Beats me why the manufacturers can't stamp, emboss or fix a plate to , say, the bottom, of the accordion with the "ex-factory" key..

It may also help a potential buyer to identify if an accordion has been retro-fitted with different keyed reeds ( perhaps dare I say inferior quality reeds ? )...ie. it plays like a Bb but it says it's a eg. Martin C ....

It may even be helpul if the embossing identified that it was a say, C box with eg. 5 c Wet tuning ex-factory.

ALL of the harmonica manufacturers have no problem with embossing their diatonic harps..why not discreet stamping/embossing on the accordions. ?

It's probably even better to force makers to use a CMA approved color scheme for accordions for each different key .... Like Cyan for C, Brown for B etc. Come to think of it, i'd love a totally Chrome plated Acadian for my C ..... Or a bar-code plus a free bar code reader? Two bleeps i C, three is D etc, so the blind will be less left in the dark .....
PS a converted accordion should be banned & branded with this sign across the bellows:



PS, maybe on the top i there's a nice crayfish present at the front ...


-N

His box is probly a B# or a C#b and not a C.

I usually would use an electronic guitar tuner and push in the third button and find the key quickly.