Bartleby wrote:
Now, does anyone have any recommendation for finding an A/D/G accordion? I'm looking at the Hohner Corona II, but it's way expensive.
In the USA, because three-rows are mostly found in the hands of Mexican or Zydeco musicians (who routinely play with horns), the cheaper boxes are often only available in GCF or FBbEb. The Corona Classic and the Weltmeister 509 retail usually for around $1000 (i've seen the 509 go cheaper), and those are about your only options for a decent starter ADG box.
You might email Acordeónez.com in Texas
http://www.acordeonez.com/acordeones.html
which carries primarily budget three-rows, and ask about availability and cost of ADG boxes.
Reyes accordions usually has used three-rows
http://www.reyesaccordions.com/
You could also talk to Jim Coogan, who is a Weltmeister dealer -- he caters to the Irish players but he can order any model and his prices on Weltys are usually pretty good -- i got my one-row from him and it is a really solid, nice-sounding box.
http://members.aol.com/jimattheboxofc/welt.htm
Also have a look at the Melodeon.net forums
http://melodeon.aimoo.com/
there are often used boxes listed for sale and a lot of English players (for whom ADG is a common tuning).
There are cheap Chinese boxes going on eBay all the time, but i would beware -- you get what you pay for. The reeds might be out of tune, action stiff, and materials generally chintzy. You might get lucky, or you might get a real junky box which you will have a hard time re-selling for anywhere near what you paid for it.
EDIT: You'd be hard pressed to find a better deal than the box Martin just found above -- a German-made Hohner (equivalent to the Corona Classic -- the newer cheaper Coronas are made in China) for a BIN of $600.