To ensure that you will get the most pleasure and satisfaction from your accordion, it is important to find the right instrument from the wide range of available makes and models. To help you find the right accordion, we list a few important points to consider when buying an accordion here and explain our philosophy:
Number of bass bells
The number of bells does not determine the volume of the bass; it is, for the most part only, a visual design feature.
Number of bellows folds
The number of folds in the bellows does not affect air consumption; it determines only the maximum extension of the bellows. For a player with average body height and a typical playing style, 13 to 15 folds have proven ideal. An excessively long bellows would increase the instrument’s weight unnecessarily.
Weight
Nearly every accordion player wants an instrument that is as light as possible and yet rugged and able to withstand many years’ usage without excessive wear and tear. Only a sophisticated design that has been continually improved over many years can meet these requirements. A piece of advice: Do not believe all manufacturers’ weight figures, but check the weight of the instrument yourself. Deviations of more than one kilogram from the stated instrument weight are not uncommon.
Wood (body material)
Because the body of a diatonic accordions – unlike, for example, guitars and violins – is not a resonance body, the material from which it is made does not affect the instrument’s sound. We use multi-layered wood that is produced especially for us and which has proven itself thanks to its light weight, high stability and high resistance to distortion for more than 30 years now. Although advertised with “resonance wood” and other freely invented terms, test results from universities and research institutes have verified that the sound of an accordion is not affected by its body material.
We have performed many tests with various materials (metal, plastic, various solid woods, and plywood) and were therefore able to determine for ourselves that the body material has no effect on the instrument’s sound. The sound of an accordion is determined only by the reed blocks, the reed type and material, (from strong to very subtle tremolo), the treble and bass mechanisms, and the manual (keyboard) cover. Most manufacturers adjust the tremolo to customer specifications. A strong tremolo is best suited for musettes, a normal tremolo for traditional music, with many traditional players preferring a subtle tremolo.
Research and development
Even in traditional crafts like accordion making, continuous improvement and development are very important. For this reason Strasser has its own research and development department.
Countless material tests, ongoing acoustic testing, mechanical stress tests, and constant expansion of our version portfolio have contributed to the popularity of Strasser’s accordions for many decades now. In line with the latest trends in popular traditional music, our development work has given rise to the Strasser Creativ range and our Nature series – which was developed specifically for genuine alpine music – or the revolutionary easy-play SKL mechanism with its patented Strasser cone mounts. These recent developments ensure that today’s Strasser accordions continue to be the best that were ever built.
Tuning
In tuning, too, Strasser sets new standards. With considerable time and financial investment in research we have succeeded in providing an electronic assistant for our accordion tuner in co-operation with the Technical University of Graz. With an accuracy 30 times higher (0.1 cents) than the expert’s trained human ear, this device allows us to achieve an unrivaled repeat accuracy, regardless of tuning and temperament – even at custom beat frequencies). Once completed, each Strasser accordion is subjected to a stringent quality inspection, both by hand and using computers, to ensure that each instrument fulfils the high standards of quality and precision that our customers have come to expect.
Quality, value and price
Build quality, materials, finish, and the instrument builders’ expertise determine the quality – and therefore the value – of an accordion. The price of our instruments is calculated fairly, based on this value. Because we believe that the price should always reflect a product’s value and not be subject to the buyer and seller’s negotiating skills or the country in which the product was built, we have a clear pricing structure.
That is why our partners cannot give you discounts, but you have the certainty that you receive the best quality diatonic accordions that money can buy.