Dana, I'm kinda in the same boat with the exception of I've been playing Tenor sax for along time. Presently a rubboard player in a newly formed Zydeco band with the itch to play a single row button accordion. I found 90% of my answers here on this forum with some super great help from T Richard of Zydecostingers. You might want to narrow it down a bit as far as the key selection goes. I was bouncing back and forth with single row or triple. If your going single row it seems like Key Of C would be the choice and GCF in the triple. I've decided to go with a Bb as I lean toward Boozoo Chavis's music. But my choice is based on playing a few tunes in the set list and not on all songs. If I was going to be the predominant accordion player. I'd probably go with the Triple row and woodshed for a year...

Aw shucks, Bodhi! Thanks for the props! But seriously, I've had to learn accordion by trial and error -- all of which has been making mistakes in front of an audience. I'll explain that later.

I began my love for the diatonic by spinning it on the air waves on Dallas' Community Radio station back in the late 80's after stepping from being a reggae DJ into the Louisiana format. After a couple of years of broadcasting C&Z tunes, I decided it was time to get to know the music more intimately and spend some time in the zydeco clubs of south Louisianne. I had a buddy of mine who shared my obsession with the music make the trip with me -- or was it me who accompanied him? Nevertheless, it was my buddy and I who decided to start our own first band, "Zydeco Faux Pas" here in Dallas -- he on accordion and me on frottoir.

We found a guitarist, bass and drummer to complete the combo and we were very busy with gigs because we were unique here in the DFW area. Technically speaking, were weren't that great since we were all cutting our teeth on not only our instruments, but also becoming performers. Few of us had any real experience to speak of. But what we lacked in a technical capacity, we made up in enthusiasm. People loved us.

After a couple of years of tons of tunes reeling in my head, scrubbing the board and watching the accordion squank away, I bought a Hohner C that was "hot-rodded" by the late Chalie Ortego. It was enough to get me learning the accordion and then I started playing about one-third of the tunes on the set list on the accordion. Of course it became difficult to satisfy the egos of two accordionists in the band, and to make a long story short, I started my own band with another combo of musicians. That was my second band in a history of about 7 bands to date.

In a nutshell, that's how I got started at playing. It was a bit of the tail wagging the dog -- I was already performing on the rubboard and then slowly started learning the accordion and bringing forward a few tunes at a time into a band. I consider myself to have been very lucky to have been in that kind of situation. It made me learn the tunes well, since I had the peer of an accordionist in the band, plus an audience in front of me that I didn't want to disappoint with clams and trainwrecks.

To answer the big question regarding what accordion to start off on really depends on your situation. I believe the Hohner I had was better than a standard Hohner with the modifications that Charlie Ortego (Master Accordions -- Lake Charles) made to it. It had upgraded reeds, a quality bass and thumbstrap, new springs, bellow tape and a nice solid black paint job. Plus the guy I bought it from had an external mic on it (the kind on an acrylic plate which snaps on the front.)

If money is a factor, then a new handmade is probably not in your future. But you need to ask yourself how serious you are about playing, especially if you plan to take it to the stage. Do you have gumption and a good ear? If so, I'd take the jump and get a handmade in the key of C. The key of C is a lot easier for guitarists to accompany you -- and you'll also find plenty of tunes and instructional videos on a C box that will augment your learning curve.

Eventually you'll find the key you are most comfortable with vocally; and if you're like many Braves in this forum, you'll end up with more than one key. Someone once wrote in this forum that the correct number of accordions to own was the current number -- plus one! Genius!

Good luck Dana!

R!CK

There are no hard and fast rules with respect to choice of key.

For a triple row, the 1st choice is F-Bb-Eb. This is the most common nowadays. In the past, G-C-F was more common than it is now.

For single rows, Bb is typically regarded as a better choice than C if you play to play zydeco, while C is regarded as better for Cajun.

