Question about accordions being sold for parts

[Gatorcheesehead]

I see a lot of used accordions for sale for "parts."
It seems to me that they might be good for accordion fixers and repairers who know what to look for in a good and useable part vs a not so good or useable part.
Could other someone shed some more light about these?
Some questions that have come to mind:
Is it like selling or buying a vehicle for parts?
It seems like a bit of a gamble and risk?
Have you bought them? Have you sold them? How did it go?
Are there actually parts that can be used from them?

 

[Ventura]

typically in the USA, these are accordions that had been listed on
Craigslist or EBay for the last year or three at some ridiculous price
with the words "like new" or "Barely used" somewhere in the description..

once someone had finally gone to look and try the for sale item,
then laughed in the sellers face and ridiculed the description as
they pointed out all the things that made it actually unplayable..
THEN
they often re-list it as "Parts" and "no returns accepted"
with a "Must Go" and "Final Discount" in the header occasionally including "as is"
with description of the defect and an "easily repaired" advisory in the next sentence..

> Are there actually parts that can be used from them?

seldom, unless you have one of the exact same make and model
which you are fixing up and need parts for

for example, there is a beautiful pre-war patti bros on the DC craigslist,
started at $499 @ a year ago and is now down to $99, and which is obviously
unplayable from the photo's alone, but no-one has stopped in to
see this one yet..

it could make a rather nice Lamp project for the living room or one
might wish to salvage the Rhinestones as there are still many clinging to
to the grilleworks

then there was the antique dealer in Ellicott City who dropped his Tula Bayan
which of course caused the entire Bass mechanism to turn into a pile of
"pick up stix".. then he listed each component of the Bayan separately
with extensive photo's and wanted more for each pile of parts separately
than the box was worth before it fell to earth.. he relisted them for over 2 years

religiously

> if it was an easy fix, why didn't they do the repair before they tried to sell it ?
> wouldn't it be worth a lot more if it was working ?

because there are few if any easy repairs of an old accordion

 

[debra]

Until now I have always received "accordions for parts" for free. Most accordions "for parts" have very few actually usable parts. Some do still have usable reeds, but most have badly rusted reds. Sometimes there are a few usable springs or other small items, for instance screws, bolts, bellow pins. I have occasionally been able to actually use something from my pile of random parts.

 

[Javthedog]

Just put a 'wanted' on Freecycle for 'scrap' accordions in sheds or lofts.....see what happens

 

[Gatorcheesehead]

typically in the USA, these are accordions that had been listed on
Craigslist or EBay for the last year or three at some ridiculous price
with the words "like new" or "Barely used" somewhere in the description..

once someone had finally gone to look and try the for sale item,
then laughed in the sellers face and ridiculed the description as
they pointed out all the things that made it actually unplayable..
THEN
they often re-list it as "Parts" and "no returns accepted"
with a "Must Go" and "Final Discount" in the header occasionally including "as is"
with description of the defect and an "easily repaired" advisory in the next sentence..

> Are there actually parts that can be used from them?

seldom, unless you have one of the exact same make and model
which you are fixing up and need parts for

for example, there is a beautiful pre-war patti bros on the DC craigslist,
started at $499 @ a year ago and is now down to $99, and which is obviously
unplayable from the photo's alone, but no-one has stopped in to
see this one yet..

it could make a rather nice Lamp project for the living room or one
might wish to salvage the Rhinestones as there are still many clinging to
to the grilleworks

then there was the antique dealer in Ellicott City who dropped his Tula Bayan
which of course caused the entire Bass mechanism to turn into a pile of
"pick up stix".. then he listed each component of the Bayan separately
with extensive photo's and wanted more for each pile of parts separately
than the box was worth before it fell to earth.. he relisted them for over 2 years

religiously

> if it was an easy fix, why didn't they do the repair before they tried to sell it ?
> wouldn't it be worth a lot more if it was working ?

because there are few if any easy repairs of an old accordion

very interesting and helpful. thank you. very nice reference of the pick up stix.

I am curious where accordions end up when their music producing days are done. The dump? Reuses, repurposes for non-musical use?
Supposedly some use some decoration purposes. I suppose some wind up in museums.

