Vintage accordions like this are my weak spot. They're lightweight, loud and attractive; and sooo cheap! If you can get one in good condition, then a vintage European accordion is often a better bet than a modern Chinese one that might cost three times the price - at the least. Until I got my current main accordion, a 1980s Galotta, my main instrument was a 1930s Frontalini that I found for £50 in a charity shop a couple of years ago. The bellows are pretty airtight, the tuning is good for its age, and to be honest, the build quality is much better than most of my other accordions, despite being almost 90 years old!
Thanks Max. It's something that we do with friends, right? "Here, borrow it for a couple of days and see if you like it before you buy it." It makes sense to do it with these extra instruments 🤗
I only play guitar, I barely have an interest in accordions, but man he seems like the nicest guy in all of UA-cam and also possess the calmest voice. Loved this video so much
I'm a multi-instrumentalist, very proficient on keys, and your videos made me purchase an antique 12 bass accordion to play comfortably and get into accordion. I'm excited to begin this journey
Wow, what a great offer. Not everyone would make an offer to loan like that, especially in today's world. I think it's great that you would open yourself up like that to strangers. I wish I had friends like you.
Congrats Ronen!!! You got a real good deal on that one! It won't be long and you will be taking them apart to fix things on the inside. At $75 there is a little less risk... Glad to hear you are making it available to others also... awesome.
Though I haven't played in many years, my father was fond of its sound, I think after being in Berlin while in the service he acquired a great fondness for it. Now after losing him to illness, ive thought much about him, and have some interest in perhaps picking it up again in honor of his memory. My thanks for an engaging walk into buying a used accordion. Very warm regards Moshe.
Great deal! I was asked to play at an outdoor night time event in December, so I’ve been looking for a cheap second accordion because I don’t want to bring out my only instrument that I payed real money for in that cold weather. There’s nothing nearly that cheap on marketplace in my area!
It’s a Hohner- how could you go wrong? It sounds so familiar. That classic basic starter type Hohner voice. I like the rattle. It gives you that comfortable bass vibration through to your chest while you play .( even though it probably indicates that something inside needs attention Lol!) Love it! ❤️
That bass is HUGE! And you're right... when I played that 100-year old accordion last year - the antique one - it had that rattle, and yes! That vibration against the chest is just *chef's kiss*.
Great tips, I don’t know to play it but I’m attracted to buy one and learn with a pre owned one with a cheaper price. Thanks for sharing your experience
I shopped upmarket 2 years ago and over a couple of months bought 2 Hohners at $100 each. The Marchesa wasn't marketed well on Marketplace, but I had a look anyways. They seller's dad bought it new for him in the 60's, he took 2 lessons and put it in the case for 40 years. A steal for $100, it had 1 key that sticks, easily repaired. The Verdi ii spent a lot of time in a barn but was in good shape. Lots of voices and great sound, it's my fave! Condition is important! Sticking keys rattly sounds and clacking keys sometimes improve with regular playing and cleaning!
To fix the keys on the right side there is a special tool for it. Basically you bend the metal construction of the keys a bit. This is called "richten"... i learned that at my internship by a local accordion company in saxony germany, u can guess which brand ^^
Hohner is a good German brand - around in accordion making since the 1890s or perhaps a bit earlier - this being a less costly model sold in the late 1930s -say 1939 into WWII period - it is tuned LMM [three sets of treble reeds]. Personally, I seek out high-end instruments known to have been made with hand-made reeds [the heart of an accordion being the quality of the reeds. Decent bellows compression, no sounds when the bellows is pushed/puled without pressing any keys. Glad you mentioned smells - I once bought a 1933 Excelsior with LMMM [4 sets of treble reeds]. The "musette" sound is really not the true French wet reed sound. Rather, the sound is dry-tuned - it is the LMMM sound with one medium [M] set very slightly tuned a bit different - creating sort of a dry musette sound if you will. My 1933 instrument [which cost over $650.00 in 1933] was made in New York City at the height of the Great Depression [it originally cost $650. You could buy a 1936 V-8 Ford - in 1936 for that price]. It has one big problem - - it smells and geesh - it's hard to strap on an accordion no matter how great the quality is - if it smells so moldy that you can't think. I know of no way to ever get rid of the moldy smell - I "aired out" the instrument for several weeks - it didn't have any positive effect. So many high-end accordions retired to hallway closets, basements/attics, etc. suffered (remember - air-conditioning wasn't common until the 1970s [even the Library of Congress (where I worked as an archivist for 35 yrs.) didn't install air-conditioning until after 1960! Store your expensive accordion out in the living room of an air-conditioned house, away from sunlight, away from any heat source - remember, the reeds are attached with glue.
I bought a $1,500 USD Hohner accordion and I have a difficult time with the bass buttons. I had piano lessons as a kid and been playing the Yamaha Genos keyboard for three years and got extremely well with it. Switching over to the accordion has been quite difficult as the left hand keys or buttons are so different from the keyboard. I never got the hang of the accordion.
I managed to snag one on ebay for $9.99 from a goodwill store page. I know barely anything about accordions but I could not pass up that price. It has 120 bass buttons. Not sure how many keys, does not have registers. I think the brand was somthing like nicolo salanti. it plays. The seller sold it so cheap because all the bass buttons were stuck and missing the tips. I replaced them and got them all moving again. Now all I need to do is fix a hole in the bellows and I can start learning how to play... as long as the body doesn't fall apart though, it needs some replacement wood.
