Definitely an accordionplayer with lack of breath
Funny picture by the way.
Take a look for wide bellows at link#2.
Beautiful pictures Boi Sec Ardoin

Doug,
To answer your question: most builders use the Italian made bellows from several different companies from Italy.
All of these companies are used to making bellows to fit what we refer to as "handmade Cajun" accordions. The specs are as follows: 280mm X 150 mm with 20 folds ( 18 working folds ) with the fold depth at 25mm. When an order is placed with them, there is a "minimum" order ( usually 5). So.................. if a customer wants a bellow different from the "standard" , it may take as long a year to get that "custom" bellow, not to mention the added cost, as the price is discounted when ordering more, rather than less. Hope that gives you the answer you're looking for.

Galossi and Marconi were the bellows of choice.

Melodie in Quebec and other makers divide a standard length bellows... mine was made a simple narrow wood frame divider.

This was common 75-100 years ago when bellows were made with 6-10 folds and joined to make them longer.

I am more impressed when a player can make do with 12 or fewer folds. The mark of a skilled player.

I seem to recall the phrase.. "all hat....."

Marc Savoy is impressive for that. It always seems as if he's going to be short of air... But, no...


(Thanks John for your little tutorial clip. I always wondered how people did that).

http://robives.com/category/tags/bellows

The reason i'm so ignorant & retarded & asking all these stupid questions is because cajun & zydeco, or kajico as i automatically label them when they come together, is all brand new to me.

I've found when I am performing with various instruments that people are captivated by the sight of instrument as much as by the sound of it. This makes me certain that the bellows of the accordions I buy must have as many deep folds as possible so that on stage they create a more captivating visual effect.

Obviously a player could make the same music with a small number of folds but I was just considering the visual effects of the bellows movements on stage & how that movement is absolutely captivating to some people & therefore should be enhanced as much as possible.

well Doug,

You are 100% correct about the entertainment aspect of .. well .. entertaining.

It's your perogative, of course, but remember this;

"Schtick" will alienate you from people that know what they're really doing,
such as Marc Savoy (and if you're serious about playing a Cajun accordion,
you really should know who Marc Savoy is.)

If you walked into his his store with such a monstrosity, you would likely
be ushered out quite rapidly.

Just a friendly note of caution from your friends here ;-)

--bn

And, as some have experienced, you can be ignored for no apparent reason.. or snubbed, or he can be out and out rude... no matter the size of your "bellows".

French accordeonist Poutoux playing an IRTRAD tune.

Note the double bellows on the Quebec made Melodie accordeon..
note also the extreme bellows stretching.

Next the great Bobby Gardiner on a fantastic, stove stock, leaky Hohner;
this is the real deal.

And then there is Julie, another all time favorite player in the Quebec style.. in "D". Modest bellows action with some angled compression.