I'm interested in finally picking up a box to fool around with. I can accept the fact that I won't be tearing up dancehalls from here to there like a modern day Iry LeJeune. I'm more a fan than a musician...
Anyhow, I know the most puritanical thing would be to buy an LA made box. But the Hohner HA-114 is a good bit cheaper for my casual use.
How does it sound? I known its been around a good while. Are there any recorded examples of it being used, eg. back in the early days?
I know to stay away from those Airy-ettes (I smelled one of those things in a music store, and that was more than enough), and of course, I'm sure I'd have no trouble running into an HA-114 in the plentiful pawn shops of Louisiana...

Cody

buy the ha 114 on marc savoy's website, NOT THE ARIETTE, and it will do you fine. marc "shop adjusts" his 114's like it would be a handmade box.

Cajun,
Marc doesn't shop adjust the 114's regardless of what his website says. A friend of mine bought one from him a few months back and it came exactly like the ones' you can buy off other websites tuning and action wise. But as far as the accordion goes...they're ok, but the external bass button paddles tend to break easily compared to the other style of internal ones. The tuning on them isn't really right on at all, but it has an ok sound for the money.

John

The first accordion I bought was an HA-114. I still play it sometimes. If you can, get one of the modified models that was made for a while (I got mine in 1990). I would have to check, but it may have been HA-114 C. The difference from the regular HA-114, is that they were painted black, and more importantly, they were tuned Cajun style (i.e., drier than the regular HA-114, and using "just tempered" tuning rather than "equal tempered"). I dressed up my box with a few modifications, such as better thumb strap, padded left hand strap on the bass box, replaced the spoon bass system with a regular button system, nicer bellows straps. Oh yeah, I also removed the grill cover, put gold tape on the flappers, and spray painted over the ugly Hohner logo on the frame.

If you can only get a standard tuned box, you can always get one of the LA builders to change the tuning. I know of a few people who have done that.

All in all, I found the HA-114 to be a decent box, and I still play it. You are correct that there is no comparison between an HA-114 and an Arriette. The HA-114 vastly superior in every respect. It's too bad the price got so high. When I bought mine brand new, it was $325 or so. If you can find a used for for $400 or so, in good shape, that would probably be worth it.

-David

David, who do you know that would tune a 114. I am having a blast with mine. In hands like mine the difference probably cant be felt much between it and a better one.

I will start tweaking mine cosmetically also. First to go was the grill. Got to cover the flappers now, then maybe paint the faces black. Already changed out the leather. Hope to make a new bass box as soon as I get some supplies, those spoons are aweful.

Good luck Cody.

Hi Bryan,

I would ask any of the builders. I know that Larry Miller has changed the wet tuned HA-114 to dry for several people, but he is retired now. I got mine tuned at one time because it had gone out. That was done by Charlie Ortego, but he has passed away.

Mark Savoy might do it for you, or Jr. Martin, or maybe Jude.

-David

Braves,

This talk of the HA-114 brings back good memories. Hadley Fontenot, my first accordion professor, owned two of them and played them all the time at home especially. He had a Sidney Brown box, but it was so hard to play he didn't use it much, and anyway, it had Hohner reeds in it too.

I bought my 114 from Ken Smith in 1985. Hadley had sent me to Cappel's Durg store in Kinder, but they only had one tuned in "G". He had given me instructions to get a "C", so I went over to Ken's store and he just happend to have one he had received that day. What luck, it was meant to be!

Like ya'll, the first thing I did was take off the grill, paint the valves, change the thumb strap etc. I also loosened the springs with a butter knife to make the buttons easier to press. Later I built blocks out of popsicle sticks and installed them under the buttons to prevent them from going too deep down into the holes. I never had it tuned and still play it at home from time to time.

Hadley had Charlie Ortego change the finger board and bass box on one of his and it played like a dream. He also had him tune both of them to Cajun tuning.

For a recording example the one that comes to mind is the French release of Les Haricots Sont Pas Salle' with Adam or Bee Fontenot. Also, a lot of the Cyprien Landrineau's recordings sound as if they were done on a Hohner. That's the sound you'll get anyway.

Thanks for bringing back fond memories.

Cory

Cory,
Thanks for sharing those memories.

Was the 114 that you bought in the eighties comparable to the 114s of today? Was it made in Germany or China? I'm just wondering because I heard that the quality of the 114s has deteriorated in recent years--but I don't know.

