Professional vs. "Home Use" accordions
Crs smitty
newsgroup and found out later that it somewhat got lost out there - never
making it to the gateway! I changed the name of a thread and maybe that was the
problem so I will start a new one - something I haven't done much of - just
preferring to comment on others' postings.
Here was the muffed post - my part only -------- I won't drag anyone else into
this!
There has been considerable discussion of certain brand names of instruments as
being better than others and I'd like to suggest something other than brand
name as an identifier of the accordion because all manufacturer's make a low
line of instruments as well as a high line of instruments. I personally think
this was a mistake from the beginning as they all tried also to develop brand
loyalty at the same time. What happened to the accordion industry was no
different than what happened to automobile, tool, and appliance manufacturers.
They make one grade of instruments for the professional and another grade for
"home use" (also known as "'very little use") It has progressed to such an
extent with some companies that it literally ruined the name of good
manufacturers who can make a good instrument but choose to concentrate on the
mass market of "home use" items. Anyone who has owned a Hohner Morino or Gola
model understands the difference between these fine instruments and hohner's
low line of instruments which are mass marketed and hence much more ubiquitous
in the world! If these manufacturers wanted brand loyalty I believe they made
the wrong move by making a low line of instruments and marketing them with the
same brand name! The majority of tools mass-marketed in department stores
would cave in quickly if used heavily by a professional. Professionals use
good tools that are not advertised as "professional quality" but really are!
We have gotten so used to advertising lies we really don't recognize them
anymore. Like good restaurants never have to advertise "Fine Food" on their
signs ( the sure sign of a "greasy spoon" restaurant ) - the real professional
tools are not marketed that way. Same goes for automobiles - here in the USA
at least does anyone remember when Cadillac really meant a fine car? Now you
have to ask what "model" are you talking about? Most automobile manufacturers
now make low-line models in all the brand names which I always thought from the
beginning was a mistake as those low-line models gave the brand name a bad
flavor to those who encounter them! Apparently some short-sighted marketing
genius thought of using the brand name to market a line of junk and managed to
get the idea past management in the organization. Anyway I don't think that it
is fair to generalize in such fashion against a manufacturer! They *all* make
junk -- it's where the money is -- a wise man named P.T. Barnum once said " a
fool and his money are soon parted "
So what can we use as a yardstick to measure the quality of an instrument ?
I'm not sure there is something anymore as I know anyone could order and get an
accordion that looks just like their favorite artist's accordion but it
wouldn't be because we have progressed to that degree of "professionalism" in
marketing that we can make "looks" deceiving. Do I sound too cynical - maybe
so but I do believe there is at least some truth in this! I would order a JM
Artist ( that's a Joey Miskulin Model of Baldoni accordion ) from Baldoni
accordions tomorrow if I thought I would get as good a model as Joey himself
has but I know better! First you must achieve that *notoriety* in the
accordion world and *then* you can get that quality of an instrument from
Baldoni (or any other manufacturer for that matter) otherwise you will get an
imitation *look-alike* that only for a short while will satisfy you because it
isn't the "real thing" !!
Just my take on manufacturing in the modern world !!
Ron Smith, Montana Squeezer
OK - that's what I said originally and now I will add - what does this lead to?
- If you really want a *good* accordion then practice - practice - perform -
perform - gain some notoriety in the accordion world - then and only then
*any* manufacturer will make you a *good* accordion! Otherwise - content
yourself with the "home use" variety of accordion but don't criticize the
manufacturer for making junk because they all do it -- it's where the money
is!! Until money doesn't run the world anymore this is the world you live
in!!
Ron Smith, Montana squeezer
Gert-Jan Kamphorst
"Crs smitty" <crss...@aol.com> schreef in bericht news:20001127114449...@ng-mb1.aol.com...
| A while back I posted this in response to some brand bashing out there on the
| newsgroup and found out later that it somewhat got lost out there - never
| making it to the gateway! I changed the name of a thread and maybe that was the
| problem so I will start a new one - something I haven't done much of - just
| preferring to comment on others' postings.
|
| Here was the muffed post - my part only -------- I won't drag anyone else into
| this!
|
|
| There has been considerable discussion of certain brand names of instruments as
| being better than others and I'd like to suggest something other than brand
| name as an identifier of the accordion because all manufacturer's make a low
| line of instruments as well as a high line of instruments.
| So what can we use as a yardstick to measure the quality of an instrument ?