Things good to know about old accordions, besides those mentioned in the video. 1. The flaps , felt and leather shrinks over time, and after some time it does not damp the key closing sound enough any more. This is clearly hearable on your instrument as well. 2. The valves, old accordions use mostly leather there, so no way they are all ok after 40-50 years. 3. The wax, it gets dry over the time and so the voices as they vibrate they get loose and start to rattle. Even if they do not rattle at the time you try the instrument at sellers place, they might (and some will for sure) start as you play it more later (see the last bullet). If even just one voice rattles other will join the party soon, since the wax is of same age on all of them. 4. The combination ot all three upper,... I call this "disturbing the resting state" of instrument. Lets say the machine was sitting somewhere in the box for last ten years, then the owner finally decided to sell, then you take it, try and yes it might seem playable. But after like 20 hours of play it starts getting worse literally every note you press. This all simply can not be avoided, no matter how lucky you get as a buyer or how well was the accordion stored or taken care of. If there was no service in lets say last 30years all this problems are going to be there at least to some degree. Yes it all can be repaired, but it is not cheap if done properly. A complete pro overhaul of 4/5 voices 41 keys full size accordion can easily go over 1000€. So in summary, those cheap accordions are cheap for a reason.
I have a very similar one, same coloring, same clacky keyboard action, same leather straps. It's a Hohner Verdi I, which I am told is a pre WWII workhorse, only 48 bass though. It sat in a closet unplayed since 1964 - my dad discarded it circa 1949 when he stopped playing as a school student. But I have rescued it from it's dark corner exile and have been playing it fairly regularly now in anticipation of the coming wave of resurgence of the popularity of the accordion. Surely, it's not a "smooth and finished sound", but I like it because it adds a certain a certain "ethnic bohemian sound of the street" quality to whatever it is that you play on it. The guy at the shop said its been around like 75 years and it should maybe last 75 more. Viva la accordion!
It should be noted, if doing pick up on Marketplace, it obviously depends on what area you live in or how far you want to travel and possibly come back empty handed. Are you in a country/state/county or neighboring one that favors the accordion or the accordion you are particularly interested in? Piano vs button? Dry vs musette? 120 bass vs what ever? It took me over a year to find a somewhat decent piano full musette accordion. Even the dry organ type ones with no extra registers on the piano keys run about $400 on average. Ordering online you run the risk of not having a good warranty or no refund at all and over $100 shipping. And even if you have a warranty, having to most likely pay for the shipping cost back to and from the seller gets expensive quick. You've mentioned before you can go to a garage sell and find them plentiful and cheaply. Not so in other areas I am afraid. Even mine for $350 had two, (one worked itself out) keys not working, one of the pull and the other on the push, thankfully not on musette setting. And a bass button gets jammed, but one that I will most likely hardly ever use or can substitute for it. I kept it because I know how hard it is to find these to begin with and because it would allow me to learn how to fix it. Now I am looking for a second so I can work in the one, but still play. =P
As much as these accordions are cool, unless you are a hardcore enthusiast, a masochist, or a wealthy weirdo with money to burn, I would save some money and buy something a little newer, and in better condition to start on. I would never give one of these to an absolute beginner. The actions are usually too worn and inconsistent to learn decent technique. In addition, the world of vintage pre-war accordions is generally a minefield full of overpriced boat anchors that haven't played a single note in 50 years. Can they be restored? They sure can, but the repair alone will often cost more than what you would have paid for an instrument already in good condition. It's sad really. A lot of them would be great instruments, if only they were maintained.
The reads are not hard to tune to get the tremolo working right on all the notes. I have noticed a lot of people call 2 reeded accordions musette, whereas in actual fact musette is a tripple receded sound. With one reed tuned to concert pitch one tuned higher and the third tuned lower. And there are many different musette tunings. The Scottish musette the upper and lower tuned reeds are so far from the concert pitch that it can sound almost discordant. Whereas an Italian tuned musette is tuned a lot closer together. And an American musette is even closer still giving just a slight chorus favoured for swing playing. I myself prefer a nice thick French musette, although a lot of Modern French players now prefer two clarinet reeds tuned to a slight tremolo.
It is Hohner. That says everything. A super bargain. The Merc under de Accordeons, built in Germany in a region called Schwabische Alb. The Schwabisch-people are very quality minded/concious, e.g. they safe their money for years to buy a real quality tool/car/etc. Just like the Swiss do. Well done!!!
Teach the basic onece using this one row type diatonic button accordion. I am very much interested to learn until I can be expert in it. Thank you very much.
Ah yes, the accordion I play now is one I bought for $120 from an Italian grandmother from Craigslist! I have to say, 120 for a Walther Corsair 90 is not a bad price, she bought it brand new in the 90s for about a thousand euros. It's very battle torn, but it's a wonderful machine!
An other thing to keep in mind, that moving parts might be worn and have higher likelihood to break, same goes for wax on reeds. I had a couple of unfortunate accidents with old instruments, luckily not during public performances.
Luckily, straps aren't so difficult to replace (given you don't drop the accordion :) I had the air button spring snapped on an old melodeon, so I disassembled and replaced it with an elastic band. But with more complex button or piano accordions, this trick wouldn't work -- just imagine the button returning spring breaking in the bass machine on a stradella system -- what you're gonna do?
Very nice video. A good find. Great that you've got that accordion - means it won't rot away in a corner somewhere. I have the same weakness, mainly for older German large concertinas.
