Siwa & Figli Quattro Super Artist

[debra]

...
Regarding the specific instrument shown in the picture, I had the opportunity to visit the Accordion Gallery in person and tried one with that bass register switch design. Neat in theory, but my brief trial found it annoying to work with. In the end, a single button for each register without the overhanging levers seems to work better.

That bass register switch design is very typical for Scandalli. Like you I didnt like it (the one time I tried one).

 

[OuijaBoard]

Matthew Schreiber of the US East Coast plays Balkan music on a S&F. There are many clips on Youtube; heres one:



Big color pic showing the accordion here:

https://matthewschreiber.net/about/

 

[Eddy Yates]

What exactly do those bass register switches do?

 

[Tor]

Quite simply, they work exactly like the register switches on the treble side. As for what, specifically each one does, that is a question of how the accordion is set up, and checking the available registers on any accordion you are looking at is something I highly recommend. The more reed banks, the more important this is, but even on a smaller instrument, the master setting can overpower one or two reeds at a time on the treble side.

One thing I was careful to get when I got my accordion was a register that was just the lower reeds on the bass side. It's one I use quite a bit, and having only master or a more treble setting on my previous accordion was always bothersome to me.

If you've got some playing experience, at least listen to a clip of the various stops and consider how they fit with the music you want to play. Ideal is if you can get to the shop and try it in person, too.

 

[Eddy Yates]

TorC, you said, “Regarding the specific instrument shown in the picture, I had the opportunity to visit the Accordion Gallery in person and tried one with that bass register switch design. Neat in theory, but my brief trial found it annoying to work with. In the end, a single button for each register without the overhanging levers seems to work better.”
It looks like there is a lever for every 2 switches. No? Or is it a switch and a button?

 

[Tor]

Eddy, the overhanging levers are additional register switches. Memory says they operate just like the regular switches, although that has gotten a little hazy. Once I decided that they were tricky to hit accurately and had a tendency to get in the way of the regular design switches I set that accordion aside as one I didn't want and moved on to others.

 

[Eddy Yates]

If you can recall a quote from the Shakespeare play Romeo & Juliet - A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
There are quite a few quality accordions made by one maker & sold with different badges.
If you cant find any info on Siwa & Figlis Quattro, look up Scandalli Super 6 - same box different badge & grill.

https://reverb.com/item/13669817-ne...qbiK9b6_UnhlRoC9igQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&pla=1

Jim,
I need some educating. Does this post of yours mean that if I played a Siwa Quattro and a Scandalli Super they would sound identical? Thanks.