Vintage Accordions

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Make Some Sweet Music With Vintage Accordions

Vintage musical instruments can be very appealing, both in the tone of the music you can make with them and in their looks. Search eBay for vintage accordions, and consider looking for a melodeon, squeezebox, or other kinds of musical instrument.

Brands of vintage accordion you might find

Many of the instruments that could be described as a squeezebox, box accordion, or piano accordion were manufactured without brand names. Vintage musical instruments such as these were produced in large quantities in the early twentieth century, and many of them were manufactured in Italy. Often accordions were branded with the name of the shop where they were sold, so any name might not be an indicator of quality or indeed, identify who originally made the musical instrument. The brand name is not often helpful in valuing vintage accordions, unlike other musical instruments.

Placing a value on a vintage accordion

With older musical instruments, including the box accordion, the piano accordion and button accordion, the playing condition is the strongest indicator of value. Accordions and similar instruments like the melodeon need regular servicing. If the musical instrument has sat for many years un-played then the components may start to deteriorate.

Parts of the vintage accordion, particularly the leather, felt, glue, and wax, might be in need of specialist attention. Problems like this may not be obvious from the exterior and even playing the musical instrument might not tell you much about the condition. It is necessary for a vintage musical instrument specialist to examine the accordion or squeezebox to be totally certain of the condition.

What features should you look for in a vintage accordion?

Here are some features of accordions that you should look at before choosing:

  • Full-size accordions have 120 bass buttons, but some people have exchanged these large instruments for smaller models, making such vintage musical instruments less valuable than they may once have been.
  • Look for how many switches the accordion has, this will tell you about the number of treble reed banks on the instrument.
  • Features like waterfall keys on the keyboards. The sloped ends make it more comfortable to play.
  • An internal electronic pick up for amplification.
How do you judge the condition of a vintage accordion?

Check the condition of the carrying case, as it can be an indication of how much care has been taken with a vintage musical instrument. Look for chips or scratches on the body of the accordion. Check the bellows and any missing hardware. The value of the instrument may reflect how much repair work is needed to make it playable.

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