RINOLDI CORNER

It will happen. Sooner or later in your life, but you will need an accordion. An used one? you wonder. Well, a brand new, high quality instrument will cost you more than that a trip to Hawaii. Your way through this would be purchasing a very good, used accordion. You can learn what brands are the good ones, and you will. However, how to spot a GOOD USED accordion is a bit more difficult.

Commercially, the best accordions ever made are the Italian ones. However, if those Italian accordions were manufactured for a few high end companies in USA, they are even more desirable. There are many, many good Italian names. Do not trust in names that sound Italian but seem to come from the automotive industries. “FERRARI” would be a dream car, but a nightmare accordion! Amongst the high brands you will find, by instance: SCANDALLI. It does not mean that SCANDALLI is the best. No one is the best. Some excel in voices, some in quality of manufacture.
However, as a rule of thumb…you can’t go wrong with an Italian instrument. And, out of the many Italian manufacturers that are established in USA, the most recognized brand is EXCELSIOR. I mean EXCELSIOR, not another of the “MADE BY EXCELSIOR” brands.

SO MANY BUTTONS…DO I NEED THEM?

Well, maybe not now…but you will and you will miss them if you start with a smaller accordion. Get the best 120 bass accordion you can afford.

REGISTER OR “STOPS”

Well, you will know them. Maybe you don’t need to use as much as eleven switches or registers. However, a good amount of registers, like 11 to 15, almost always guarantee that your accordion has FOUR VOICES on treble side. And this is very important, whatever they say. You may find 4 voice accordions with only 4 registers, but this is not usual. ASK. On the contrary, sometimes you’ll find a full 11 register accordion with repeated registers. This would be a 3 voice accordion with 11 switches, but the switches will repeat. Just Pass. Your goal is to get the best Italian, or Italian manufactured in USA, 4 voice accordion.

PAWN SHOPS.

It might work, but usually they are in bad shape. Take along with you a friend who can test drive the accordion! ALL ACCORDIONS ARE PRETTY: You will like almost any accordion if it is not evidently dilapidated. But, if you don’t play, take a friend with you…or you might end buying a good stopper for your barn door (if you have one.)

EBAY:

ASK SELLER. If seller tells you “I DON’T KNOW ABOUT ACCORDIONS”…look elsewhere. Ask, Ask, and then, ask again. Look at pictures, ask if there are “ODORS” (Smelly accordions may be good for a technician, but not for you. they are almost always badly out of tune and in need of a total overhaul)

Whatever you do, use the common sense. A great accordion for $100 is highly improbable to be found, but NOT IMPOSSIBLE. To be more realistic, expect to pay from $300.00 to $2000.00. Or even more.

Accordions are strong instruments and very delicate too. Improper storage will ruin the best accordion in no time. Humidity and exposure to heat are the most common causes for damage. You can not rely on looks. You need to know WHAT IS INSIDE, and look at it. A seller that stops you from opening an accordion to take a look at the innards is inviting you to leave and never come back!