And if anyone knows any builders today who would be willing to convert the bass box of a 114 please let me know!

Thanks,
Claude

I know a guy that got a bass box from Larry Miller, you might want to call him and see if he has any already made.

Claude,

The one I bought in 1990 was definately made in Germany. I hadn't thought about it until you asked, but they probably are made in China now, and may well not be as good as they used to be, but I have not seen or played a recent one so I don't know.

-David

Cory, do you know if his recordings with the Balfa's were on that Hohner too?

Bryan,

The recordings with the Balfa's were done with the Sidney Brown. That was the one he used to play dances because it looked right and I'm sure was more expensive.

After he died his grandson got it and put it on the mantle in his home where it was taken during a robbery soon after. He had Shine Mouton make one to replace it as a family keep-sake. I sure would like to run across it in a pawn shop some time. It didn't have Sydney's name on it like some did, but had a flower in the top and bottom right hand corners and I seem to remember a stripe on the top of the face plate where pain was missing.

Cory, I'm assuming that the grandson that you mention is Kevin Naquin. I knew that he gotten his grandfather's accordion, but I had no idea that it had been stolen. That is very sad.

Dowell

Dowell,

No, it was not Kevin, (a great grandson), it was Dale Deshotel, Kevin's uncle who lives in the Piniere.

Hello Cody,

I bought a HA-114 from Marc Savoy a while back. He does not "adjust" them and he was completely frank with me about the "quality" of these instruments, or lack thereof. Nonetheless, his prices were decent and it was a real pleasure to go to the store and he played an Arriette, a HA-114, and an Acadian for us.

After about a year my 114 needed some repair work (new pads on the bass side, and an air leak in the bass box had to be fixed)but that only cost me $25. Not too bad, but I think that kind of thing is fairly common with these. I could be wrong, but I suspect that you won't find many of these in the pawn shops because they aren't all that durable or resellable. If I'm wrong please let me know.

Likewise I doubt you will have an easy time finding one of the old Cajun-style 114s at a decent price...but you never know. I believe that some of the recordings by Jim Pettijohn that were posted here were made on his 114. You might want to check those out, but I think he had one of the old Cajun-style 114s.

I've been playing the 114 for a couple of years now and every day I suck a little less and I've grown kind of fond of my 114. I still HATE the bass side though. I think that's its biggest drawback. I almost bought a wrecked Arriette from someone with the thought of swapping the bass boxes. If I had it to do over again I would probably steer clear of the 114 for that reason!

I haven't had any experience with these, but you might want to check out the Gabbanelli Cajun King. It might be a decent step between a 114 and a handmade box. On the one hand, the 114 was an affordable way to get started. On the other hand, $600 is a lot to spend on something you don't REALLY like.

Ultimately, its your money and you have to weigh the pros and cons. It's better to play the 114 than not to play anything. Whatever you do, good luck and have fun!

I made a mistake, it is not the HA 114 but the Ariette listed as "shop adjusted" on Savoy's website.

Of course they are "shop adjusted"...in a nice little shop in China...

Sorry, I just can't imagine Marc adjusting an Arriette.

The website is misleading in this regard--but call the store--they'll tell you the truth.

Warm regards,
Claude

Cody:

You might be able to get into a real Louisiana hand made box for less than you think.

A number of the lesser known builders have very affordable boxes that are made very well and are very enjoyable to play. One that gets good reviews here and elsewhere is the le Capitane by Danny Dyson in Lake Charles. There is list around somewhere that details the contact info for various builders.

The second method to obtain a less expensive hand made box is to check out the pawn shops in and around Acadiana. During Festivals I saw three nice boxes in two shops in Lafayette.

Peace,
Griff

My Le Capitaine plays and sounds great! There are those on this site that think mitered corners sound better, but for the $800 I paid for "butt joints" I got a great box at a great price. Danny has upped the price, but it is still a good deal. He also repairs, tunes , and is a fine fellow to do business with.
Mine is made of cypress, the wood Marc dislikes.

Craig
luthier from Md.

Craig,

I do not know where you got your information, butI cannot recall "EVER" reading , nor on this Forum, or elsewhere, that "mittered " corners will make a box sound better.

I am not accusing you of fabricating the story, but I would really like to know where you got the info!.

It intrigues me.

