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CAJUN ACCORDION DISCUSSION GROUP

 

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Re: beginner accordion from builder?

Kits were offered by POLVERINI some years back.

They were priced at around $1000.

Opinions were that it was not a good value.

I am not certain they still make them.

Assembly is 25% of the work.. as has been said, it's making all the bits and parts that takes the time.

Get an HA114 Hohner made in Germany.

Pad the fingerboard and have it properly tuned.

That would fit your budget.

Easily saleable if you decide to upgrade.

Re: beginner accordion from builder?

Good advice, Jeff.....Hey, it will take time to learn to play this contraption,anyway, so get started on the cheap and start saving your money and in 2 or so years, buy the upgraded La. Handmade!!

When i started out, I thought there was something wrong with my Martin, because I was making such painfully slow progress...so I looked around and found a used Acadian...guess what, my progress was just as slow...so I started getting bold and asked some other players if I could try out their other brands....same results!

Like I said, I played the Hohner and it just was not that bad as an instrument that can be used to learn. I will probably get one of those for my grandson to mess with. They are very light in weight and have that unique sound!

Just my deux sous!

Re: beginner accordion from builder?

Check the link for some interesting playing on the LOWLY Hohner
This one is Pitched in G

Good enough for a pro like Bobby Gardiner, good enough for me.

BTW I just got his recent CD... a total knockout
Bobby Gardiner also plays the Irish B/C 2 row accordeon in addition to the melodeon

Re: beginner accordion from builder?

Hi, Dave and welcome. I think most on this board at one time or another has been in your situation. I would like to refer you to an earlier post about the DaileySpinalTap you-tube videos of Mark Savoy at his music store recently. In one of the clips, he is clearly seen unboxing a Hohner accordion and promptly playing it-- tag flapping in the breeze and all!! And it sounded great.

I was at his shop recently and played the same accordion. I actually thought about buying the darn thing!! I had never played one before and thought it was pretty nice (and I have a La. Handmade box)(and no, I am not even good at it yet).

My point is, that if you have limited funds or limited belief that you will actually learn the accordion...this is a good starting point. Learning to play Cajun accordion is NOT impossible but is also NOT a slam dunk! I think folks who start with the cheap Chinese boxes tend to place blame for their slow "progress" on the 'box' and not the process of learning to play. If you do go that route and stick with it, you will probably end up with a Handmade, but that will hopefully be because you have found the passion in the playing and will do whatever you must to get the upgrade...with no regrets!

I hope this helps a little.
cb

Re: beginner accordion from builder?

That does help quite a bit and I appreciate the responses! I see what you mean about the joy being in the playing and not the box. I just need to decide on what I'd be happy to start out with and that it will be an instrument that'll motivate me to actually want to sit down and learn it as well. I still have painful memories of my cheapo guitar from high school that was not so great to learn on and it discouraged me at times...

Re: beginner accordion from builder?

I definitely understand and agree (I had one too) Check out that link from the post about Mark Savoy turning seventy in this forum from a few days ago, and check out him playing that Hohner! Also, go to SavoyMusicCenter.com and check out his comments on learning to play the accordion.

(Disclaimer! I am not a salesman for Savoy or any other accordion builder...they are all wonderful craftsmen in my opinion and your choice should and will hopefully come from talking to as many of them as you can. This board has first class builders responding to inquiries all the time... I suggest that you utilize their willingness to help out!)
cb

Re: beginner accordion from builder?

Dave you answered your own question. You buy cheapo and you get discouraged and put it down. Check out pawn shops as Brian said you will have to pay more than 750, even at pawn shop but you will have a quality instrument that you can play.

Re: beginner accordion from builder?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfoxRNvHZm8

I think this is it Dave.

Re: beginner accordion from builder?

That's great stuff! I love the price tag on the accordion especially

Re: beginner accordion from builder?

Got him on a day he felt like playing

Re: beginner accordion from builder?

this might do the trick??? I think mark is playing a 114
hohner in that clip


http://cgi.ebay.com/HOHNER-HA-114-CAJUN-BUTTON-ACCORDION-MELODEON-KEY-C-/260661184884?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb09e0974

Re: beginner accordion from builder?

Dave,

Another accordion you might consider in the $750 price range is the Weltmeister. The stops are backwards, but they are a pretty decent accordion for the price.

Re: beginner accordion from builder?

Thanks Chuck. I had seen a few of those from looking around so I appreciate the suggestion!

Re: beginner accordion from builder?

Dave -

The Gabbanelli Cajun King is a lower end accordion (Not Louisiana Handmade) that is descent enough to learn on. They sell new for around $900 new and if you are lucky you can find a used one for around $400-500.

Personally I believe that all of the Hohners are more difficult to learn on and could possibly persuade someone to quit playing therefore wasting their money on the accordion. They are more difficult to sell later on.

I have seen people buy the hohners/import, learn how to play, and then buy a LA Handmade, and regreted buying the first hohner.

I have also seen people buy the hohner, and because of it's difficulty in playability they give up on learning (then they have trouble selling it later).

Personally I believe that if you love the music enough and have the talent to learn how to play the accordion then you should buy a used/new LA handmade from the beginning simply because it will not deter you from learning, and will almost always be easy to sell, (typically for the same or more money)..

My 2 cents.

Brett Thibodeaux

Re: beginner accordion from builder?

Thanks Brett. I really appreciate your taking the time to comment and especially like your idea about the used handmade. I'm not in any hurry or anything so will probably take some time to think a little more about that option.

Re: beginner accordion from builder?

Many thanks all for the helpful advice and input everyone. You've given me alot of good food for thought... keep any other ideas and suggestions coming!



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