I completely disagree about the need for a hand made or expensive box on which to learn.


A German made Hohner HA114 in the key of C will do nicely.
Lots of great music has been made on these for decades.
A decent one can be had for around $400-$600.

However.....
Do NOT buy a Hohner or other "Cajun" accordion made in China.. they are junk.

I started playing on a no name German made box from the 1920 pirched in a sharp Bb. Played it for a year.

Stepped up to a Modern German made box.. then lots of Hohners and then hand made Italian boxes.

I still own and play Hohners.

Light, fast, cheap, easy to repair, and fun... a joy to play.

Many Cajun players have used them for years. and... many builders have used the Hohner reeds and components to build boxes.

Marc Savoy has a video out in which he plays a Hohner HA114...


Too old... never...

I'm still playing and learning and have lots of years behind me, more yesterdays than tomorrows.

Find someone in your neck of the woods who plays...if you can post your general locale, perhaps there is someone here nearby.

Also check out the web site/discussion group

melodeon.net players from all over the world... many one row players such as Me/I.

I probably should have indicated that my take on other than the hand-made cajun accordions is based on my terrible experience with one of those crap chinese ones.

I've not played a HA-114, but you are right - they've been generally well considered.

John in Oregon

One of the old HA-114s, German made, would be an excellent choice - if you can find one.

If you are really lucky, you might find one of the "Black C" models. These were made for a few years around 1990, at the request of Marc Savoy. They were all black - didn't have the cheesey filigree decoration. Most significantly, they were Cajun tuned.

One of those was my very first Cajun accordion.

If you can't find an old HA-114, another decent choice would be one of the Gabbanelli Cajun King accordions. Much cheaper than a Cajun "handmade" model, but much higher quality than any of the Chinese junk boxes.

Either the Hohner or Gabby won't be super cheap, but they hold their value. If you get one and decide it's not for you, you would be able to sell it easily enough without losing in the proposition. That is not true with the Chinese junk boxes.

Those Chinese boxes really are that bad. They will only get in your way, slow your progress and frustrate you.

"If you are really lucky, you might find one of the "Black C" models. These were made for a few years around 1990, at the request of Marc Savoy. They were all black - didn't have the cheesey filigree decoration. Most significantly, they were Cajun tuned."


I owned one... bought it new.
NO they are not "Cajun" tuned. They were dry tuned but still 12 TET .. not so much tremolo.. nevertheless the usual "almost" tuning by Hohner.

Big deal.. black bellows tape.. same box.
Though mine was new.. had to drill out the stop holes...insert maple dowels.. trim, drill and refit the rods, pad the keyboard All in a days work..and not unlike other handmade LA accordeons I have bought that are kits and need a bit of tweaking.

Not at the "request" of Savoy but at the suggestion. Helps to know folks at Hohner. They were a turd in a punchbowl,, helium balloon etc...discontinued.

Get a German made HA114 in C..

I played mine today.. what a very cool box.... mine is from the early fifties. An accordion unfiddled by genius tuners or repair persons.


The "cheesey filigree" decoration, universally known as "pokerwork", was a trademark of Hohners. Highly respected.

Try melodeon.net for factual information.

I bought mine brand new as well. From Elderly Instruments in mid 1990. The cost was $325 or so.

I think the actual model designation was HA-114 B, Black C.

They may not have been Cajun tuned, but that is how they were marketed. I'm going off of memory from 1990, but the promotional literature clearly indicated that the tuning was different from the normal HA-114. Specifically, they said it was less wet than usual, and that it had "lightly tempered thirds".

I played mine alongside of the normal stock HA-114 made around the same time, and there was clearly a major difference in the tuning. I considered it to be more suitable for playing Cajun music, and that was obviously the intent.

Comparing the Cajun version and the normal stock version built in the same time period, the tuning was significantly different, and there were also minor cosmetic differences. Other than that, they were exactly the same in all respects.

They were also similar in that Hohner was cutting back on the quality of their accordions. The thumb strap, wrist strap and bellows closure straps were all of very poor quality, and uncomfortable. The thumb strap was plastic and cut into your thumb. The keyboard was plastic - yuck. The stops would not stay in position when opened. I had to fix that by putting a thin strip of plastic behind the sliding wood blocks that were supposed to hold the stops in position. The springs to return the keys into closed position were very flimsy and broke all the time. Fortunately, you could buy stronger ones to replace them, which I did.

All of these things were different from older HA-114s which I looked at around that time. I think they were from the 50's or 60's. Much higher quality. I have no idea if the reeds had gone down hill by the 80's as well, but Hohner was cutting corners everywhere they could, so the reeds probably were much worse as well.

Western Virginia...

C'mon... someone step to the plate and help this guy out.

Also recommend The Button Box in Mass.. excellent place, do a search for their web site...

Call them and ask for Doug Creighton (pronounced craytun)... he'll get you going in the right direction.

70 years old and wanting to learn how to play the Cajun 10 button diatonic accordion? I've personally spoken with quite a few of my Cajun elders that have wanted to do that very same thing, and they have listened to Cajun music all their lives, but never thought they could play the accordion. When did you start listening to Cajun music Mr. Rich? How often do you listen to it? Does it pull you in to the point of wanting to go buy an accordion, guitar, fiddle, or triangle? My suggestion is to start with a set of spoons or the triangle, your foot keeping rhythm on the floor, or even your hand slapping on your knee, to see if you are able to follow the rhythm and the drop beat without much effort or error. If after that point you are helplessly drawn in even more, start making plans to get your accordion. By the way, to play Cajun accordion, you should be listening to Cajun music as often as possible! Preferably every day for an hour or more. With today's modern advances such as the internet, you can tune in to the local Louisiana Cajun radio stations from anywhere the internet is available. KRVS 88.7 has archives of their daily and weekly broadcast going back for years that can supply you with hour upon hour of entertainment and potential instruction. (KRVS 88.7 "Programs A-Z") To become as good as the players that were considered Masters of the old days, it most likely will take you about 20-30 years with a good bit of Cajun music immersion. And all your fingers and both hands and arms need to be working pretty well also. If you don't get it in this life, stand in line in the Cajun musician section (accordion player) when you go to apply for your next life. Not me! I'm never coming back! LOL

Well Greezy.. I agree with you. In my humble opinion, if a person doesn't have inherently solid rhythm in their bones, then they would be better off trying something else non-instrumental ( 'coz trying to play a musical instrument without good rhythm is a painful experience for all..particularly if it involves fitting in with other musicians in a group or band situation )..