This accordion is probably from ~40-50s. For sure it was hand-made in Germany from "golden years" of Hohner. This types of instruments have a wet musette and are really, really solid. Thanks for showing beautful accodion. Regards.
@@moshezuchter I play on my channel on some old Hohner too. It's grey and after general service with wet "tremolo". Solid hand-manufacturing in Germany.
Doesn't look too bad, but in order to really find out how good a deal it is you need to have an accordion technician open the instrument and check a) wax, b) reeds (rust?) c) valves (missing, bent, stiff?).
I am watching this after getting a settimio soprani contino model for 200 dollars off market place. Going to need some straps to test it out. Unfortunately it didn’t come with any straps or a case.
I am really interested in learning the accordion after a perraid around my local town saw me partisipate in the observation of those vintage style accordions, the woman was playing, I believe it was the northumberland waltz in g major, with a tin whistle and an accoustic guitat. I am already a keyboard player but feel that now its time to learn the accordion given that I one day want to be a streat musician
@@moshezuchter the woman was also instructing those clog dancers, they had another song from french canada, but that northumberland waltz got me wanting to play it, I am thinking of creating a midi file of that but yamaha keyboard generally do not have a well developed accordion sound any more, it sounds gritty compared to older keyboards, so when I want to play tunes designed for an accordion, I have to rely on my yamaha psr 220 keyboard from 1996 because the accordion sample sounds realistic compared to my newer psr e463 and psr 8000, considering yamaha used to make accordions, kinda surprises me
RE THE DISTANCE TO DEPRESS THE KEY SOME MORE THAN OTHERS. i DOUBT IT SPRINGS - I SUSPECT IF YOU LOOK AT THE TREBLE KEY PADS YOU WILL FIND SOME VERY WORN. THIS WOULD BE THE REASON FOR THE DISTANCE DIFFERENCE. usually THE OTHER REASON IS THE KEY IS BENT, BUT I DOUBT IT - IT IS MORE LIKELY PADS.
Love those old ones! To me, they just look and sound better than the newer ones. Also, simplicity has it's value. I will probably never sell my 1936 Gretsch LaTosca. Great vid!
Hello, I like your videos much, I am a beginner and recently bought a small 32 bass Fiocchi accordion for 100€, it looks like a new except for the straps ..., 80 y old as said the seller, it is in a good working state for myself to learn, i had some fix to do as 2 blocking piano keys and one left too, a small hole in the vent, did you ever made videos about accordion fix and repairs ? I would be interested on it. I would like to learn some medieval tunes as "Le roi louis", "Le roy anglois" , "Tourdions" and more.
@@moshezuchter Thank you for this nice link, this looks very helpful as technical ebook, I could find the excellent channel of Rich Edwards who details every steps of an accordion repair, including reeds and valves repair.
Watching again this very interesting video, Moshe ! Could you tell the name of the sample Tarentella you played ! it's a song that would give me so much pleasure to play ! Thank you so much for your tips and teachings ! Hello to Vancouver Island's inhabitants ! Alfred from eastern France.
Both pieces you test played were lovely, I fell in love with the second one especially. It was so melancholic! I've never seen an accordion or an accordion player in person. It's a strange world I'm living in xD. I've been always curious though, is it physically demanding? It looks big and heavy xD.
hi ronen, you said during the video that you have another one to adjust keys. I have one key on mine that needs to be adjusted. great timing 😄. et merci beaucoup pour tous tes conseils.
I remember seeing it on Facebook and feeling really tempted to try to buy it but deciding against it just because I expected it to be in worse shape and I really don't need another project right now. I'm glad it ended up with you. Can you buy the $3000 Weltmeister next? I'm really curious what that one sounds like haha
That little boing sound @ about 3.45? What is it? I bought my son a piano Accordion a couple of weeks ago and it makes that noise. Other than that it's in fantastic condition.
For the love of god, what are those song names? They sond so good. I also got a used old accodion for 40€ and tought myself to tune it before i picked up a good expensive detuned one.
Buying new vs. used: accordionlove.com/course/buying-new-vs-buying-used-accordion/ Always be aware when buying online vs. in-person. 0:00 Introduction 1:29 Used Accordion Checklist 4:46 Buying Online 5:18 Playing Sample 7:56 Who Is This Accordion For? 11:10 Want To Borrow This Accordion?
I went down that road of buying a cheap accordion and fixing it / tuning to see if I was committed enough and what it taught me is it's so not worth the hassle for a cheap accordion.
I have a LoDuca that says Made in Italy and has the number 0008 on it, I can't seem to find out how to research the age. I've had it for 52 years but my Dad bought it used from the local shopper. Any Ideas?
Piano accordion is the cheapest way, but if you want something really good, they can be way more expensive than a diatonic. Italian Diatonics loose less value if bought new, than a piano bought new. But that’s in the world I’m in where people base the price off the looks and not the quality. An ugly accordion can be way better than a cheap hood looking one any day
@@moshezuchter I've been looking for inexpensive full size Acoustic Accordions, the only acoustic I have is a student size. Would you be willing to get in touch with me about possibly purchasing this accordion from you?
I'm an intermediate level player and pretty good with repairing just about anything, but would not want this piece to play. In fact even if this piece was $5, I wouldn't bother wasting time unless I'm into flippin flea market business. Otherwise as it's previously noted, for toy or for sport it's fine, but for practicing or playing it's not -- it's brutally out of tune by all possible means and tuning accordion is much more than $75 even if you DIY. Post video of opened belows how membranes look like. I bet more than half of them green.
