What is the best accordion for new accordionists?
Are you or someone in your family looking to start playing the accordion? If so, you’ve come to the right place! Accordions are a popular musical instruments, and their sound is so unique that it’s no wonder people are attracted to them and often choose them as their first instrument of choice.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking for an upgrade, here’s what you need to know about finding the perfect beginner accordion.
Size does matter
This subject is often debated between accordion teachers and seasoned accordionists. Before you invest in this popular musical instrument, you should familiarize yourself with the basic classification of accordions and decide which one would suit you best.
The size of an accordion can also be important if you plan on traveling with your instrument. Most beginner models come in three sizes—12 bass (smallest), 24 bass (medium), and 48 bass (largest). The number refers to how many buttons are on the left side of the instrument.
This genuine HOHNER accordion is one of the most popular entry level 12 bass button accordions on the market. It is desirable amongst beginners as well as accordion instructors because it comes with the case, cleaning cloth and piano stickers which facilitate learning.
Next in size would be the 48 bass button (left hand side) Piano accordion. This is also a genuine HOHNER, German-made accordion. It is ultra lightweight, comes with the gig bag and is comes in a luxury maroon color. Students of all levels and accordion tutors love this accordion. Many students also opt for insurance and extended warranty policies.
The larger sizes allow for a greater range of notes and tones but also require more skill to play correctly. If you plan on traveling with your instrument often, then a smaller model might be best since it will be easier to carry around than a larger one.
Most beginner accordionists in the United States and Canada start learning their first melodies and songs on a Piano Accordion. Accordions are classified by their number of keys (treble, right-hand) and bass buttons (left hand). A number that denotes these characteristics is often written in a T/B form. For example, an accordion with 41 piano keys and 120 bass buttons would be denoted by 41/120. The best size accordion for beginners who are just starting would be 26/48 models.
Price consideration
When shopping for an accordion, keep in mind that price is not always indicative of quality—but it can help give you an idea of what type of features and tone you should expect from each model. Generally speaking, entry-level models tend to cost around $400-$800 while mid-range models cost anywhere from $1000-$2000 or more depending on brand and features included in each model. Keep in mind that there are also used models out there that may be cheaper but still provide excellent quality sound if you know where to look!
Dino is a hobbyist accordionist who loves music, photography, architecture, design and a slew of other fun things. He decided to launch this blog due to an increasing popularity of the accordion. He learned how to play the accordion by ear as a child and then progressed on to keyboards and eventually a drum set. He grew up in the Balkans and now lives in California where he occasionally plays the accordion at birthday parties and NYE celebrations. He now shares his love for the accordion through this blog.
Leave a Reply