Hi!
For about two years I have been playing exclusively HA114, working on my Cajun tunes (and also some Swedish traditional tunes.) It's tuned well (just tuning) and I really like the sound of it. The bellow keeps tight and the treble button springs are modified to be a bit less hard to push down. Still, playing it every day gives me pain in both arms/elbows, and I'm quite convinced that I ought to upgrade to a more easily played accordion. I willl sell my three HA114's (C,D and G) in order to buy one, better accordion in the key of D. My question is:
What cajun accordion is most similar to Hohner 114 in terms of sound? Since I live in Sweden I don't have many opportunities to try out different brands. I've been thinking of Martin, Acadian and Savoy, new, or preferably, used.
I've read some threads here, but I didn't find anything specifically about different brands and their similarity to Hohner-sound.
Or Jonas, if you could just git yer hands on some HA-114 reeds and have the accordion built around them! Or a used hand made accordion which already has HA-114 reeds installed in it. They do exist!
Know this....If you install HA-114 reeds into a hand made accordion, they will restrict sound somewhat by the amount of air they allow to pass through them, but with HA-114 reeds, the sound carries farther and penetrates. It's like a fine edged surgical scalpel versus a butcher knife. The butcher knife relies on power, while the scalpel relies on precise and delicate skills.
In other words, keep your Hohner HA-114 accordions for when you want that "Hohner" sound. And slowly figure out what brand, what key, and what tuning of a brand new handmade accordion you'd like.
PS. The sound of your accordion improves as your skills increase over the years. Make do with what you got neg. Until you know for certain what it is you want.
The April 2011 Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week