| I'm not sure there is something anymore as I know anyone could order and get an
| accordion that looks just like their favorite artist's accordion but it
| wouldn't be because we have progressed to that degree of "professionalism" in
| marketing that we can make "looks" deceiving. Do I sound too cynical - maybe
| so but I do believe there is at least some truth in this! I would order a JM
| Artist ( that's a Joey Miskulin Model of Baldoni accordion ) from Baldoni
| accordions tomorrow if I thought I would get as good a model as Joey himself
| has but I know better! First you must achieve that *notoriety* in the
| accordion world and *then* you can get that quality of an instrument from
| Baldoni (or any other manufacturer for that matter) otherwise you will get an
| imitation *look-alike* that only for a short while will satisfy you because it
| isn't the "real thing" !!
|
| Just my take on manufacturing in the modern world !!
|
| Ron Smith, Montana Squeezer
|
|
| OK - that's what I said originally and now I will add - what does this lead to?
| - If you really want a *good* accordion then practice - practice - perform -
| perform - gain some notoriety in the accordion world - then and only then
| *any* manufacturer will make you a *good* accordion! Otherwise - content
| yourself with the "home use" variety of accordion but don't criticize the
| manufacturer for making junk because they all do it -- it's where the money
| is!! Until money doesn't run the world anymore this is the world you live
| in!!
I think I can agree with you on all major aspect you mentioned. I play the diatonic variant of the accordion and within a year after
I started I got a bit bored with the sound of the standard Hohner diatonic (Pokerwork). I wanted to have a Castagnari or any other
wellknown brand. Luckily at that time I had some distaste to spent so much money on an instrument so I kept buying different
instruments and succeeded in developing my taste for better sound and technical aspects.
One time I happened to hear and play an instrument that was built by a Dutch maker and I loved the sound and the feel and I bought
it secend hand. When i got deeper involved in the diatonic world I discovered another Dutch maker of diatonic button boxes and his
were still more to my taste. My own playing developed - but not to the realm of notority, though a lot of DBB players in my country
do know me now (for other reasons then my playing level). Then again I was in the position again to buy secondhand a box of this
other maker. 4 Months later I ordered another box to be made by him and i have waited 20 month for delivery and it was worth wile.
This maker makes all of his boxes to his own high standard. No low end bizz or intermediate models: all boxes are of the best he can
think off.
What I want to say with the above is that you do not have to gain notoriety to have any builder/maker/manufacturer build you a good
accordion. Go and search and - if you are lucky - you will find a maker who is "according" to your taste. Mostly this will not be
one of the big brands. But with a small house or solitary builder you can develop a good understanding to go into bizz.
I agree with Ron about his general statements. Otherwise when you are lucky enough to have a quality builder nearby to build a
(diatonic) accordeon to your taste: go with the opportunity. I am blessed with two (small) high quality builders within 2 hours
travelling by railway and both have customers abroad. Good/Best quality boxes are available even if you don't belong to the top.
Even for "home use" I want the best there is.
Gert-Jan
(Amsterdam)
Ventura
Crs smitty wrote:
>
> I would order a JM Artist
> ( that's a Joey Miskulin Model of Baldoni accordion ) from Baldoni
> accordions tomorrow if I thought I would get as good a model as
> Joey himself has but I know better!
there IS one way you can get one... you simply
go to Castlefidardo on a nice vacation sometime... you visit the
Baldoni factory where they will likely have a JM in the showroom
(all tricked out) to show off. You make-a nice with them,
get them to like you, talk about how you are going to take
an Accordion home with you for sure (and ask them what they
think of the Polveri people down the street because you really
like that pretty wood model) but then you start to get really
"hot" when you play their showroom model JM.
You praise it... say it is the nicest accordion you have ever felt...
you love the sound it is just perfect...
you insist... "if I could buy THIS one" I could forget about
the Polverini... no, it has to be THIS one... how much you want for it
CASH?
believe me it works damn-near every time
You can also simply make real friends with people you feel a
true liking for, and who truly like you, play their instruments enough
that they feel they would like a person like you to have one
of their accordions, and then you will very certainly get a
well finished machine from them.
Believe me there isn't another 960 tricked out as well as mine
in the US... and that FisItalia I brought back last spring was
the model they set up for the Photo shoot for their catalog, and the
one they used for their sound demo's. You betcha I knew it was
trick the second I picked it up.
You just cast the line and reel it in my friend.
You can't believe how effective "accidentally" letting them
watch you count how many "hundreds" you have in your
money pouch is.
Ciao Ventura
Ventura
Crs smitty wrote:
>
> Otherwise - content
> yourself with the "home use" variety of accordion but don't criticize the
> manufacturer for making junk because they all do it -- it's where the money
> is!!
>
> Ron Smith, Montana squeezer
which is that I can make just about ANY accordion sound good... and
so can anyone... if you feel out the limitations of the box and
just play stuff on it that works. Don't expect more out of
a particular machine than it is capable of giving, but don't
let it stop you from having a ball.
