I have been contacted by someone who is selling the accordions described above. I have not seen or played them yet. If anyone is interested in either of these or if you know someone in the market for a used LA-made accordion, please contact me chris@bayouroots.com. Thanks. I will post an update after seeing and playing them.

Who might Valentine Lopez be???? I googled that name and nothing in the way of Cajun Accordions came up. Sounds like someone who may be living in Arizona

Tee Louis Lopez. Tim Broussard in my band remembers him. I'm going to post pics soon.

That Acadian in D sounds interesting!!
Looking forward to the pics.

Ok Chris thanks found him this might be an interesting item to own.

Lopez, Louis. Lopez began playing the accordion at age 13. He was born in Elton, Louisiana in 1918 and later moved to Lake Charles. By 1947, he was playing music professionally in many clubs with many noted musicians throughout southwest Louisiana. Lopez also helped young musicians learn to play the accordion. He died in 1976, survived by his wife, two daughters, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. He was included in the Cajun French Music Association Hall of Fame in 1990.

After visiting with the lady who had the accordions, I discovered that is was a LOUIS Lopez accordion in the Key of C. (I looked inside; made in 1963--Tupelo Reeds) and it is very nice condition. It has not been played very much. It has the old style pick-up with the screw-on type of connector for the cable that is included. It plays well but is not perfectly in tune...it could sound MUCH nicer after tuning. The other accordion was not an Acadian. She had said it was a Marc Savoy accordion over the phone, so I assumed it was an Acadian. I have never seen an accordion like this. The metal stops on top are like the stops on the Italian "Acadian" that was made for Marc Savoy, but this accordion has no trademark or name anywhere inside or out. It is in the Key of D. The reeds blocks look to be removable and are two upright blocks...like Hohner, Cajun King and others...it is very tight and has hardly been played. The lady said her husband said he bought it from Marc Savoy. My guess is it is an Italian import. It is not perfectly in tune and doesn't sound like a Cajun tuning. The reeds are loud and very responsive and the fingerboard is pretty nice. It is very easy to play. This would sound very nice tuned up to the player's particular tastes. It would work for anything from Irish, Quebecois, and/or Cajun.

Couldn't embed videos for some reason...maybe they were to fresh?

Anyway..
On You Tube, search for


Louis Lopez "Starling" in C for sale
Unknown D Accordion for sale

or go to my channel cpm6miller

Yeah.. when YOU play it, it sounds good (the "Acadian" in D)..
Looks a bit like a tweaked Hohner 114.

It is definitely not a tweaked Hohner. It is bigger than a Hohner. I have seen those tweaked Hohners around too and they can be quite nice. This is not some kind of retrofit project. The only part that appears to have been added and that is not original is the thumb strap and the plate that the strap is anchored on. It is VERY tight, but not in a bad way--the way that some brand new Hohners are. It is VERY responsive. It is loud. It is super clean inside and out. The fingerboard is larger and much quieter than a Hohner. And of course, there is a regular bass box and not spoons--but it is obvious that the bass box is original to the accordion.

The accordion really plays and sounds great, MUCH better than a Hohner...but I know the appearance/style is not what we have come to think of as "Cajun," especially with all the little gold leaf design and the gold ends. BUT, if you are open-minded...it is really kind of cool and very unique...I haven't ever seen one like it!

I am really curious about the origins of this box. If anyone knows...please chime in. Glenn was always good at this sort of thing.The only time I have seen those metal stops were on Italian boxes...especially the ones that Marc was have built for him in Italy. I have sent pics to Savoy Music Center to see if they can help shed some light on things...I thought I had seen it all...obviously not! My guess is that it may have been an early model that had been done in Italy to Marc's specs and sent to him, but it was probably not was he was looking for in terms of appearance. It really does sound just like the "Italian Acadians" that I have heard...and it has the same stops and the bellow tape extends over the inner frame...just like the later models. The later models are brownish stained wood and no gold at all...but it has the same stops, same inner frame-bellow tape design and the same type tone. And of course, according to the man's wife, he had said he got it from Marc Savoy...and called it his "Marc Savoy" accordion.

Does anyone know the price of these & where they are for sale? Not like I will EVER live long enough to see the $$$ for a real box, but trying to let my dreams continue as I run out of air about every 3rd note on my humble Ariette.... I swear, it's like my little box was a ****ed chain smoker or sometin'

chris, i might be interested in the lopez accordion, Didn't he build nathan's accordion? and when can i see it? please call me 337-526-7030 merci!

Still available

Both Louis and Valentine are my Great Uncles. My father played music with both of them, I was just a small boy when Nonc Louis passed. I miss the get togethers.

I have a late great uncle named Valentine Lopez that manufactured and played Cajun French Accordions. He passed in 1967. I still have one of his accordions.