I'm not familiar with the brand, but that doesn't mean it's not good. Just make sure it works and it serves the purpose that you're looking for in a quality instrument.
After 25 years messing about with accordeons..if you lack experience or are not a current player... don't buy one unless you want to throw away money..The cost of tuning and restoring an accordeon is obscene, and there are charlatans out there waiting for you. 1. Never buy an accordeon on e-bay or Craig's list etc.. Never, never , never. Most of the accordeons are from the 40-50s during the accordeon craze. Most of there are "ladies"s accordeons or student grade. 2. Don't buy an old accordeon for more than $50 unless it is a Hohner Gola ( and there are the real ones and the non Gola Golas.. experience needed here.) Just as with anything alse form watches to cars there are good ones and bad ones 3. NEVER buy an accordeon without someone with you who is an experienced player or accordeon tech N E V E R . 4. Buy form a know, reputable dealer. NEVER Acoordion o RAma.. Nevr and there are other box sharks.. not unlike used car dealers. 5. Check out The Button Box in Mass.. they are honest, experienced straight shooters. You will pay more and get more.
anyone else up at 2AM with a sudden urge to get into the accordion? beautiful instrument and great video!
☝️
I just had a dream today where for whatever reason I had an accordion, now I'm here and considering to get one 😄
Vintage accordions like this are my weak spot. They're lightweight, loud and attractive; and sooo cheap! If you can get one in good condition, then a vintage European accordion is often a better bet than a modern Chinese one that might cost three times the price - at the least. Until I got my current main accordion, a 1980s Galotta, my main instrument was a 1930s Frontalini that I found for £50 in a charity shop a couple of years ago. The bellows are pretty airtight, the tuning is good for its age, and to be honest, the build quality is much better than most of my other accordions, despite being almost 90 years old!
Right?? So light. Great sounding bass. A little fragile, but great for the price.
Galota can't be 90 years old!
@@sebastianbravo8829 aha no, the Frontalini is 90! The Galotta is only in its 30s
European ones just sound better idk what it is
That's the thing, the build quality must be good, otherwise it wouldn't have survived 90 years
You offering to let people borrow it and try it out gives me so much respect for you as a musician.
Thanks Max. It's something that we do with friends, right? "Here, borrow it for a couple of days and see if you like it before you buy it."
It makes sense to do it with these extra instruments 🤗
He's not really going to let anyone borrow it come on don't be so naive 🤣🤣🤣
@@ez-jay100 What gives you any impression he's not genuine? Seems a nice fella to me. Maybe I'm naive.
I only play guitar, I barely have an interest in accordions, but man he seems like the nicest guy in all of UA-cam and also possess the calmest voice. Loved this video so much
I'm a multi-instrumentalist, very proficient on keys, and your videos made me purchase an antique 12 bass accordion to play comfortably and get into accordion. I'm excited to begin this journey
Awesome. Congrats! Here is a resource I put together for the 12 bass accordion:
accordionlove.com/course/12-bass-accordion/
@@moshezuchter wow thank you very much
It’s a good way to start learning how to tune accordions.. if you mess it up, sell if for parts.
Wow, what a great offer. Not everyone would make an offer to loan like that, especially in today's world. I think it's great that you would open yourself up like that to strangers. I wish I had friends like you.
Congrats Ronen!!!
You got a real good deal on that one!
It won't be long and you will be taking them apart to fix things on the inside. At $75 there is a little less risk...
Glad to hear you are making it available to others also... awesome.
I was not expecting the cover of While My Guitar Gently Weeps, haha. Great video, thank you so much for the information!!
Though I haven't played in many years, my father was fond of its sound, I think after being in Berlin while in the service he acquired a great fondness for it. Now after losing him to illness, ive thought much about him, and have some interest in perhaps picking it up again in honor of his memory. My thanks for an engaging walk into buying a used accordion. Very warm regards Moshe.
Great deal! I was asked to play at an outdoor night time event in December, so I’ve been looking for a cheap second accordion because I don’t want to bring out my only instrument that I payed real money for in that cold weather. There’s nothing nearly that cheap on marketplace in my area!
Yup, a second instrument for outdoor play (especially in inclement weather) is a great idea.
I have a Hohner from the 40s and one Hagström from the 50s. Both accordions were gifts and I enjoy learning to play them very much.
It’s a Hohner- how could you go wrong? It sounds so familiar. That classic basic starter type Hohner voice. I like the rattle. It gives you that comfortable bass vibration through to your chest while you play .( even though it probably indicates that something inside needs attention Lol!) Love it! ❤️
That bass is HUGE! And you're right... when I played that 100-year old accordion last year - the antique one - it had that rattle, and yes! That vibration against the chest is just *chef's kiss*.
Great tips, I don’t know to play it but I’m attracted to buy one and learn with a pre owned one with a cheaper price. Thanks for sharing your experience
Pre owned is definitely the way to go
Really great that he offers to lend it out, what a cool guy.
Thank you for sharing your love for accordions, Moshe !
Man you give so much valuable information, respect and love to you man. I bought something like this vintage Royal standard a couple of months ago
Thanks Rahul!