Right on Brother! So true.

Thanks everyone for the excellent replies. I don't think I'll have to much trouble with rhythm, etc. I played trumpet in high school many years ago, I also played clawhammer banjo in an old time stringband group quite a few years ago. And more recent I played handbells in a church handbell choir. I listen to cajun music nearly everyday for a while mostly on Youtube. So I guess my next step is to find a box. Thanks again.

Rich,

I also play clawhammer banjo. I currently own a Bart Reiter Grand Concert from around 1992. My third BArt Reiter.. He no longer makes this model.. too much work and too expensive for most players.

If you can play clawhammer banjo, you can definitely play a 10 button accordion.

Are you intent on strictly Cajun music or are you also interested in playing Irish, Quebec Scottish, American fiddle and dance tunes ?

I do strongly recommend a Hohner HA 114....

A regal or Galotta or Weltmeister would be ok...
but not for the process I see.

Absolutely not necessary to get a "handmade" Cajun made box. Lots of great music has been played on Hohners.

Fast fun cheap easy to repair, good resale when you want to turn it. Hohner is no longer making one rows and discontinued German Made over a decade ago.

Is Hohner really no longer making any kind of single row accordions?

No HA-114? What about the Cajun IV? It seems that was a new model not that long ago. Is it gone now?

What about the (despised) Arriette? Is that gone too? If so, good riddance to bad rubbish.

I confirmed that the HA114 is kaput.. I don't know about the Ariette or the Cajun IV.

I'll see what I can find out.

Hohner is rather fragmented.. There is Hohner Germany, Hohner USA run by Gilbert Reyes formerly in education around the Sacramento, Calif area. and then there are all the USA distributors.. Dealers buy form the distributors, not Hohner.

The said they had big plans to reintroduce the Erica in a Bb/Eb for the Dominican players and other top quality boxesw.

Instead they concentrated on three rows as Reyes is a Tex/Mex Norteno proponent... and then they brought in the groosly overpriced 3 row from Italy called the Ancletta.... I'll verify the spelling.

They really missed the mark.

Not everyone wants to play TexMex/ Norteno... There is a huge Quebec market for a fair priced good quality box that can fill the gap between their own Chinese junkl and Hand Made Quebec and LA boxes.

Thjere is a Nova Scotia Market, a USA Irish market for one rows and 2 row 1/2 step boxes...
And what if Hohner came back out with a quality HA114 with buttons that don't dive into never never land and padded so they don't clack and quality bellows tape etc.. offer the box in a correct Cajun tuning and an Irish/Quebec tuning that is not their typical 17 cents wet and barely tuned correctly.

Greed.


From melodeon.net
http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,19534.msg236880.html#msg236880

How on Earth has Hohner managed to remain a prominent brand in button accordions while being completely disconnected from their markets?

The Ariette is a crime; the Cajun IV is base-born (to be polite), and the multi-row boxes a muddled mess.

If logic were to prevail, the HA-114 would be the sole surviving single-row.

I cannot understand Hohner either. Idiots to say the least. If they would just offer a good quality Cajun HA-114B in black in both "C" and "D" with base buttons instead of those dam paddles, they'd make a killing! Last time I dealt with them, I ordered a set of HA-114 reeds and had them put into a Louisiana handmade accordion then tuned 15cents wet. Awesome sound! They may still have those sets of HA-114 reeds for sale, but the base reeds for the base side may not be installable for your Louisiana accordion because of the size of the base reeds.. I wonder if somewhere in Germany, they still have those warehouses full of Hohner accordions or at least the German made reeds? That would be a got dam treasure trove considering Hohner now has its head shoved completely inside it's backside. I'm going to have to give them SOB's a call and give them a peace of my mind one day.

They are now pushing the Anacleto three row and will not allow the dealers to publish the MSRP !.. (except on e Bay if you want a real shock.. on sale for $3500-$6950.. that's the sale price)


"All Anacleto accordions are Made in Italy and feature handmade reeds. They were created by Hohner to fulfill a niche for high quality accordions for performing professional musicians. They come in a variety of colors and designs. Anacleto is the new choice for Nortena and Latin music. Includes 90 day factory warranty. "

$5000- $9000.. with a N IN E T Y D A Y (90) warranty..
Is this a joke ?

And they don't even make them themselves.

For that kind of money you can get a Castagnari a Gaillard,a Serafini, a Beltrami and scores of other quality boxes made by the name on the Accordeon..

The Anancletos are made in Castelfidardo where the rest of the Italian Accordeons are made.

I'll see if I can find out who the actual maker might be.

Wow. Just wow. How pathetic is that? They have totally lost it.

What they have done is given Gabbanelli USA a massive advantage for their poor quality, grossly over priced, more myth than box, and the worst customer service in the business.

I still have an admiration for the pre 1990s Hohners.. And possibly the Xtremes but this current production and marketing makes no sense given there are far better choices at less money.