This is one of Randy's early models with Salpa reeds (which sound fantastic, BTW). A fiddle-playin' friend of mine told me Randy made it for him in the late 80's. I remembered when he showed up with it in about '89. I just got it back from Randy (who gave it a clean bill of health)a couple of weeks ago, and he said he thinks he built it in the 70's. Whatever the case, we'd both agree that it's hardly been played. The guy never did learn how to play it, and it's mostly been case-bound and in climate-controlled storage. The bellows show no wear that I can see, and it's in great condition. And it sounds d*mn good - when Randy plays it. It won't do my bidding, but I haven't learned the magical incantations - yet.

I guess I'll have to e-mail photos to any interested parties because I couldn't figure out how to paste them into the e-mail or put them on a 24/7 website, like Joanie's post says to do. If anyone knows how to explain this to an ignorant hillbilly, then please, feel free.

I want $1250 for the accordion, $35 for the Euro-Lite case (which is what I paid for it a month ago and is pretty handy to ship it in) + shipping/insurance, whatever that happens to be for your area. I'm in Fayetteville, Arkansas, so you do the math. I'll sell it to anyone but Rick Reid - I don't want to enable him.

My phone# is 479 973-2893 home, & 502-2893 cell

Happy days, Jamey

Okay, here goes nothing

< a href="http://s452.photobucket.com/albums/qq241/Jameyaccordion/?action=view¤t=Top.jpg" target="_blank">

Okay, there's no stopping me now:

Hmmm. they're a bit large, but I don't know what to do about that:

< a href="http://s452.photobucket.com/albums/qq241/Jameyaccordion/?action=view¤t=Front.jpg" target="_blank">

In case you'd like to see the, well, case:
< a href="http://s452.photobucket.com/albums/qq241/Jameyaccordion/?action=view¤t=Case.jpg" target="_blank">

Beautiful accordion! Sorry I can't buy it, but how much for the art on the walls? And the recliner, too?

R!CK

And the little girl?

Sorry, I need the art to cover up the numerous wall safes and Sarah Palin overload "accidents".

Nice one..

I have two newer Falcons and both have Salpas..

Glenn

Don't be worried about the size, Eva. They are very small next to your PA, maybe 8 pounds at the most. This one is wonderful...a real tit noir...I like metal buttons and Salpa reeds are special.
Great case also.

I'd buy it if my wife wouldn't have a fit. I already have a C box. That is what you need to learn on.

Hmmm...It is so hard to tell how big these boxes really are ...I know I am obsessed with making sure the box is smaller....as I want "small" since I already have a 18 lb p. acc.
I guess they all weigh around 10 lbs

That is nice looking really.....

Cajun boxex weigh only 7-8 pounds. They are small next to almost any piano accordion.

You really need to buy this Falcon. Falcon boxes are among the most coveted of all.

John

Agreed!

Falcons are amongst the lightest of currently made accordions.. I've owned 3 and they have all been lighter than other brands..

Go for it.. you'll be gettin Old School Falcon.. rare and economical. Resale is at about $1,500.

Glenn

Yeah ...it is starting to look really good to me and I know that Jamey is a Swell guy and trustworthy!

I like the metal buttons too...

old school...will it still have a modern cajun sound?

well...I guess cajun boxes have been made the same for ages though!

Believe me, it WILL have the Cajun sound!

Every box seems to have it's own unique character. Part of what differentiates one player from another.

Junior Hebert with the Maurice Playboys has a couple of the older Falcons, a C and a D. I think he said he paid about $800.00 each for them back about 15 years ago, so this one from Jamey is a real buy. If I didn't already have a LA made C & D I would jump on it.
JB

Oh I know I need to buy this wonderful Falcon...but atlas the Acadian style bug has hit me and I fear that nothing else will do ...except something similiar to an acadian...funny how I got so picky so quick huh? But what I will buy will be with me a long long long time....

Similar!!!?? A Falcon is every bit the equal of an Acadian. Ask Marc Savoy.

Capt.

Capt

:-)

You have got to remember that I am a female...you know those curvy species that are picky, irrational, uncompromising....idealistic... even sadistic when it comes to gettin exactly what we want....

Its a woman thing!

The Falcon may not be right for a woman. All the Falcon's I have seem have a wider button spacing 13/16"(.8125") instead of the usual 3/4"(.750"). May not be so good for a woman's hands. Careful measurement can determine the spacing. It would be interesting to see if this older box is the same spacing as the newer ones.

true...key spacing and distance of the keys from the keyboard edge and also the size of the bass box can vary. My LeCapitaine is made for my larger hands with a thicker bass box and keys a bit farther from the keyboard edge.

If you want an Acadian, you will have to buy a used box or wait quite a while for delivery of a new order. Marc is also notorious for not wanting to sell a hand-made to a beginner. I suppose he can be charmed by the female sex.

In spite of, or because of the above, I don't think you could go wrong with the vintage, almost unplayed Falcon. You will always be able to sell it for more than you paid.

I've owned 3 but have never noticed any difference in button spacing..and admit I am hypersensitive on this issue on 3 row accordions.... I have very small hands and it made no difference.. I actually find the Bon Cajuns heavier and spongier on the keyboard.. but that is just me.

I do find metal buttons easier to mess with .. dont' know about the resta ya's.

G.

Take one of your Falcon's and put it side by side with any other box you will see the difference. You won't notice any difference when playing.

They do indeed have a wider spacing, I know this from personal experience. Randy bases his accordions on a Hohner pattern for the keyboard, the difference is a .25" over the whole entire keyboard, but believe me, any experienced player will feel the difference. For some people the Hohner pattern works great, I still prefer the Sterling pattern, which is what Randy used for my last accordion I got from him. Speaking of keyboards and buttons, this is one of the many reasons I swear by Randy's work. He has the most stable action of any maker, meaning the buttons don't wobble around when you press them. Also the buttons do not hit the wood under them, he knows how to set it up just right.

hmmm...I actually like the idea of wider spaced buttons...less chance of hitting the wrong one when they are wider spaced (in my oponion)
This is my thinking because of those tightly spaced bass buttons on the Piano accordion...

Question ...if my memory serves me right...everything that I have read so far has said that when buying a button box that newer is always better ..that they have been building better and better boxes in very recent years....

Does that rule not apply to the handmade boxes?

please someone elaborate?

NO... that does not apply to hand-made Cajun boxes. The quality of a La made box is entirely dependant on the skill of the builder. Most parts are hand-made...the valves, the reed-blocks, the keys (the flappers are hand carved and the wires are formed and bent by hand. These are NOT factory made instruments. Each is unique to some degree, but built upon the model preferred by Cajun musicians for the last 60 plus years. A Cajun accordion builder is an artisan in the true meaning of the word. You have to love making them. It is no way to get rich. Over 100 hours of labor goes into making each one.
Many people prefer the sound of vintage boxes and Falcon boxes are among the best. Some say that the best boxes Marc Savoy ever made were constructed back in the 1980's. Some of that has to do with the reeds available at the time. The Salpa reeds in the Falcon are no longer available and were never common. Some think they are the best ever made.

ALL La boxes will have keys spaced further apart than a Piano accordion. You will have no problems hitting the wrong key due to them being close together.

Jamey. What color inside the bellows?

It's all red (I didn't know the answer to that until I was prompted by your question to look - but then, I lived in our old house for over a year before I knew what color it was).

Jamey the unobservant

Yeah...I have learned Sooo much from all the Braves here in such a really short time....

This is for sure the place to hang out!