That is a beautiful instrument, you can tell it was well loved by its previous owners
I shopped upmarket 2 years ago and over a couple of months bought 2 Hohners at $100 each. The Marchesa wasn't marketed well on Marketplace, but I had a look anyways. They seller's dad bought it new for him in the 60's, he took 2 lessons and put it in the case for 40 years. A steal for $100, it had 1 key that sticks, easily repaired. The Verdi ii spent a lot of time in a barn but was in good shape. Lots of voices and great sound, it's my fave! Condition is important! Sticking keys rattly sounds and clacking keys sometimes improve with regular playing and cleaning!
Ooh, congrats! My Camillo was a great purchase, but needed lots of repair work (by Martin and Tempo Trend Music). Plays like a dream now :)
To fix the keys on the right side there is a special tool for it. Basically you bend the metal construction of the keys a bit. This is called "richten"... i learned that at my internship by a local accordion company in saxony germany, u can guess which brand ^^
Ooh, thank you! Here's a video of fixing a raised key using (I think) that tool:
ua-cam.com/video/iMSNejOiVOw/v-deo.html
Hohner is a good German brand - around in accordion making since the 1890s or perhaps a bit earlier - this being a less costly model sold in the late 1930s -say 1939 into WWII period - it is tuned LMM [three sets of treble reeds]. Personally, I seek out high-end instruments known to have been made with hand-made reeds [the heart of an accordion being the quality of the reeds. Decent bellows compression, no sounds when the bellows is pushed/puled without pressing any keys. Glad you mentioned smells - I once bought a 1933 Excelsior with LMMM [4 sets of treble reeds]. The "musette" sound is really not the true French wet reed sound. Rather, the sound is dry-tuned - it is the LMMM sound with one medium [M] set very slightly tuned a bit different - creating sort of a dry musette sound if you will. My 1933 instrument [which cost over $650.00 in 1933] was made in New York City at the height of the Great Depression [it originally cost $650. You could buy a 1936 V-8 Ford - in 1936 for that price]. It has one big problem - - it smells and geesh - it's hard to strap on an accordion no matter how great the quality is - if it smells so moldy that you can't think. I know of no way to ever get rid of the moldy smell - I "aired out" the instrument for several weeks - it didn't have any positive effect. So many high-end accordions retired to hallway closets, basements/attics, etc. suffered (remember - air-conditioning wasn't common until the 1970s [even the Library of Congress (where I worked as an archivist for 35 yrs.) didn't install air-conditioning until after 1960! Store your expensive accordion out in the living room of an air-conditioned house, away from sunlight, away from any heat source - remember, the reeds are attached with glue.
I bought a $1,500 USD Hohner accordion and I have a difficult time with the bass buttons. I had piano lessons as a kid and been playing the Yamaha Genos keyboard for three years and got extremely well with it. Switching over to the accordion has been quite difficult as the left hand keys or buttons are so different from the keyboard. I never got the hang of the accordion.
I managed to snag one on ebay for $9.99 from a goodwill store page.
I know barely anything about accordions but I could not pass up that price.
It has 120 bass buttons. Not sure how many keys, does not have registers. I think the brand was somthing like nicolo salanti.
it plays. The seller sold it so cheap because all the bass buttons were stuck and missing the tips. I replaced them and got them all moving again.
Now all I need to do is fix a hole in the bellows and I can start learning how to play... as long as the body doesn't fall apart though, it needs some replacement wood.
Things good to know about old accordions, besides those mentioned in the video.
1. The flaps , felt and leather shrinks over time, and after some time it does not damp the key closing sound enough any more. This is clearly hearable on your instrument as well.
2. The valves, old accordions use mostly leather there, so no way they are all ok after 40-50 years.
3. The wax, it gets dry over the time and so the voices as they vibrate they get loose and start to rattle. Even if they do not rattle at the time you try the instrument at sellers place, they might (and some will for sure) start as you play it more later (see the last bullet). If even just one voice rattles other will join the party soon, since the wax is of same age on all of them.
4. The combination ot all three upper,... I call this "disturbing the resting state" of instrument. Lets say the machine was sitting somewhere in the box for last ten years, then the owner finally decided to sell, then you take it, try and yes it might seem playable. But after like 20 hours of play it starts getting worse literally every note you press.
This all simply can not be avoided, no matter how lucky you get as a buyer or how well was the accordion stored or taken care of. If there was no service in lets say last 30years all this problems are going to be there at least to some degree. Yes it all can be repaired, but it is not cheap if done properly. A complete pro overhaul of 4/5 voices 41 keys full size accordion can easily go over 1000€.
So in summary, those cheap accordions are cheap for a reason.
Great information. Thank you!
I have a very similar one, same coloring, same clacky keyboard action, same leather straps. It's a Hohner Verdi I, which I am told is a pre WWII workhorse, only 48 bass though. It sat in a closet unplayed since 1964 - my dad discarded it circa 1949 when he stopped playing as a school student. But I have rescued it from it's dark corner exile and have been playing it fairly regularly now in anticipation of the coming wave of resurgence of the popularity of the accordion. Surely, it's not a "smooth and finished sound", but I like it because it adds a certain a certain "ethnic bohemian sound of the street" quality to whatever it is that you play on it. The guy at the shop said its been around like 75 years and it should maybe last 75 more. Viva la accordion!
Listening to you and your playing I would say you got a real good bargain. It’s hard to find one in that good shape. For the price happy playing.
Excellent video Ronen, I love these old beauties especially with that wet musette. Congratulations...great buy!