These older "student level" Excelsiors and Scandalli's floating
around are oftentimes better sounding and quicker responding
than some of the new stuff going for $2000-3000 dollars. I can
play for hours and hours on them strolling on certain types of gigs.
They sound great. They aren't "professional" like my fancy boxes,
but you'd never know it from what I can get out of them.
So I say the musician is more important than the instrument,
and whether it cost you $50 bucks or $5000 - if you
play it to the edge, you'll sound just fine.
Ciao Ventura
Crs smitty
I absolutely agree with you here - I have been playing a little 14" keyboard
120 bass "Balearica" that has onlly two reeds bassoon and clarinet with a
switchable muted grill that is just great for sound but hurting in that it only
has two reeds in different octaves but you should hear this one - I picked up
Frankie Carle's "Sunrise Serenade" from his piano arrangement and mix in a
little Dick Contino and it sounds superb - I have played it several times in
nursing homes here and everyone loves that accordion and it is one of the
simplest I have - It is so good for jazz because of the nice clean sound and
amazing capabilities on that small keyboard - the reedblocks in this one are a
dark finished beautiful wood on the order of walnut but I am not sure what it
is and the reeds are superb sounding. This piano accordion is smaller than my
Zupan 3 row button box and handles beautifully though the fingers feel a little
cramped at times! Now this box I stay away from any musette styled music as
those songs do not sound as good on this box but both jazz and classical are
great on it! Again as you put it - play within the limitations of the box and
they *all* have limitations no matter how good they are! There is no such
thing as the "superbox" that is good for all types of music! Well in 61 years
I haven't found anything like that anyway!
On the buying "that one" in the manufacturer's shop -- also that may be a right
move if you take it with you and don't let them send it to you - also buying a
professional performer's accordion from him on the spot will work but don't let
them have a chance to swap the reeds out of it because many have new accordions
built around old sets of reeds they have had for years and though they may have
gotten good ones from the factory because of who they were, they are not the
reeds they themselves prefer. A good set of reeds is always worth swapping out
of an old box and putting in a newer machine - the machinery on an accordion
wears out but seldom do the reeds do that!
Ciao!
Ron Smith, Montana Squeezer
Dennis Steckley
DoN--this one never showed up in the original either; only as a quote. Is
my ISP malfunctioning perhaps? I'm not having any known problems with
another egroup and several other groups with another host.
Dennis Steckley
"For I am possessed of a cat, surpassing in beauty, from whom I take
occasion to bless Almighty God."
----- Original Message -----
> >Crs smitty wrote:
> >>
> >> Otherwise - content
> >> yourself with the "home use" variety of accordion > >These older
"student level" Excelsiors and Scandalli's floating
> >around are oftentimes better sounding and quicker responding
> >than some of the new stuff going for $2000-3000 dollars. I can
> >play for hours and hours on them strolling on certain types of gigs.
> >They the edge, you'll sound just fine.
> >
> >Ciao Ventura
> >
>
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Al Goss
Crs smitty wrote:
>
> A while back I posted this in response to some brand bashing out there on the
Hi Ron
Just to reinforce your thoughts on brands:
Not just autos and accordions. For many years I worked in the Carpet
Industry. People were always coming up with a brand, i.e. Mohawk, Lee,
etc, and asking me if it were a "good" brand. I'd patiently explain
that all the carpet mills produced something to hit various price
points, and that to compare a particular carpet of one mill to that of
another, they'd have to be of similar price points. They's say, "Yah,
but is Mohawk bettr than Lee?"
I thought that some of the other posts here were really good. I think
it was Phil that said if you play to the limits of your box, then your
box (and you?) will sound good...be it a student or pro model.
Like most of the group members, I have an assortment of instruments. My
favorite PA, however, is a Pancordion Video. From my limited knowlege,
I believe that to be a student model. To my ear and my hand, however,
it pleases me greatly.
Thanks again for your thoughtful post.
banjo_strummer
Jim Lucas
"Dennis Steckley" <st...@megsinet.net> wrote ...
>
> DoN--this one never showed up in the original
> either; only as a quote. Is my ISP malfunctioning
> perhaps?
Either your ISP or another that feeds yours, I would guess. Both your
"missing" originals were (and still are) in the feed from my ISP.
/Jim Lucas
Ventura
>
> Like most of the group members, I have an assortment of instruments.
> To my ear and my hand, however,
> it pleases me greatly.
>
I've been tempted by those Pan Video's a time or two...
the grille looks really nice (kind of like clouds to me)
And you say it has nice reeds? That's good to know.
Maybe Faithe will give us a bit of the History on that model line...
Perhaps Crucianelli was once at maximum capacity so Pan daveloped
the Video line to be built in a different factory?
Ciao Ventura