This makes me think again of using such accordions as part of some recycled art

 

[Gatorcheesehead]

Until now I have always received "accordions for parts" for free. Most accordions "for parts" have very few actually usable parts. Some do still have usable reeds, but most have badly rusted reds. Sometimes there are a few usable springs or other small items, for instance screws, bolts, bellow pins. I have occasionally been able to actually use something from my pile of random parts.

Thank you for the info and the insights. I had wondered if there would be some parts at least.

 

[boxplayer4000]

Gatorcheesehea:
Many old accordions on eBay etc. have absolutely ludicrous price tags. To the uninitiated they can look glamorous and classy but in actual fact the interior, working parts are a complete disaster. Many should come with an offer of money to the ‘buyer’ for taking them off the owners hands. There are exceptions of course and two examples which come to mind are some pre. 1939 Hohner Morinos and the Scandalli Butterfly model. I’m sure there are others.
I’ve been given many old instruments over the years simply because the owner knew they had little or no value and knew that any trifling some they might get would be offset by postage etc.
Many Hohner instruments from 1930s on had ‘H’ reeds and ’T’ reeds. The ’T’ reeds in particular were good and could be used as spares when properly tuned in. No doubt Hohner have made improvements to the ’T’ reeds over the years but they still sell (new) ’T’ reeds today. Many older Italian accordions have very good reeds as well.
Bellows can also be long lasting items but are much more dependent on size for being good spares. There is a limited demand for bellows where they can be the basis of a tuning table. Bellows beyond use or repair can yield metal corners which can be handy.
A small collection of bass buttons can also be useful.
The plastic from black and white keys and celluloid from the body can be saved for bodywork repair (along with acetone).
Bass strap parts (adjusters) etc, bellows straps (studs and screws), shoulder strap metal parts and the strap anchors and screws can be useful.
Bellows pins, grille cover thumb screws, and numerous other small screws might be saved. Screws from that age were often single slotted type which are quite rare now.
There is also a small demand for key springs though these can be sometimes difficult to recover. As you can see I’m a hoarder and is probably the reason the only thing which is not in my garage is the car!

 

[kimric]

My shop has shelves of bins with salvaged parts. Celluloid is really usefull for all sorts of things like washers ect. The old keytops can be warmed with a hair dryer and discs punched out of them with a hole punch set to make replacement buttons for hohner button boxes and chromatic instruments.
The tiny wood screws are really useful as they are typically better quality than what I can get now in the tiny sizes (00) and smaller. Peeling off the bead trim from the edges of bellows is really useful for repairing trim on older accordion grills.

 

[Ikesaccordions]

I sold one for parts on eBay that I listed as "Fell Off a Venetian Gondola" for $40. It sat in a dry place for several years to mitigate mold. All the aluminum was oxidized and the wood parts separated. I have one currently on auction for $19 unless the bid retracted. It never fell in the drink. Back panel missing although I don't "miss" it.

 

[Javthedog]

Sorry people - forgot to update..........2 days after I posted my Freecycle ad, I picked up a really dodgy scrapper.......The woman I collected it from had had it for about 40 yrsand now plays a keyboard.....lots of warily noises so Ill keep it for a winter project.
Then about 3 weeks later i was given - via the same ad - a fully working 72 bass Galotta Ideal - wow. I'll clean it up and put new straps on it then pass it on for what it costs me..........might even make the leather straps myself......

 

[oldbayan]

I see a lot of used accordions for sale for "parts."
It seems to me that they might be good for accordion fixers and repairers who know what to look for in a good and useable part vs a not so good or useable part.
Could other someone shed some more light about these?
Some questions that have come to mind:
Is it like selling or buying a vehicle for parts?
It seems like a bit of a gamble and risk?
Have you bought them? Have you sold them? How did it go?
Are there actually parts that can be used from them?

Things I use from donor instruments:
- reedplates
- springs
- buttons
- bellows (sometimes)

 

[Ikesaccordions]

On eBay listed for parts could mean everything is there and 30 hours of work needed, or reeds could be ruined, or parts missing, but the main reason is to avoid having to accept a return for defects of any sort. Seller will normally specify "no returns".
Sometimes the seller knows nothing and can't fix whatever.