I thought I was all set... and march (standing still)!

Just when I thought I knew what I wanted to get - a large Hohner V Club accordion, melodeon.net became active again after days and days of it being down. Now I could look at all the articles and recommendations that had been unavailable and double check on my decision. By now I thought I had a plan. I had decided that I really liked the full sound of this instrument that I saw for sale, used, "fairly" locally.  It has so many options and lots and lots of voices and a nice deep base line. It is in two keys, but all the accidentals were on the third row - and - the clincher for me I thought was that club accordions use the bellows in a simple back and forth motion whereas traditional diatonic accordions play different notes by some being played on push and some being on played on the pull of the bellows (more on that in another post, I promise). Here is the Hohner Ouverture V Club being played.

So, I searched on more info and a lot of people liked them, but liked this one even better (of the same maker and club type) and I agree - the tone is sweeter - Hohner Morino Club What a tone and so many options!

But... nearly everyone said, "Wait. don't start with that." Why? it's heavy. (I find it a bit funny as piano accordions are just as heavy if not heavier.) and it is more than I need for learning basics which makes it more difficult to learn. I was also told I shouldn't think about a one and only instrument for all times. I would probably want another one for different tones and different keys if I really got into this. Their recommendation was that I should pick up an inexpensive, used one now to learn how to work it all without breaking my back and shoulders and bank account, and then if I want, venture on to other types once I knew I liked it and could get a hang of it.

This sounded like a reasonable plan. I'm somewhat of an aesthetics snob, so getting an old instrument in not the prettiest condition was a bit of a bummer, but I also know that there is a good chance I might hate this thing and quit (though I'm getting pretty obsessed... this just seems up my alley!)

So, I kept listening to different music, different types of diatonic accordions/melodeons. Again, the more I learned, the more I realized I didn't know. Isn't that always the case?

By the way, at this point my older son (20) said he now wanted to learn to play too as some of the things I found and had him listen to were pretty darn amazing! (more on that later).

______________________________________________
Addendum:

I wrote these posts several days ago and it's funny to go back and read them and tweak them with new info. Also today was the Women's March on Washington, D.C. and, basically, the world. Wow... it was amazing. I've never been and probably never will be part of something so empowering and uplifting as a group again in my lifetime. While I was there no marching happened as there was no room to march. I know there had to be close to a million people there (and possibly more). We basically stood shoulder to shoulder for hours together to make a point about our thoughts on so many things we think need attention in America (and the world). I know a few people had cheered me on in real life and on the forum. Here's a couple videos:

An Aerial view - not even central to the Mall - it spilled over that much.

Here's one I took while trying to work my way through the Mall.


Here are some photos:

My husband Sven and I. A daughter of a member of the organization I work for finished the hat while waiting to start the march. I wore it initially, but my balding husband needed it more.

Part of our coningent. About 1/4-1/3 of our organization's membership was at the March - not all could get to us or find us before we started out (as it was already that crowded). Some stood with other friends/groups.

My favorite photo I got of the day. Two women of color in the middle (standing for their rights!), a pink pussy hat, a rainbow flag wrapped around a lady's shoulder's, masses of people with signs, and the Capitol Building in the background.

Atop a garbage can view of our little group in the middle of the mall .

My husband and I feeling empowered and having fun.