Help in Choosing a Piano Accordion

Congratulations on your decision to purchase an accordion! We always have a nice selection of both new and used accordions in stock, and we get a big kick out of seeing a nice old accordion saved from oblivion and matched up to a new owner that will get pleasure from playing it.

This page is designed to assist you in making a choice, and to give you some things to think about before you make a purchase. There are many factors that are relevant to the purchase of an accordion, especially a used one. Before you call or write us to ask which accordion we recommend, please send us an email at accordions@hmtrad.com with the answers to the following questions, which will help our accordion specialist to make recommendations that will make sense for your needs.

1. Price: What is your budget? How firm is your budget? In other words, if we find you an accordion that is otherwise a perfect fit for you in every way but price, how far over your budget can you go?
   
   
2. Musical Style: What kind of music is it you'll want to be playing? Please think about the musical requirements of the genre of music you are most interested in. For size, keyboard, registers, tuning and reed suggestions, please see information at The Pretty Complete Guide to Squeezeboxes
   
   
3. Quality: Amateur or professional? In other words, will you need an instrument good enough to record with, or for concert gigs, or just for informal music-making and entertaining family and friends?
   
   
4. Compatibility: Will you be playing with other instruments? Which ones?
   
   
5. Basses: How many basses do you require?
   
   
6. Sound: Do you need musette (see the Guide), or can you live without it? Will you be happy with only 2 reeds, or need 3, or 4? What is the minimum number of registers you want (the switches or registers make different sounds possible), or can you live without any switches as long as the sound is wonderful?
   (Keep in mind that, the more reeds and registers on an accordion, the higher the price. You might have to compromise in order to stay within your budget. Unless you are playing professionally, you probably don't really need any switches, or more than 2 reeds.)
   
   
7. Weight and size: What height are you? Do you have any physical limitations? In other words, are you able to handle a full size heavy accordion, or do you require something more lightweight and compact? Are you willing to sacrifice some features for the sake of an accordion that "fits" you physically?
   
   
8. Keyboard: Can you handle a keyboard that is smaller than full size, or do you require a full size 3/4 inch key width? Are you a piano player? Piano players with large hands sometimes have a bit of difficulty adjusting to narrow accordion keys.
   
   
9. Color: Do you have a color preference, or is there any color you simply will not consider?
   
   
10. Service: Can you do your own maintenance and repairs or do you have ready access to a repair shop? Or will you need an accordion that is super-reliable from the start? If the latter, then you probably should be looking at new accordions with a warranty, preferably of Italian or at least German manufacture. Everybody wants a cheap accordion that will last for 5 years before it needs repairs, but that's a pipe dream. Even a brand new accordion that receives regular use will need to go into the shop for routine maintenance at least once every couple of years. Do not expect reliable service from an old accordion unless it is a quality instrument of Italian manufacture, and you know it has been recently overhauled by a professional repairperson.