There's was a new unsold one sitting in Floyd's Record shop in Ville Platte yesterday. He only uses natural unstained wood and makes four a year. This one is curly maple. The $1600 price tag seems like a bargain for the way it plays. Very tempting...

I think Cecil makes those...but I thought he made about
8-10 per year..maybe slowed down. Never played one,
but heard good reports on this site a couple of years ago

Man I thought for sure this was a thread about how to swallow an accordion. But Joe is correct, Cecil Fontenot at Floyd's Records makes them right there in the back of the store. Great guy -- one of the nicest guys I've met on many a jettisons through Acadiana. I pulled on one of his Swallows once. Good quality and sound. Sounds like a reasonable price.

R!CK

My Bb is a Swallow. Cecil made it three years ago. I didn't buy mine from him, but from a Pawn shop on Ebay. Compared to my Bon Cajun and Acadian, I would say the craftmanship is a little less sophisticated. In terms of playability, it is not as fun to play, but I think that has more to do with the fact that a Bb is much lower in tone, therefore consumes more air, and therefore is less air tight. That aspect aside, I find the action to be harder (perhaps du to stronger button springs?). But overall, it's a fine box.

hi Maz .. sounds like a few adjustments could turn it in to a great playing one .. if you'd ever get to Holland, bring it, i'll set her up for you .. nout

What would you do to it?

Well, it seems you need to slacken the springs a little - one of the reasons Louisianians are so much better: you can do this fairly easy by inserting a bit of space between two turns (don't do this at the wrong place though) or replace them with a different gauge. - and to access them you have to take the key board off the sound board, not very difficult to do - but as always: not everybody is a handyman, and f.i. ruin a philips head screw by using a non properly fitting screwdriver etc. - so you can do it yourself. use quality small pliers, cutters (spring steel is tough) , have some proper glue at hand if a spring's attachment nail pops loose.
- i've been messing around with spring tensions a lot, and feel it's very personal what's right for you. - tip: to measure you could create an adjustable weight with a tubish holder with washers. I do it by feel, but if your motoric sense & feel is rough (as in if you were the kid back then who could even break a Tonka toycar) don't do it at all your self, some constructional parts are pretty delicate with an accordion. - I like springs set pretty light but not too light; lighter is important when you play with your fingers flat, in combination with rounded buttons; if you as i do, like to slide sideways to the next button - too light will make either your flappers not sealing good enough, and also harder to play one note triplets. - Tip 2: i set up one accordion pretty tough, almost as a new Martin, for practising your finger's strenghth at times - nout

THanks... I might try it when I have time and feel like a handyman. ;-)