It should be noted, if doing pick up on Marketplace, it obviously depends on what area you live in or how far you want to travel and possibly come back empty handed. Are you in a country/state/county or neighboring one that favors the accordion or the accordion you are particularly interested in? Piano vs button? Dry vs musette? 120 bass vs what ever? It took me over a year to find a somewhat decent piano full musette accordion. Even the dry organ type ones with no extra registers on the piano keys run about $400 on average.
Ordering online you run the risk of not having a good warranty or no refund at all and over $100 shipping. And even if you have a warranty, having to most likely pay for the shipping cost back to and from the seller gets expensive quick.
You've mentioned before you can go to a garage sell and find them plentiful and cheaply. Not so in other areas I am afraid. Even mine for $350 had two, (one worked itself out) keys not working, one of the pull and the other on the push, thankfully not on musette setting. And a bass button gets jammed, but one that I will most likely hardly ever use or can substitute for it.
I kept it because I know how hard it is to find these to begin with and because it would allow me to learn how to fix it. Now I am looking for a second so I can work in the one, but still play. =P
I really really want to buy an accordion, such a cool instrument
Really cute to hear a tarantella for a sample..
As much as these accordions are cool, unless you are a hardcore enthusiast, a masochist, or a wealthy weirdo with money to burn, I would save some money and buy something a little newer, and in better condition to start on. I would never give one of these to an absolute beginner. The actions are usually too worn and inconsistent to learn decent technique. In addition, the world of vintage pre-war accordions is generally a minefield full of overpriced boat anchors that haven't played a single note in 50 years. Can they be restored? They sure can, but the repair alone will often cost more than what you would have paid for an instrument already in good condition. It's sad really. A lot of them would be great instruments, if only they were maintained.
Really well said, Ryan. I agree!
7:34
Wow, never knew how much I needed to hear “While my accordion gently weeps”.
Oooh, it works so well! Here's a full performance on accordion:
ua-cam.com/video/tJtg9N3wv2U/v-deo.html
Sadly I have a concertina and not an accordion, I still love listening to both though.
Thank you for the proper video link 😊
I had chord chord on 4 th beat when playing smooth san Francisco counter na
😂counter bass chord I feel better rhythm Bobby on 4t
😂counter bass chord I feel better rhythm Bobby on 4t
The reads are not hard to tune to get the tremolo working right on all the notes. I have noticed a lot of people call 2 reeded accordions musette, whereas in actual fact musette is a tripple receded sound. With one reed tuned to concert pitch one tuned higher and the third tuned lower. And there are many different musette tunings. The Scottish musette the upper and lower tuned reeds are so far from the concert pitch that it can sound almost discordant. Whereas an Italian tuned musette is tuned a lot closer together. And an American musette is even closer still giving just a slight chorus favoured for swing playing. I myself prefer a nice thick French musette, although a lot of Modern French players now prefer two clarinet reeds tuned to a slight tremolo.
Ooooh great info here, Stephen. Thanks! I do love the triple musette - the "true" musette 😊
It is Hohner. That says everything. A super bargain.
The Merc under de Accordeons, built in Germany in a region called Schwabische Alb. The Schwabisch-people are very quality minded/concious, e.g. they safe their money for years to buy a real quality tool/car/etc. Just like the Swiss do. Well done!!!
Hi! Good deal! Congrats!
What a interesting channel! Like & subscription.
It's like 2 player in 1😮😮👏👏
Teach the basic onece using this one row type diatonic button accordion. I am very much interested to learn until I can be expert in it. Thank you very much.
What a nice find! And I really liked your second tune.
Thanks! La Noyee!
Ah yes, the accordion I play now is one I bought for $120 from an Italian grandmother from Craigslist! I have to say, 120 for a Walther Corsair 90 is not a bad price, she bought it brand new in the 90s for about a thousand euros. It's very battle torn, but it's a wonderful machine!
Great deal!!
Very cool accordion! Old Hohner accordions sound the best in my opinion, and they are cheap too! Mine is from 1939 and it has a very beautiful sound.
Wow. I had no idea you played a 1939 instrument! Awesome
An other thing to keep in mind, that moving parts might be worn and have higher likelihood to break, same goes for wax on reeds.
I had a couple of unfortunate accidents with old instruments, luckily not during public performances.
Correct! I've had straps rip *twice* on two used instruments. During performances 😅
Luckily, straps aren't so difficult to replace (given you don't drop the accordion :)
I had the air button spring snapped on an old melodeon, so I disassembled and replaced it with an elastic band.
But with more complex button or piano accordions, this trick wouldn't work -- just imagine the button returning spring breaking in the bass machine on a stradella system -- what you're gonna do?
Very nice video. A good find. Great that you've got that accordion - means it won't rot away in a corner somewhere. I have the same weakness, mainly for older German large concertinas.
This accordion is probably from ~40-50s. For sure it was hand-made in Germany from "golden years" of Hohner. This types of instruments have a wet musette and are really, really solid. Thanks for showing beautful accodion. Regards.
Thanks for the info! Seems like it'll survive another 50 years, easy ☺️
@@moshezuchter I play on my channel on some old Hohner too. It's grey and after general service with wet "tremolo". Solid hand-manufacturing in Germany.
Thee is no such thing as a "dry musette" Ergo all musette is "wet".
Doesn't look too bad, but in order to really find out how good a deal it is you need to have an accordion technician open the instrument and check a) wax, b) reeds (rust?) c) valves (missing, bent, stiff?).
