Well I’m still looking for a cheap accordion and found Irish Dancemaster accordions. They sell a 2-row accordion for 550 Euro. Any comments about that? Remember, I am a beginner and just want an instrument for the first 2 years or so. And no sessions, just lonesome practicing in my kitchen.
I’ve heard good things about the Dancemaster boxes, they seem to be an excellent value. If i remember correctly, Sylvester contacted them and found that shipping to Europe was expensive… the boxes are assembled and tuned in the USA… so that might add considerably to the cost.
What Rh said, and you’ll have to include 25% import tax…
You’re better off with one of these http://tinyurl.com/royeb
It’s a 2 voice, wich means it’s easy to play. 3 and 4 voice accordions are bigger, heavier and not so loud, but they offer more different sounds.
The price is nice too compared to a new one!
Just to add that Michael (Dancemaster) seemed to be a extremely helpful fellow answering to all my absolute newbie questions, supplying a lot of comprehensible info in a friendly, non-commercial way.
Expenses from US should be around 65€ roughly.
That Paddy Clancy looks beautiful.
There’s a reserve on it and I bet it’s a lot higher than the current bid of E900.
There’s a Cairdin mini B/C for sale at US$1500 currently advertised at melodeon.net forums - a very good price.
http://www.aimoo.com/forum/postview.cfm?id=546320&CategoryID=401378&threadid=2589544
The highest bid is 900$, i don’t know where you get it from but they never mentioned euro’s.
Anyway, i believe you can’t go wrong with a Clancy or an cairdin 
Ah, sorry. Well I bet the reserve is a lot higher than 900 euros anyway! 
Cairdins and no doubt Clancys are great boxes but I don’t think Claudine is looking in that price bracket.
correct, actually money is an issue at this moment 
Why not chance John Brosnan’s arm? 003536443047
I am the proud owner of a Dancemaster C#/D. I also had a B/C that I started on and later traded back for a C#D!
I am well aquainted with the owner Michael at Dancemaster. He buys the parts and lovingly puts them together with Italian reeds. tunes the reeds and makes all the neccessary adjustments to the fingerboard. http://www.irishdancemaster.com/accordion.html
Mine has the “Machinna” reeds which Michael tells me that most people upgrade their Honer and really notice a difference in the sound. The funny thing is that one of his accordions with machine grade reeds is cheeper than a new Honer! Also, he can instal reeds of even higher quality if you want to pay a little more…Durall, Binchi-Avoniol, Forte. People at the session always comment about how good it sounds and how well it is in tune with the other instruments.
Doc at the Irishflute site also has a page about Dancemasters and has become a dealer for them! http://www.irishflutestore.com/Dancemaster.html
I don’t think his prices are up to date, but he has an interesting write up on Dancemasters and Michael!
Nate
I have just placed an order for the new 2007 model of the ST accordion, with 23 treble buttons, a stop to remove the thirds, tuned in C#/D. The total price (including shipping to Luxembourg, Europe) is 763,50 USD. That’s because I payed with Visa/Paypal. With wire transfer, it would only cost 735 USD. Even if I add 20-25% import tax, that is still a very good price - if the instrument is really as good as I expect.
I’m really happy now
and here it is at last:
Well? How is it?
WOW, that’s a gorgious box you have there!!!
Welcome to the Button Boxers Club 
Yes, welcome to the club Claudine!
Was only one shoulder strap supplied?
yes, there was one shoulder strap. should there be more?
I have never touched an accordion before, so I really can not say much about the quality of this instrument. So far I like it, have played it quite a bit already. I like the sound, the tuning, and the looks too. Also the price: I payed about 750 Euro (accordion + shipping + local taxes), and I think that is a good price.
Next week an accordion-playing friend will try my new box, maybe he will be able to say more. He usually plays a Saltarelle and a Castagnari, so he can certainly compare.
My problem now: I would like to learn a tune with basses. So far I play tunes and basses separately, and it’s difficult for me to get them together. But I would really need a good and easy tune to learn how to combine them in a “perfect” (lol) way. Any ideas?
Yes, there should be two straps Claudine, some people prefere two anyway
And if you keep going on at that rate, like you barely started and already want to play basses, you’ll end up playing better than your man above 
Wish and reality are 2 different things, unfortunately.
It’s down to personal preference, but I prefer two.
I recently tried playing with only one, and felt I was twisting my back to play - balancing the treble end on my left knee to stabilise it, and to give the bellows room to move past my left leg.
Most of my playing is done standing up, and for that two straps is a must.
Two straps might be easier than one when you are starting, and particularly with a fairly light box such as the one you have. OTOH ladies, being configured slightly differently, may find it easier to rest the accordion on the knee, in which case one strap is probably enough. (I say this not from personal experience but a friend of mine told me that certain aspects of her person restricted her choices regarding holding the box.)
As for basses - after playing for 2½ years I’m probably at the same point as you! But I’ve been making valiant efforts to master the things in recent months and I could send you a few pages from a book that might get you started - am sending you an e-mail. My advice would be to pick something dead simple in 2/4 or 3/4 time - not necessarily a trad tune, but something in which the melody falls on the main beats - and work on that alongside your efforts to master the right hand. Pick something in D to begin with - not G, since you’ll find the absence of a C chord will restrict you in most G tunes.