The Complete Handbook of Accordions & Concertinas

As a working musician, I was fed up with vague buying guides. This book finally gave me the concrete specs I needed. The chapter on maintenance alone is worth the price—I was able to fix a sticky key on my C-system button accordion following the diagnostic steps, and I saved myself a $150 shop visit. I docked a star only because I wish the brand chapter had a little more on European builders, but honestly, it's a fantastic resource.

I'll be honest, I bought this for the business chapters. I've been repairing accordions for a few years now but I wanted to expand, and the section on different business models, from rentals to restoration, was surprisingly grounded and realistic. The troubleshooting guide is also way better than the cryptic stuff I've pieced together from forums over the years. It's a little dry to read cover to cover, but it's a great reference to have under the bench.

This is the handbook I wish I'd had when I started playing. The first chapter is brilliant—it explains the mechanics of free reeds and the structural differences of every accordion family so clearly that even my non-musical partner understood it. It's not just an overview; it's a deep, practical dive. The chapter on types and specifications made me feel confident when I finally bought my dream Castelfidardo instrument. An absolute cornerstone for any serious enthusiast.

Finally, a book that treats the accordion as subject matter for adults, not a novelty. I manage a small music store, and the chapter on choosing the right instrument is now my go-to for helping customers. The concrete examples of interpreting specifications, like what a '7/8' size really means for a child or a petite adult, are spot-on. My only nitpick is that it could have used a few more diagrams in the installation chapter, but the text is precise enough to follow.

It's a solid reference, and I can't deny its thoroughness, but it felt a bit too much like a technical manual for my taste. I'm more of a hobbyist player than a technician, so the long sections on reed voicing adjustments and the deep dive into the specifics of different bass mechanisms were more than I really needed. I found the first chapter and the business opportunities chapter very interesting, but I had to skim through a lot of the maintenance details. A good book, just maybe overkill for someone on the lighter end of 'serious.'

As a performing artist, my instrument is my lifeblood, and this book treats it with the respect it deserves. The section on routine maintenance in Chapter 5 has completely changed how I care for my instrument on the road. I had no idea I should be checking the bellows pins with a specific tension gauge. It's practical, precise, and full of exactly the kind of knowledge that separates pros from amateurs. I've already recommended it to two other players in my ensemble.

I found the specifications chapter decent, but I took issue with the premise that you can 'totally master' choosing an instrument from a book. The advice is sound—it certainly explains the difference between a converter bass and a free bass clearly—but it can't replace the hands-on experience of feeling a keyboard or the response of the reeds. It's a good foundation for knowledge, but I wish it had ended with a stronger push to find a good teacher. It's a 3-star for me: helpful, but not the end-all, be-all it claims to be.

This is the definitive reference. Period. I own every major book on accordions ever printed, and this one finally fills the void of modern, practical information. The chapters on future trends and expert resources are worth gold—the authors clearly did their homework on industry associations and new materials. The FAQ section is also great. I've been playing and collecting for 30 years, and I still learned something new about vintage registration rules. An absolute must-have.