Jr Martin has told the story that he did get a Savoy box and wanted to make accordeons. He had heard of the unbounded generousity of Marc Savoy ahd approached him for any advice or assistance that he might offer,
According to Mr Martin, Savoy flat blew him off.
A very fine addoedeon maker attemnpted hgis first box and wenbt to see Marc Savoy for his input... it is reported that Savoy took one look and said :
"Hohner reeds" , turned his back and walked off.
The only thing that Marc Savoy and Jr Martin have in common is ( crude, amteurish) butted joints.
I have spoken several times to both Jr Martin and Marc Savoy, Savoy in person twice and twice on the phone when trying to buy a box.
Jr Martin is a very kind and generous gentleman, Marc Savoy is at the opposite end of the scale.
A local friend and a Quebecer, went to Louisiana with his family, specifically to see Marc Savoy and order an accordeon. Two minutes with Savoy, and he and his wife were so offended they left and went down the road to buy from someone else.
Both Savoy's and Jr Martin's reputations are not without factual basis.
I never met Marc Savoy in person, but talked on the phone to him once and exchanged mails. On both counts he was nice and quite professional. I can understand why a creative person being so much in the picture can be bothered with the many people wanting something from someone "famous"; fans, starting players looking for advice, or wanting to buy something from you for less money. And the many plain irritating time-wasters trying to sell you their personal beliefs or other. You have to put some defenses up at times to stay sane, and that can be a little annoying maybe at times. - BTW friends of mine experienced really nice things from Marc, like working through half the night to finish off an accordion for a starting player so they could take it home to Europe the next day. And lets face it, i value his workmanship as musician and builder very much, also for raising some really nice & musical kids, taking the time to explain playing & tuning accordions on DVD, and sharing his accordion building knowledge. So lets quit all this bashing and negativeness towards someone who contributes so many things of great value to Cajun- and other music & thus make this world a better place for so many people. Especially on this forum. I had my fill here for now too ... thank you. - Nout
I'm jumping in for the last time. The original question was of the age and value of the Acadian listed on eBay.
Irrespective of the irrelevant personality differences of Jr. Martin and Marc Savoy, Karl deserves a responsive post, and little has been presented in the 18 back-and-forths that followed his simple inquiry.
Although the box is no longer on eBay, it looks 10+ years old to me, and at $1500 might be OK, but at $1950 too high. Being in Canada, it may have musette or light musette tuning. If you can't hold and play the accordion, you must place a great deal of faith in the seller. As the saying goes, "If ye know not diamonds, know thy jeweler."
Nedro
P.S. I met Marc at his shop back in April and he was very cordial.
I'm glad to know that I am not the only one to start crap on this forum. Who says one accordion is better that the other. Sound, weight, reeds, bellow or maker. All these guys learned a skill of making accordions. Some do it full time, some do it part time. Who's really to say one is a better maker? They all get reeds, bellow, straps and hardware from each other. I've been to both shops and are seemingly nice people. Martin's seems to be a mass productions while Marc seems a little personalized. All learned from one another or destroying a Hohner to get the pattern down. Anyway, they have been in business for years and most buyers seems happy. If the product was junk they would have flopped years ago. Why you think there is Coke and Pepsi, Ford and Chevy, or McDonald's and Burger King? Not everyone has the same taste. So don't bash one for the other. Be civil and can't we just all get along?
The April 2011 Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week