Agree. Like buying an old car. You never know what you'll get, but we can make a good guess 👍🙂
Great video! Anyway we can get a full cover of la noyee on that accordion? I can't stop listening to that clip!
I'll record it, though I don't know it well, just improsive over it 😊
@@moshezuchter Awesome thx!
it needs to be tuned!!
I am watching this after getting a settimio soprani contino model for 200 dollars off market place. Going to need some straps to test it out. Unfortunately it didn’t come with any straps or a case.
Im so jealous. I want an Accordion so badd.
I am really interested in learning the accordion after a perraid around my local town saw me partisipate in the observation of those vintage style accordions, the woman was playing, I believe it was the northumberland waltz in g major, with a tin whistle and an accoustic guitat. I am already a keyboard player but feel that now its time to learn the accordion given that I one day want to be a streat musician
That's awesome. I think coming from a piano background will make things easier for sure, at least the right hand.
@@moshezuchter the woman was also instructing those clog dancers, they had another song from french canada, but that northumberland waltz got me wanting to play it, I am thinking of creating a midi file of that but yamaha keyboard generally do not have a well developed accordion sound any more, it sounds gritty compared to older keyboards, so when I want to play tunes designed for an accordion, I have to rely on my yamaha psr 220 keyboard from 1996 because the accordion sample sounds realistic compared to my newer psr e463 and psr 8000, considering yamaha used to make accordions, kinda surprises me
RE THE DISTANCE TO DEPRESS THE KEY SOME MORE THAN OTHERS. i DOUBT IT SPRINGS - I SUSPECT IF YOU LOOK AT THE TREBLE KEY PADS YOU WILL FIND SOME VERY WORN. THIS WOULD BE THE REASON FOR THE DISTANCE DIFFERENCE. usually THE OTHER REASON IS THE KEY IS BENT, BUT I DOUBT IT - IT IS MORE LIKELY PADS.
Looks like a 30s or 40s Hohner with LMM reeds.
Love those old ones! To me, they just look and sound better than the newer ones. Also, simplicity has it's value. I will probably never sell my 1936 Gretsch LaTosca. Great vid!
1936?! Unreal!
@@moshezuchter I got SO lucky!
Hello, I like your videos much, I am a beginner and recently bought a small 32 bass Fiocchi accordion for 100€, it looks like a new except for the straps ..., 80 y old as said the seller, it is in a good working state for myself to learn, i had some fix to do as 2 blocking piano keys and one left too, a small hole in the vent, did you ever made videos about accordion fix and repairs ? I would be interested on it. I would like to learn some medieval tunes as "Le roi louis", "Le roy anglois" , "Tourdions" and more.
Ooooh, try the site Accordion Revival for repairs. And congratulations on your new old instrument 👏
@@moshezuchter Thank you for this nice link, this looks very helpful as technical ebook, I could find the excellent channel of Rich Edwards who details every steps of an accordion repair, including reeds and valves repair.
i want an accordion so bad, but they are so expensive
I love 120 bass note accordions....but they do not love my shoulder 🫠
Yuuuup. Thicker straps help a lot :)
Watching again this very interesting video, Moshe ! Could you tell the name of the sample Tarentella you played ! it's a song that would give me so much pleasure to play ! Thank you so much for your tips and teachings ! Hello to Vancouver Island's inhabitants ! Alfred from eastern France.
Ooh! That's the Tarantella Paesana! Performance on my channel and lesson on Accordion Love 👌
If I could play the accordion like you - in a very fin way - why should I pay a cheep Accordion - a very fine one, should be enough - ore ????
Both pieces you test played were lovely, I fell in love with the second one especially. It was so melancholic! I've never seen an accordion or an accordion player in person. It's a strange world I'm living in xD. I've been always curious though, is it physically demanding? It looks big and heavy xD.
That piece is called La Noyee, by Yann Tiersen. Really lovely!
Some accordions ARE big and heavy, but this one is surprisingly light ☺️
hi ronen, you said during the video that you have another one to adjust keys. I have one key on mine that needs to be adjusted. great timing 😄. et merci beaucoup pour tous tes conseils.
Great timing! Here is that adjustment video:
ua-cam.com/video/iMSNejOiVOw/v-deo.html
It sounds great!
Was that "While my Accordion Slowly Leaks" in there?
🤣
For beginer i bought 500€ acordation 96 bas
Quote: "If it was leaking, it means there is a leak somewhere"
Words of wisdom!
🤣
I remember seeing it on Facebook and feeling really tempted to try to buy it but deciding against it just because I expected it to be in worse shape and I really don't need another project right now. I'm glad it ended up with you. Can you buy the $3000 Weltmeister next? I'm really curious what that one sounds like haha
Omg I want to try that one so much! The wooden-looking one, right?
That little boing sound @ about 3.45? What is it? I bought my son a piano Accordion a couple of weeks ago and it makes that noise. Other than that it's in fantastic condition.
Thanks
Hi, I think for an acodreon teacher it's easy to play even if he has a good or less good instrument ... not for a beginner!
For the love of god, what are those song names? They sond so good.
I also got a used old accodion for 40€ and tought myself to tune it before i picked up a good expensive detuned one.
Great idea, to buy a cheaper one to learn to tune.
And the two pieces I play are Tarantella Napoletana and La Noyee.
Buying new vs. used: accordionlove.com/course/buying-new-vs-buying-used-accordion/
Always be aware when buying online vs. in-person.
