piermaria" is the surname of the founder of the Italian company, which also manufactured accordions in Paris for some years, overseen by Nazzareno Piermaria. Their instruments for the French market are now all made in Italy, and they also used to build some of Crucianelli's top of the range instruments.

The make is also marketed in Brazil under the name "Pampiana".

You won't really find a better mainstream accordion manufacturer, and the only "fault" they have is that the make has never really been popular in the UK. Consequently I've never owned one, but have played a few of their French range CBAs, and they are superb instruments.

Never heard of a "Pierre Mario", not even in the gaming world!

 

[dunlustin]

I have read that the Pierre Mario brand was named to take advantage of PierMaria's reputation - a bit like v Soprani and P Soprani.
Whatever the truth in that, Piermaria was (at least in France ) for a long time considered one of the big builders. Their range went from student models up. I see they're still in the market but I've no idea who builds them.

 

[maugein96]

I have read that the Pierre Mario brand was named to take advantage of PierMarias reputation - a bit like v Soprani and P Soprani.
Whatever the truth in that, Piermaria was (at least in France ) for a long time considered one of the big builders. Their range went from student models up. I see theyre still in the market but Ive no idea who builds them.

Hi dunlustin,

Piermaria were indeed one of the major players in France, and they still make a French CBA range. They used to have a small factory/repair facility in Rue de Charenton, in Paris, but I believe they closed it down about 1986, and transferred all production to Castelfidardo. They probably lost a lot of French orders when that happened, and the make doesnt seem to be as popular as it once was in France.

Cavagnolo seem to be getting quite aggressive with their marketing of late, following their move to a bigger more modern factory, and I wouldnt be at all surprised if they forced Maugein to close their doors for good in the not too distant future.

 

[Anyanka]

I’ve been looking for a good instrument to play folk on in a separate thread and Jamie Smiths accordion was mentioned. I think this is actually a Pierre Mario though and not a Piermaria- am I right? What are Piermarias like as I’ve spotted what looks like a decent 96 bass 3 voice box?

Ive peered at some photos of Jamie Smith, and have managed to decipher the lettering - its Pietro Mario - designed for Irish music. If its good enough for Jamie, itll be good enough, I expect, but I dont know anything about the brand.

http://www.pietromario.ie/pietro_mario.html

 

[triskel]

I have read that the Pierre Mario brand was named to take advantage of PierMarias reputation - a bit like v Soprani and P Soprani.

Id be familiar with Pietro Mario accordions, but Ive never come across his French namesake Pierre (Pierre = Pietro = Peter). Pietro Mario were made for them by Brandoni.

Virgilio Soprani was a member of the Soprani family - he was the son of (Paolo Sopranis cousin) Silvio Soprani. He set up as a maker in Recanati in 1937 and originally branded his instruments V. Soprani di Silvio.

 

[debra]

I have read that the Pierre Mario brand was named to take advantage of PierMarias reputation - a bit like v Soprani and P Soprani.

Id be familiar with Pietro Mario accordions, but Ive never come across his French namesake Pierre (Pierre = Pietro = Peter). Pietro Mario were made for them by Brandoni.
...

According to their own website the instruments are made by Bompezzi, not Brandoni. (Bompezzi is yet another small factory in Castelfidardo.)

 

[donn]

Ive peered at some photos of Jamie Smith, and have managed to decipher the lettering - its Pietro Mario - designed for Irish music. If its good enough for Jamie, itll be good enough, I expect, but I dont know anything about the brand.

http://www.pietromario.ie/pietro_mario.html

Ive been there - I mean, trying to decipher the name on that box, that turned out to be Pietro Mario. Cant remember who was playing it, a woman as I recall. Great sound.

 

[maugein96]

Oh well,

Tried to put 2 cents worth in again without reading the OP properly.

It was all to do with folk music, and I missed that completely to extol the virtues of Piermaria.

Just waiting for another opportunity to type before I read again, but I dare say it won't be too long.

I now know there is an accordion named Pietro Mario, and they look pretty fine instruments if I say so myself.

As the ringmaster said when the Big Top went on fire, "Better get the folk out of here, quick!"

 

[triskel]

According to their own website the [Pietro Mario] instruments are made by Bompezzi, not Brandoni.

Bompezzo/Brandoni is the same difference in fact, but the late Peter Di Benedetto (founder of Pietro Mario) himself told me it was Brandoni who were making them for him... :?

I didnt realise Pietro Mario were still in business though - they certainly havent been making their presence felt, and (though I know two well-known Irish players who were given their button accordions, but dont use them) Ive never come across anybody actually playing one.

 

[Inflammo]

According to their own website the [Pietro Mario] instruments are made by Bompezzi, not Brandoni.

Bompezzo/Brandoni is the same difference in fact, but the late Peter Di Benedetto (founder of Pietro Mario) himself told me it was Brandoni who were making them for him... :?

I didnt realise Pietro Mario were still in business though - they certainly havent been making their presence felt, and (though I know two well-known Irish players who were given their button accordions, but dont use them) Ive never come across anybody actually playing one.

Jamie Smith from Mabon plays a Pietro Mario which he was sold I believe by Colin Nicholson from the Rob Heron and the Tea Pad Orchestra who I saw last week playing at Upton Blues festival on another Pietro Mario...interesting a 78 bass

 

[debra]

According to their own website the [Pietro Mario] instruments are made by Bompezzi, not Brandoni.

Bompezzo/Brandoni is the same difference in fact, but the late Peter Di Benedetto (founder of Pietro Mario) himself told me it was Brandoni who were making them for him... :?
...

Of course. I should have remembered that. They list themselves as Via Martiri della Libertà, numbers 3 and 4...