Having said that, a huge factor in the choice of key is to get an accordion that will fit your vocal range. There is not much point in buying an accordion which requires a tenor range voice, if you happen to be a baritone. This is my situation. There is just no way that I can hope to hit a high G when I am singing; even a high F can be a challenge if I don't do everything just right. If I was to use a C accordion, I would be playing a lot in G, and I would not be able to hit that note. So, I use a Bb box. Same thing with the triple row: F-Bb-Eb is more accomodating to my voice.

also if you get f/bflat/eflat, it adds
3 more 'key groups' you can play in

getting a g/c/f just adds 2

you can play in 2nd position, key of c
on the f row

which is kind of cool for cajun jams
where every one is playing
a c accordion on the push, you are
breezing along on the pull, still in c

i might recommend getting a good
f/bflat/eflat, then a cheap chinese
g/c/f just to play with

it;s hard not to, with even 2 reed hohners
going for $1000 and up, italian
ones $2500 and up - and the cheap
chinese ones at $200 and below

the $$$$ ones are better, but not
5-10 times better

wle

OK, I am cleaning house.
After selling that really nice Martin,
I might s well continue!

I have a Hohner Corona II
from the 70's, I believe.

It is black and cosmetically very pretty.
It is well worn in, but not worn out.
(Made in Germany)

$550 plus shipping to your location.
Comes with the original Hohner case in good condition.

email if you want pictures or to hear over the phone.

DP

HI DP.. I'm very interested in your Corona...email me at glenn.a@tin.it

I couldn't get your mail to work.. THANKS..

GLENN

Glenn,
I got your email from you mac.com address.
I will take pics tonight.

DP

A real cajun accordion is a 10 diatonic (maybe 9)button accordion (works like a mouth harp/ harmonica). Just look at the pictures on the web. If you decided to go for one, buy a good one or a used second hand (good) one. It will make you happy and it will keep its price. members on this form will advice you. I myself own 2 LA handmades of two different brands (and different keys, C and D)and am very satisfied with them.


Gus

Hey Dana,

Here's my 2 cents.

When I first got the desire to play back in 1985, my dad gave me what I thought was some sound advise. He said unless I absolutely knew for a fact that I would be committed to playing it made no sense to invest in an expensive accordion. So, I bought an el cheapo for 200 bucks and practiced on it. After about 6 months the desire was still there only stronger.
I then invested in an ACADIAN, and WOW, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. What a difference!

Thats more like 3 cents. Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide and with your playing.

Bon Chance,
Nelson Trahan

Do NOT get a Chinese box! I am a newbie, purchased a Hohner Ariette in January of this year from Ebay $269. Big mistake and waste of money. Too hard to play, sounded awful, extremely poor quality. I purchased a slightly used Bon Cajun in June that I found through this site and have been happily playing every day since then. Even though I am only a living room 'musician' at this time, it was well worth the money. My advice, spend a little extra and get an LA or TX handmade(I have been paying attention), you will not regret it. And the best thing you have done is find this site. I thank all of you for the great information I get from reading your posts.

Wow, what a lot of great responses. Thanks to all of you!

I tend to agree with Carol. As I mentioned, I play other instruments, and I know that a cheap, poorly-made instruement is much more difficult to play than a quality piece, not to mention that quality also will sound a whole lot better. I think that maybe a lot of aspiring young musicians may be discouraged from continuing in their musical endeavor when they find out how difficult it is to learn one. Making it more difficult with a cheap instrument is not a good thing.

As said on here, I think a good box is a good "investment", both monetarily and musically.

I'll keep reading here, keep looking in the pawnshops and ebay, and keep my eyes open for a nice LA or TX box. Is there a particular website anyone recommends to go to and read up on specifically what to look for, how to recognize them, etc.

Finally, one more question: How about a piano accordion? I don't know enough about this genre of music to know if you can get a good cajun or zydeco sound from a piano accordion. Can it be done?
would it be much more difficult to do (play the notes) on a piano than on a diatonic? (I already play the piano, so fingering would not be an issue).

thanks again for all your help and insight.

Dana

Dana,

The piano accordion once ruled the roost in zydeco. It's still a rockin' instrument though!

Check out CDs by Corey Ledet, Lil' Nathan, Curley Taylor, and Lil' Brian & The Zydeco Travelers for some new school mastery. In the old school, you probably already know about Clifton Chenier! But there's also C.J. Chenier, Buckwheat Zydeco, Nathan Williams, Wilfred Chevis, Leon Sam, and Lynn August just to name a few.

All good. All inspirational!

C'est fun!

R!CK