Smaller vs larger instrument

[saundersbp]

I have limited experience but I find bigger ones easier to play. You can go much longer without needing to change bellows direction and can rest the accordion on your lap and let gravity do half the work. The trade off is they're much less convenient to travel with and it takes more effort to pick up etc.!

Spot on for me too. There's nothing more liberating than an instrument you can sling over your shoulder and take with you without any fuss. Bigger is easier to play but you'd think twice before jumping on the bus with it!

 

[pentaprism]

Spot on for me too. There's nothing more liberating than an instrument you can sling over your shoulder and take with you without any fuss. Bigger is easier to play but you'd think twice before jumping on the bus with it!

Hahaha.... Someone asked me the reasons I started learning Anglo concertina. My answer, "So that I can sit in the back seat of the car and drive my daughter (the driver) nuts. Can't do so with an accordion."
I also learn classical guitar. I'm currently traveling and have a silent guitar with me. It's perfect as a travel instrument: light-weighed, compact, and silent.

 

[saundersbp]

As others have said, it is all a matter of personal preference, and also what type of music you play. Do you need the range of a larger instrument? My four-decade journey with the accordion has been to progressively smaller instruments.

I was sceptical about this, but I've just acquired a little second hand folk accordion. After utterly loathing it for 48 hours and deciding it was a folly, I've now fallen head over heels. Why? - because for all the stradella stuff I play, its got all the notes, sounds as good as my posh accordion (if not better), and its so light I can pick it up with one hand. I am a convert. Small is beautiful!

 

[Walker]

Like everyone, I have my own views on accordions and find every choice involves a little compromise. I think double cassotto, 4 voice instruments handle and 'lay-into' the musician better in performance than a 5 voice, but I still prefer the sound options of a 5 voice, especially with musette. However, ideally I would not choose an instrument over 12kg - but that excludes a lot of otherwise impressive accordions.

I personally don't like having more than 41 keys on PA, but actually think the 45 or 47 key classical instruments look seriously awesome and have a visually pleasing keyboard symmetry. Aparently there are sound musical reasons for the extra keys that are important to the classical artistes. Totally not required for my music though.

Also, I think the big imposing 64 note Bugari and Pigini converter button accordions, like the Nova or Spectrum, look and sound incredible - proper virtuoso instruments, especially in the hands of Hanzhi and others. But actually, for what it's worth, if I had the choice of any chromatic button instruments, I'd still choose an old style Galliano-esque 47 note box with quint converter bass - it's vintage tone as rich and sweet as honey. What can I say... to me Galliano is so tasteful in his musical choices, playing jazz with stradella bass all day long then at the flick of a switch he unleashes the Art of Fugue, just to mix it up...​

 

[hais1273]

I have two instruments now a 34/96 4/5 voice and a 26/72 3/4 voice. My go to instrument is the 26/72, I find it comfortable, manouverable, enjoyable, it's extremely comfortable to play and it's fun. . It's a damn sight easier to carry around as well. The slight down side is that the 26/72 needs to be worked quite hard because of the smaller volume of air in the bellows, I'm finding I'm starting to play it a little like a melodeon changing direction in response to the music rather than the more accordiony, regular 2 or 4 or whatever bars in and out. On the other hand the 34/96 is easier to play, because of the bigger volume bellows, fuller sound, smoother action, but despite all this betterness it just isn't as much fun to play
Vignoni 34/96 LMMM a mano reeds.
Giustozzi 26/72 LMM standards machine reeds
The 26/72 is fine for 99% of the Breton/French dance music I aspire to.
Actually, I'm toying with the idea of selling the 34/96 and buying a 26/72 MMM.

 

[Corinto]

Here the small 26/48 (4x12) MM is the most played one, less than 3,9 kg.
Also have a 34/72 LMM (8,1 kg) and a 26/48 (4x12) LMM (4,5 kg).
All weight without straps.
All my accordions are far better than my playing level.

 

[dunlustin]

Concertina: The only instrument that is playable while on your back under a pub table.

 

[GuyS]

I am still exploring this. Right now after selling all of my digital accordions, I have 3 acoustic accordions. 120, 96 and 72 bass instruments. I definitely find the 120 bass over all easier to play because of how well it sits in my lap. I have also noticed that the only way I can safely stand and play is with my 96 and 72 bass instruments. The weight on the 120 is way too much. I have enjoyed reading everyone’s post on this topic and look forward to hearing more.

 

[losthobos]

I gonna agree with the notion that depth is more relevant than weight....
The thinner boxes are way easier to become physically/emotionally involved with..
Observation I've noticed is that french models of CBA seem to favour a thicker box over Italian design....
Galliano plays the thinner Italian type..
I've cut down to thin two reed LM box, lightweight, mobile, tactile and my best friend