$2500 just says "i;d rather go fishing than
make accordions"

wle.

Aw man,

$2500? Does anyone really think that the jump in quality corresponds to the jump in price?

I'm awaiting my new Acadian and I payed $1600 for it. That stings enough as it is.

I'd love to own a Falcon some day, but at this rate, they'll always be too expensive.

Nick B

$1600 seems to be the price these days, and you can pretty much assume it will only go up. Prices for reeds and bellows keeps going up, and with Larry Miller retired, that's one less person buying in bulk to sell to the other builders. The prices do sting, but deduct the cost of materials and divive the number of labor hours, it probably comes out to about $5 an hour. You can't even get a kid to deliver newspapers for that. Don't know the reserve for that 'ebay box', but it's one of Larry's last accordions, out of wood you can't buy anymore, and etched with CMFA. I can't afford it, but it is unique. Somebody's going to enjoy it, I'm sure. Just watched a show on accordion building. The Melodie diatonic out of Canada goes for $2500. That's a lot of Ariettes to throw in the fireplace to stay warm this winter.
Steve

Steve,

Be careful when you mention Melodie...Claude from Canada will launch the craftsmanship wars. I tend to agree with him about Quebecois accordions, though -- if you've ever played one, there's a lot to be said for their flawless action and woodwork. They're not flashy boxes, but they're little tanks that can fill a crowded room with music in the right hands.

You're right about the increase in the cost of parts. I've never thought of Larry Miller as the OPEC of accordion parts -- or would that be Italy? -- but I agree that his retirement may change things.

I don't find $1600 to be overpriced by any stretch -- Acadian boxes are still my favorite -- but it does take a while to put the money aside to score one. Obviously, they're worth the price to me if I'm finally buying another one.

I was really thinking about buying a Falcon D before he starts selling them for $10,000 (my new Acadian will be an A box).

Best,

Nick B

I heard through the grapevine that Martin is selling a cocobolo accordion for $3000.00. With most builders you have to pay extra for extras, with Randy you don't. The price is the price, color, key, any extras, it's all one price.

I am probably gonna show my ignorance again but as a woodworker, I cant see how a different wood could make much difference in the price of an accordion. If it was precious metal maybe, but wood? There isnt that much wood in an accordion.

the BON CAJUN is supposed to live on. One of Larry Miller's grandsons is taking over his business.

Grandson Jay is now building and selling under the Bon Cajun name, using all Larry's jigs, equipment, etc. I've seen two of them, and if there's a difference, I couldn't see or here it.

In mho, niether miller or falcon make high enough quality boxes to charge what is being mentioned. Now concerning the wood, it takes only 1.5 board feet of wood to make an accordion. So even if it is made of very rare wood that should not raise the price $500 to $1000 more. All this talk of wood that is very old, rare or not harvested anymore doesn't raise the actual value of an accordion much. Now concerning the CFMA etching. That's kinda stealing a trademark for the sake of trying to get more money. Well like P.T. Barnum said: (There's a sucker born every day.)

that;s what i always thought was silly
about jr martin [for one] charging $1000 more
for what was only about $50 extra worth of
some fancy wood

wle.

no, they are not stealing the c f m a etching. This accordion was auctioned off at the CFMA awards. The winner chose a different type of rosewood, tulip i believe it was instead of the brazilian rosewood.

I was high bidder, but never made the reserve. It eventually sold offline for quite a bit more than the high bid on ebay. A quick word of warning: An attempt (and a fairly convincing one at that) was made to fraudulently create an EBAY Second Chance offer. I was suspicious and contacted Larry Miller directly. Sure enough, the 2nd chance EBAY offer was bogus.