As a "Luthier, I'm surprised that you never asked Danny to sell you a box with mittered corners, I mean I would think, that your sense of traditions and expertise in the making of musical instruments would dictate to ask Danny for the very best , and mittered corners should be part of the "deal".

As a "Luthier" you should expect the best, and so should Danny.

BTW, Mittered corners in any box wooden contruction, shows craftsmanship and knowledge, and I cetainly would expect you to know that.

as a Luthier you obviously went to a specialized school for several years, then you apprenticed for another few years then you went on your own and open your own practice, so I assume, that in light of your background you "demanded" Danny to provide you with mittered corners.

A craftsman dealing with the like.

What was his reason(s) for not doing them.

If I was asking Danny, to fabricate a box for me , I certainly would ask him for M.C or else I'll go to another supplier.

There shouldn't be any extra cost, they should be part of the equation, as they look infinitly better.



Krazy Kannuck.

Plus, if you want to use an arm strap, there are no D ring attachments on most, definately not the new ones.

Also the thumb strap has ALWAYs been crappy on every one that I've played ranging from the 60's - present. Makes it very hard to hold the thing.

Another problem, it's almost impossible to replace the thumb strap on most 114s cause the fingerboard is made of some kind of hard plastic, not wood.

Marc did have a really good deal on them, so I got one in C for 300 some dollars a year ago.

I got one in G that sounds fantastic but it was old and the thumb strap broke. I actually drilled holes in the frame behind the fingerboard to rig another thumb strap, because I'm no good with real tools to rig a thumb strap to a plastic keyboard!

Another thing, as much as the spoons on the bass side cosmetically are "vintage-accurate" they require you to hover your middle and ring finger above the handles in order to play. Doesn't bother me, but I would rather graduate from buttons to spoons any day

1. Better reeds
2. Better wood
3. Better Bellows
4. Better Tuning
5. They will be worth TONS of money one day. Suppose you want to sell, 10-15 years after the builder stops making them... It's an investment.

I will never sell mine, in fact I will request to be buried with mine. I know for a fact that if I ever have kids, they won't care about this music. It's sad. In fact I may never have a wife or kids, but I play accordions, diatonic and chromatic. I play guitar and banjo and bass and skiffle. As far as I'm concerned, music is my vice. No children, no wife. Christ I'm only 27~

Why are mitered corners the "best"? Dovetailed joints for guitar necks are traditional, but not always the best. No, I went to school and studied engineering. There were very few schools for lutherie in the 60's-70's, and the craft was learned through association and a lot of reading and trips to the Smithsonian. Like Mr. Dyson, I have a full time job as lutherie doesn't pay enough to survive. It will accompany my retirement nicely though. Lighten up and try your hand at something artistic. Life is short. Play nice in the sandbox and be inclusive.

Pleasantries aside, I for one would love to see some pics of some of the violins or fretted instruments that "bears" your signature.
I think that I recall one of of your early posts mentionning you "making" violins, or was it guitars, I can't quite recall, sorry.
I don't think that this forum has Luthiers as members,but quite a few play, either violins or guitars or fretted instruments and it would be of some interest to them and mine, to know exactly what you do.

Are you involved with repairs only : Guitars, or Violins, or both?, or do you builds professionaly fretted instruments and under witch brand may I ask?,
Would you kindly elaborate and if possible send this forum some pictures of your "wares".

I'm also surprised that as a professional crafstman "Luthier" that is, you can't make a living out of it, unless of course the state of Maryland has a proliferation of your particular trade.

But , correct me if I'm wrong,I thought that good craftsman,woman in every fields are very, very difficult to find and as such are very prized.

Your trade is an old one, your'e very priviledged.

Many thanks.

Kindly.

K.K

A few years ago, got to take a violin repair course under Geoff Sietz, highly respected luthioer out of St. Louis, and fiddle for the Volo Bogg Trotters. He had the best line that I bet a lot of luthers live by - I build because I love it, I repair because I need to eat. You can paraphrase that with many things, musicians, for example. Rare is the guy that can perform every weekend and still not need a day job. I know there are a few luthiers, builders. etc. that check out this forum. I hope we can respect what we do, and more importantly, need to do to survive.
Steve

Steve,

My humble apologies, I didn't forget you, I simply omited you .

Actually, I was looking , recently at your site, quite impressive.

Claude.