0:00 Introduction
1:29 Used Accordion Checklist
4:46 Buying Online
5:18 Playing Sample
7:56 Who Is This Accordion For?
11:10 Want To Borrow This Accordion?
Why is everything "wet" with the French? Accordions and kisses and who knows what else?
🤣
Bravo 👏👏👏👏
Not only "Musette", I think it's slighly off key and needs a tuning (:
I think it's fine.
I agree. Needs tuning, but still got a good deal.
I went down that road of buying a cheap accordion and fixing it / tuning to see if I was committed enough and what it taught me is it's so not worth the hassle for a cheap accordion.
Where I learn my nephew
If it was leaking there would be a leak somewhere.
Genius🧠
Years of education, tens of thousands of dollars...
You get what you pay for. Pay $75 and get a repair bill of $1000.00
I have been playing accordion since 1954. This old Hohner sounds really crappy
I need a replacement blk key. Any ideas? Thank You
What was the name f the second sample song? I would love to learn that for my accordion
Do you have a timestamp?
I think it may be La Noyee by Yann Tiersen, from the movie Amelie.
@@moshezuchter Thank you very much Mr. Zuchter (And yes, this is the correct one)
Guys what’s the name of the second song he played
The two pieces I play are Tarantella Napoletana and La Noyee.
I have a LoDuca that says Made in Italy and has the number 0008 on it, I can't seem to find out how to research the age. I've had it for 52 years but my Dad bought it used from the local shopper. Any Ideas?
Piano accordion is the cheapest way, but if you want something really good, they can be way more expensive than a diatonic. Italian Diatonics loose less value if bought new, than a piano bought new. But that’s in the world I’m in where people base the price off the looks and not the quality. An ugly accordion can be way better than a cheap hood looking one any day
Is it only me or everyone liked the rattle in accordion?
It's like a little raspiness in the voice... adds character :D
5:55 what you play ?
5:55 is an improv, but I turn it into Tarantella Paesana
No way $75 was the cheapest, I just bought one for $20!
Congrats!!
@@moshezuchter
Thanks! Keep up with the good content
Can you provide the name of the songs you played?
I tried Tarantella Paesana, La Noyee, and "If I Could" 😊
Hey, do you recommend any particular site to buy an accordion?
Hey, check out my other video on how to buy a used accordion. My recommendation is local used listings, like Facebook Marketplace.
Thanks man!
What about an older, far less complex accordion, an old Cajun style, for example? Might not cost too must to fix up...
I'd be happy to try any old accordion, but my fixing skills are close to zero 🙂
@@moshezuchter Thanks for the reply. I don't know enough yet, but the temptation is strong!
cool!
5:45 that's an G flat? Isn't that A flat?
Do you still own this Accordion?
Yes, though I don't use it very often
@@moshezuchter I've been looking for inexpensive full size Acoustic Accordions, the only acoustic I have is a student size. Would you be willing to get in touch with me about possibly purchasing this accordion from you?
What marketplace did you buy this one in?
Facebook Marketplace for Vancouver Island, Canada
I'm an intermediate level player and pretty good with repairing just about anything, but would not want this piece to play. In fact even if this piece was $5, I wouldn't bother wasting time unless I'm into flippin flea market business. Otherwise as it's previously noted, for toy or for sport it's fine, but for practicing or playing it's not -- it's brutally out of tune by all possible means and tuning accordion is much more than $75 even if you DIY. Post video of opened belows how membranes look like. I bet more than half of them green.
This accordion seems very old. Like a 1940's or before.
Hii!!
What tou think about the brand PIGINI ?
I'm not familiar with the brand, but that doesn't mean it's not good. Just make sure it works and it serves the purpose that you're looking for in a quality instrument.
witch song did u play... I anjoy your playing.
First song is a version of Tarantella Paesana. Then it's a version of La Noyee by Yann Tiersen. Thanks for listening!
I can find much worse accordions for much cheaper. Literally 20 euros. They are those Russian piano accordions and they are apparently very, very bad.
Ha a very thin tone that is not sweet to listen to.
After 25 years messing about with accordeons..if you lack experience or are not a current player... don't buy one unless you want to throw away money..The cost of tuning and restoring an accordeon is obscene, and there are charlatans out there waiting for you.
1. Never buy an accordeon on e-bay or Craig's list etc.. Never, never , never.
Most of the accordeons are from the 40-50s during the accordeon craze. Most of there are "ladies"s accordeons or student grade.
2. Don't buy an old accordeon for more than $50 unless it is a Hohner Gola ( and there are the real ones and the non Gola Golas.. experience needed here.) Just as with anything alse form watches to cars there are good ones and bad ones
3. NEVER buy an accordeon without someone with you who is an experienced player or accordeon tech N E V E R .
4. Buy form a know, reputable dealer. NEVER Acoordion o RAma.. Nevr and there are other box sharks.. not unlike used car dealers.
5. Check out The Button Box in Mass.. they are honest, experienced straight shooters. You will pay more and get more.
I feel pretty good then - I paid a real tech to meet me and look over the box. It seemed basically new and unplayed to me, and it was!
Most buttons and keys produce a very annoying click. Don't like that.
Could also be my microphone technique, but you're right
@@moshezuchter Thank you for your kind answer.
just bought one for 30$ lol
Well done.
@@moshezuchter Hehe thanks, it was a sweet old lady selling it :)