Which are The Great Acoustic Piano Accordions?

[Soulsaver]

Carried accross for interest:
Production model - not specials.


So - Ill start the ball rolling. Enough interest & Ill keep adding in by modifying the post.

Scandalli Super 6 (Ed & Bill V)
Settimio Soprani Artiste 6 (Ed)
Hohner Gola (Ed & Italians re. Bill), & Gola 455 (Debra http://www.accordionists.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=47&start=90 )
Giulietti Classic 127 (Simon King)
Sonola SS20 (Simon King)
Excelsior 960 Magnante (Adam-T) And or including
Excelsior Symphony c.1960 -70 (Adam-T, Jim D, ColinM)
Excelsior 940 1940-1970 (Jim D)
Hohner Morino VII (Adam-T)
Titano (Victoria)Virtuoso/Cosmopolitan/Emperor (Jim D)
Pancordion Baton c1960s (Jim D) more detail http://www.accordionists.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=47&p=32318#p32318
Pancordion/Crucianelli c1960s (Jim D) more detail as above
Pancordion Panjet c1960s (Jim D) more detail as above
SANO Stereo Fifty/Stereo Sixty (Jim D)
Borsini Modern (range) (Don Roberts)
Petosa AM1100 Current but believe 1960/70s prefrd (Ed)
Hohner Atlantic IV N (Adam-T)
Hohner Regina - marvel of size.. (Theo) http://www.accordionists.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=47&start=40
Bell model 4516 (American Made) (Jim D)
Bell model 2520 (Italian Made) (Jim D)
Bugari Artist Cassotto (Debra)


Certain years? Or all years of manufacture?

What else?
And what current/recent acoustic model do you think will become legendary & why?

 

[Glenn]

May I ask what exactly makes a great (acoustic) PA?
I have not been in the fortunate position to own any of the ones above thus have no way of saying how they appealed to me not their advantages/disadvantages.
Some are famous by name, some I've never heard of.
Of course I dream of spotting a top instrument going for a song on ebay so this list may be of use to me yet.

 

[Anyanka]

I don't know anything about classic or great, but my favourite accordionists all play Piginis or Allodis. It's difficult for me to tell how much of the sound I love is due to the instrument...

 

[Tom]

For current models: byMarco

I think they are a modern producer that really cares about hand made quality and it is evident by the number of professionals that are buyng them. I have not had the pleasure to try one but I would like to visit Stradella "soon"!

The biggest factor is probably the quality of the reeds, not just individually but how they are tuned and the certain quality of the sound that is from the reed banks in concert (i mean together, not on stage ). The decision to pair this bank with the other sound of that bank and how two or more interact. This could be wet or dry and also maybe it is modified by the acoustics of the tone chamber or cassotto. That is for the sound. The other quality of the great is the feel and playability, a function of design, weight distribution, key feel and dynamics and bellows action.

I play the Pancordion Crucianelli from the 60s (or so) mentioned by Jim that is the compact full sized with the 5 treble and 2 bass switches which is nice because of the size and weight. It was played hard and I have been lovingly restoring it, having got it tuned recently. I am a rank amateur . I would like to get a Della Noce organetto.

Tom

 

[Soulsaver]

May I ask what exactly makes a great (acoustic) PA?
I have not been in the fortunate position to own any of the ones above thus have no way of saying how they appealed to me not their advantages/disadvantages.
Some are famous by name, some Ive never heard of.
Of course I dream of spotting a top instrument going for a song on ebay so this list may be of use to me yet.

A Sonola SS20 was badly listed on ebay.com (US) recently and by a zero feedback newby - it went for £400! It looked quite well used tho - Assuming it wasnt a scam it compares rather favourably with another that is listed at £4995!So it can be done, Glenn.
And Il wager the ones you havent heard so much of are the American favourites, as we dont get to know much about them over here.
What makes a great accordion? Well I suspect many will have different opinions - many will not have had the chance to hear let alone play any of them - but Youtube is a great resource - I suggest that what makes it accepted as great is a concensus opinion - which is what I intended in the thread.

 

[jarvo]

I'm a little bit all at sea with the different accordions mentioned above........I suppose because I have only hada toe in the water for such a short time.........I have only experienced three Weltmeisters 48,72 and a 60(mine) a Crucianelli 24 and a Scandalli 80 (mine)


The Crucianelli sounds great and at 3 x 8 is good for Morris and Folk,I think of my limited experience I would say that I am going with my personal fave .....ta dah the Scandalli 80........probably to a resounding chorus of raspberries

 

[Soulsaver]

Im a little bit all at sea with the different accordions mentioned above........I suppose because I have only hada toe in the water for such a short time.........I have only experienced three Weltmeisters 48,72 and a 60(mine) a Crucianelli 24 and a Scandalli 80 (mine)


The Crucianelli sounds great and at 3 x 8 is good for Morris and Folk,I think of my limited experience I would say that I am going with my personal fave .....ta dah the Scandalli 80........probably to a resounding chorus of raspberries

I had an accordion once that could do raspberries... new valves sorted it tho...

