My dad wants to play accordion

[JSCWhistler]

Well, not so much me, but my dad, really wants to play button accordion more, and so I'm wondering about what are good accordions here. A box player we know here, Ken Fleming, plays one that was handmade in Ireland. My dad says he apparently doesn't remember who he said it was... My guess is Paddy Clancy, but I wouldn't really know. I've heard about the Dancemaster accordions some, but I don't know too much about those. Could y'all explain a bit about good accordions, the bad ones, and what are good ones to at least start on?

[StevieJ]

... handmade in Ireland... My guess is Paddy Clancy...

Could also be a Cairdin, there are a lot more of those around. (Clancy used to be a partner in Cairdin before setting up on his own.) Or possibly a Kincora box, made by Martin Connolly.

There's a huge choice of good accordions these days. Depends how serious your dad is and how much money he wants to spend and whether he wants a lightweight 2-voice box or something heavier and more substantial-sounding. Also whether he wants something new or secondhand, and how quickly he wants it.

As far as new lightweight boxes go, Dancemasters have been discussed in numerous threads here, just browse a bit. I think they'd be a good place to start if he wants to spend about $1000. For about double that or a little less he could get a Saltarelle Irish Bouebe - great little boxes.

An Irish-made box is quite an expensive proposition, esp. with the current state of the US$. If it had to be an Irish maker, personally I'd choose a Kincora.

Castagnari make very beautiful boxes (the Dinn II model - 2-voice and like Cairdins, very compact - is popular with Irish musicians) - but they too are pricey.

If he wants a 3-voice box I'd recommend a Serenellini 233 "Cloud" - very similar to a Saltarelle Nuage, but a good bit cheaper and almost certainly better built. But you're getting close to $3K here (a bit less if you order direct from the factory maybe).

If he wants a classic Paolo Soprani type of box, well they come up on eBay pretty regularly. But you need to know what vintage and configuration to look for - some of the later ones weren't great. There are new Paolo Sopranis designed as replicas of the classic boxes of the 1950s, they are apparently pretty good, but they'll probably set you back at least $3K.

This page will give you a few ideas of what's available reasonably easily:
http://buttonbox.com/newba.html#but4

I have a page with links to most of the good makers around the world, and also some sources of secondhand boxes.

http://www.rogermillington.com/siamsa/b ... links.html

Hope this helps
Steve

[TaylorMartin]

.......I've heard about the Dancemaster accordions some, but I don't know too much about those. Could y'all explain a bit about good accordions, the bad ones, and what are good ones to at least start on?

I have a Dancemaster that I bought in September and I am delighted with it! It is a B/C dry tuned with a custom bass setup. It has a great tone, and it is loud! Give Michael a call.

TM