cheap accordion advice?

[Bartleby]

I can already anticipate some of the negative responses, but does anyone have any experience with the "budget" accordions sold by Lark in the Morning? For example, there's one that goes for around $95. It's very tempting. Are there any accordions in this price range that actually play somewhat in tune? All the accordions Lark in the Morning sells are <a href=http://www.larkinam.com/MenComNet/Busin ... ordions>at this page</a href>.

[Bretton]

I was about to reply to your question but just realized you're talking piano accordions and I don't know nuthin bout them.

You might also take a look here:

http://64.94.232.206/

I've ordered a a "toy" button accordion from them (ST107) but it's not here yet. Their prices were about $15 cheaper than other places I found that model...although it seems like a strange business (they sell accordions and Linux CD's ???).

-Brett

[Bartleby]

Button or piano, it doesn't matter as long as it's cheap!

[Bretton]

Button or piano, it doesn't matter as long as it's cheap!

Well, in the case of button accordions (melodeons) I'd reccomend the Schylling accordion. Only $20.

http://www.schylling.com/music1.htm

They have 7 buttons in the key of C. I just act like mine is in D, which works fine for playing by myself. This gives you enough range to play most trad. Irish tunes...the equivalent of low D up to high B...similar to a whistle.

They don't sound too bad but they are small enough that you run out of air fairly often and have to use the air valve button to grab some more. This is a good skill to practice tho, so it's not all bad.

I've got three clips on the Clips&Snips Web site under other instruments.

The down side about button accordions is that the next cheapest button accordion you're likely to find new is probably around $300 and isn't really very good. You have to jump up to the $500-600 range for a good beginning instrument and about $1000 for something you'd be happy with for a long time.

-Brett