 

[Soulsaver]

I don't know anything about classic or great, but my favourite accordionists all play Piginis or Allodis. It's difficult for me to tell how much of the sound I love is due to the instrument...

The Piggy P37/5 has a great rep 'cos .....

 

[Adam-T]

The Excelsior magnante and Symphony models are as good as PAs get

 

[JIM D.]

Hi Adam; The Excelsior Magnante and Symohony models made between 1940 and 1960 are true classics and have since then have been copied my many manufacturer's . The 4/5 reed Excelsiosa models of this period should be included also. JIM D.

 

[Soulsaver]

ALL 4/5 reed Excelsiors Jim?

PS Excelsior is latin for 'ever upward'...

 

[Adam-T]

I`ve not seen a rubbish excelsior accordion, all were and still are quality regardless of model (even the accordiana labelled 2 voice ladies models are excellent) . some are better than others of course but the range is more consistently top notch than Scandalli etc where quality varies and poor models do exist

 

[jarvo]

I`ve not seen a rubbish excelsior accordion, all were and still are quality regardless of model (even the accordiana labelled 2 voice ladies models are excellent) . some are better than others of course but the range is more consistently top notch than Scandalli etc where quality varies and poor models do exist

Oh bollox.....in that case you can guarantee that my 80 is one of the poorer models :?

But a valid question is are any of these top flight accordions viably affordable or are we talking serious/silly money?

 

[Adam-T]

Oh bollox.....in that case you can guarantee that my 80 is one of the poorer models :?

But a valid question is are any of these top flight accordions viably affordable or are we talking serious/silly money?

Nope, your 80 is a good-un - they did make some trashy 120s at various stages and believe it or not a 48bass which must have been pretty embarrassing for them it was so bad, the wood used in their Melodeons I`m sure came from orange boxes too

An older excelsior can be had for low ball money but no guarantees it won`t need a re-wax and valves

 

[JIM D.]

As a rule all 1940 to 1960 excelsior 4/5 reed accordion models should fall in the Classic category. And Adam are you quite correct on the Scandalli branded accordions. In the past 40 years I've come across accordions with this badge that came from many different Italian firms and some of German origin, The quality of these so called Scandalli's have ranged from - Poor quality 75% - fair quality 10% - and excellent quality 15%. Just recently the Scandalli name has appeared on some China imports. To determine the quality and origin of some these so called Scandalli accordions in some cases will require the aid of a tech. that has experience with the many models produced over the past 70 years.

 

[Don Roberts]

My vote for a very fine instrument would be the "Modern" line of accordions produced by Borsini. I have one of these accordions made during the mid to late 60's.
The one I have is a 44/120 with hand made reeds and tuned very dry. These accordions were designed mostly for Jazz or Classical work altho some are LMMM tremolo tuned.
I own and play several top name accordions but this Borsini is by far the highest quality instrument I own.
The Modern accordion originated with Tony Dannon of the Modern School of Music located in Dearborn MI. Mr Dannon passed away in the past few years but a search on Youtube will find
a sample of his playing.

 

[Glenn]

For those who can read Italian (and even those like me that cant), the following list of Italian accordions with the date the company was founded and whether they are still operating is fascinating reading to put <COLOR color=#BF0000>great acoustic PAs in context.

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisarmonica

 

[Soulsaver]

My vote for a very fine instrument would be the Modern line of accordions produced by Borsini. I have one of these accordions made during the mid to late 60s.
The one I have is a 44/120 with hand made reeds and tuned very dry. These accordions were designed mostly for Jazz or Classical work altho some are LMMM tremolo tuned.
I own and play several top name accordions but this Borsini is by far the highest quality instrument I own.
The Modern accordion originated with Tony Dannon of the Modern School of Music located in Dearborn MI. Mr Dannon passed away in the past few years but a search on Youtube will find
a sample of his playing.

Included Don, Thanks :tup: .

 

[Soulsaver]

great acoustic PAs in context.

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisarmonica[/quote]
Thanks Glen - good resource.

 

[Soulsaver]

Why no Dallape? Supermaestro?
Or Paolo Soprani? Super Paolo?