I know that Gabbanelli is not very popular with the membership and I was leary when I bought it but as I said before, it proved to be a better instrument then the Weltmeister and I could only afford $1000 at the time. I had it checked out at the Button Box in western Massachusetts and they gave it high marks. Mussette tuning is another term for wet tuning. Tip A Mano means that the reed ends are hand finished. I am no expert, far from it, so this could be best explained by one of the builders in this group. I do know that Tip A Mano is a top quality finish and Binci is one of the best reeds used in all accordions. They have a distinct sound. If you can afford it then go for a handmade Louisiana/Texas instrument. They run from about $1800 to $2500. You will probably have to wait for it. If your finances are limited and you don't want to wait, then look at the mid range Gabbanelli or Weltmeister. They are not bad for $1000. Good luck.

Contact Bryan Lafleur through this board. I have 2 of his and he's just finishing a Bb for me. Last time he posted prices it was close to what you want to spend, and you'd get one made specificially to your specs.

Hello, is Bryan out there? I am new to this group and don't know how to contact anyone other than in this manner.

I have been offered some nice instrumens over the past few days, but I would love to see what all is out there.

What have you got, Bryan?

Kerry in Tokyo

Tipo a mano not tip a mano

"Tipo" is type but really means like
(correctly 'such as')
"a" is by
"mano" is hand

So roughly...like "by hand" made

or , made like hand made reeds but not really

"a mano" is a true hand made reed..It has to do with the reed stock whether in sheets or ribbons and whether hand finished and riveted and other nuances and technicallities.

Binci, Salpa, Antonelli,Armoniche, Cagnoni and others make reeds
The make many qualities of reeds including machine reeds , dural,export, super dural, tipo a mano, a mano, bombate etc....

Most of the modern Cajun made accordeons use #1 or professional or a mano.. essentially the same quality of reed, many from Binci but others as well. Sometimes it's the "flavor of the day" that drives the choice.
However I have seen #2 or tipo a mano reeds in "Cajun" hand made boxes represented as, and thought to be, hand made reeds.. makers name withheld.
I have played some very dece nt older "Cajun" made accordeons with Hohner reeds.

Bryan makes a fine accordeon because he has dared to elevate the design, materials and workmanship beyond the previously accepted Cajun standard.

Were I to order a new Cajun made accordeon.. either B. LaFleur for something cutting edge, or Jude Moreau for a very finely made traditional box with a few propietary internal tweeks.

Were I to order a one row non Cajun made box for music other than CAJUN.... Castagnari..no question.
If Gaillard would stop his 2 and 3 row building long enough to get back to making a one row.. I'd order one ( he is so far backed up with orders I doubt this will ever happen again) .. or if Briggs decided to make a one row, I'd be in line. If I were going to play Nordic music... Bergflodt, if I wanted a 6 or 8 bass one row..I'd go with van der Leeuw , for Quebec style a Messervier.. beautiful and powerful.

Musette tuning..
Musette tuning is not simply wet it is a very spoecific type of wet tuning...

First it requires three middle reeds.
Next: one of the reeds is tuned to 440 (or 441 or 442 or whatever the regional standard might be for "A")
The other tow reeds are tuned one flatted and one sharpened..
there are variances and the extremes are soentimes known as French ot Italian or Scottish or other terminology...

it is not simply a case of "wet" where one reed is tuned sharo of the standard.

Old style Quebec tuning was one reed 5 cents below 440 and one reed high of 440 with no reeds at 440 except for the bass and piccolo reeds ( in their respective octaves) This is not musette because it lacks a middle reed at 440 ( or the regional standard for A)

I have a Mouton 90's box in pristine new condition Bb..
email me for details and pics.