Should you buy your next accordion from a private sale or a reputable dealer? In this economy the challenge is how to find the best accordion at the lowest price. Should you sell your accordion yourself or let someone else sell it for you on consignment? Dealing with buyers, packing and shipping, can be a very time consuming process. Rather than sell your accordion because it has problems why not have it reconditioned? A high quality instrument can be well worth the cost of refurbishing. Do you have a high quality accordion and not realize it? If you have any questions about accordions, please call and take advantage of our 53 years of experience in the accordion business. We are here to help.
Buying an accordion can be
a very risky undertaking. Accordions have hundreds of parts. If any one of those
is defective or not working properly, you may be in for a serious Repair bill.
Four recent examples of
people being ripped off:
1.
Customer paid $250 at Auction for Excelsior. Auctioneer held it up and it
played by itself. She thought that was wonderful! When she brought it in for
inspection, we discovered the bass mechanism was all rusted and the lifters were
corroded. Cost to repair bass mechanism and replace hardened felt/leather
pallets: $1017.00.
2.
Customer from NY city paid over $1200 for accordion from a dealer in
Canada. The bass panel was pushed in. He brought it to us to be fixed. Upon
inspection we discovered the wooden supports all eaten by termites, still active
and chewing away! The dealer denied there was anything wrong and refused to make
it right. This dealer is NOT reputable. Cost to rebuild Bass Panel Supports:
$137.50
3.
Customer in FL paid $300 for a Cellini accordion purchased on eBay. She
called me to ask for some bass buttons. Turns out the complete bass mechanism
had been removed! Didn't show in the picture. We were unable to replace that
size bass mechanism. She's out $300.00
4.
Customer in IL paid $50 for accordion. What a bargain! Once received, he
discovered that many of the reeds had fallen off the blocks. The wax was old and
punky . Cost to clean, replace/repair leather reed valves, re-wax, tune all
treble reeds: $1100. Do you think he got a deal by only spending $50?
Rule
#1:
Only buy an accordion from an accordion dealer whose reputation you know and
trust. Do not buy online such as eBay, auction sites, Craigs' List, Pawnshops,
Music Stores, except ones that specialize in accordions and are willing to give
you a warranty. Note: Many accordion players may play exceptionally well
but that doesn't mean they know what's going on with their accordion internally.
They may tell you everything is perfect. You'll need to verify for yourself.
Whenever
possible, check the following items on an accordion before purchasing it:
1.
Look at it closely. Are there scratches? Are the Grill Ornaments secure
and tight. Noisy? Vibrate? Keys lifted? Buttons bent?
2.
Does it have an odor? Body? Mildew? Swamp? Club?
3.
Turn it upside down. Do you hear anything rattling or moving around?
4.
Check the keyboard. Is it level? Is it noisy? Do the keys bump into each
other side to side?
5.
If accordion is for an adult avoid Keyboard length less than 17"
white key to white key. Adult fingers might have trouble playing between the
black keys.
6.
Are there Nicks or Gouges on the white keys? These usually happen when
the player has long fingernails and the keyboard white keys are made of Plastic
rather than the harder Lucite (Plexiglas. These can be unsightly to say the
least. Cost to replace white key caps: $715.
7.
How noisy are the bass buttons? Run your hand over the buttons. Do they
seem noisy? Do the bass buttons push easily? Are any buttons bent? Do the bass
reeds respond fully and clearly? How about squeaking or crunching sounds? Any of
the above could mean mechanical problems resulting in extra repair costs.
8.
How to test the reeds properly. A. Bellows action Out, then In for
all reeds. B. Bellows action Out/In on each reed. Listen for reed
leathers, (valves) "flopping" or "fluttering" sounds. If you
find more than a couple, walk away. Cost to replace 1 outside valve (leather):
$5.50. Cost to replace 1 inside valve (leather): $11.00
9.
Bellows tight? No such thing
as a perfect vacuum. Test: if you pull the bellows out without pressing any keys
or buttons you shouldn't hear any air leaking. Conversely, when pushing the
bellows they shouldn't close up too fast. This also a good time to test for
notes leaking. If, when you test for bellows tightness and compression, you hear
notes playing then the accordion may need key pallet adjustment.
10.
How is the Tuning? Does it sound right? Is it dry or wet tuned?
Does it have true Musette tuning? If your ear tells you that something's wrong
with the tuning, this could mean major repair cost.
If
you're not sure about the accordion and its' condition, see if you could give
the seller a deposit at least equal to half the asking price. In return, the
seller allows you to bring the accordion to a reputable accordion dealer for
inspection and evaluation. OR… Pay the seller the full amount you both agree
to with the understanding that you could bring the accordion back for full
refund if it checks out poorly.
To
find a reputable accordion dealer or technician in your area call the local
music store. If they don't know of one, ask if they know a local accordionist.
He or she may have a name and telephone number of someone who services their
accordion.
We
here at Accordion Connection will evaluate and appraise your accordion for a
$50.00 fee. The fee is waived if we do any repair work amounting to $50.00 or
more.
Arthur Welch owner, Accordion Connection, LLC
136 Rte 106 Unit 1
Gilmanton, NH 03237
Questions? Call me at 1.800.328.5227