Hi: I'm sellin my Excelsior "C" Cajun Accordion. Mine is a little different than the standard box in that it's got some nice cosmetic improvements. John Roger supplied new hardware, top of the line straps (he uses excellent straps), and the face plates have been nicely refinished to create a pretty nice box. I found this box to be a much better instrument than the Hohner Cajun, Regal, Ariettes, and those EBAY chinese things. None of them come close to matching this accordion. It's not as good as a hand-made, but I played this one in a band for a while and I think it sounds amazingly good for a mass produced box. The excelsior has great, quiet button action, a great feel, great bellows response. This is the best accordion you can get for under $1000.
Anyway, I can supply pictures of the box and will offer it to any interested folks out there for $700 (free shipping to USA addresses). It is in better than new condition, in factory tune, and includes a case.
I agree looks and sounds very arriettish to me. No picture of the keyboard where it attaches to the faceplate or I could tell for sure. Probably not worth anywhere near $700.
If it is an Excelsior, it is not an Ariette, but definitely a mid-range box, like a Gabbanelli Cajun King. The reed quality and action of the Excelsior are better than the Ariette or any Hohner one-row, for that matter.
However, like the Gabb, it feels like an Italian box. For better or worse, you get what you pay for!
Not that its easy to hear from the recording, but it sounded like many boxes I've tried where the reeds are all standing on edge, rather than having two banks glued down.
Less volume, tinnier sound.
But, like I said, a recording is not a good way to assess that.
well i am no accordion expert...but i do own an Excelsior Acadia...which to my knowledge is the only single row "cajun" accordion that excelsior makes....and having said that..this accordion doesnt look nothing like mine...if it did at one time, then it has been modded completely and i dont even think you could call it a excelsior anymore...also my acadia does not sound like that..it has no tinny sound at all.