The Most Expensive Accordions Ever Sold

Accordions are one of the most unusual instruments, and have been around since the 19th century. They really took off during the 50's and 60's, being mostly used to play folk music. Accordions are a family of box-shaped instruments that are squeezed to make the varied chord sounds. The two ends of the accordion are connected by the middle, bellows section, which happens to be the most recognizable portion of the instrument. When the player squeezes the instrument, sound comes out and the sound is dictated by how it is squeezed. It takes coordination to play - the right hand plays the portion of the accordion that acts as the melody, while the left is the accompaniment. There are a wide variety of styles, shapes and sizes of the accordion, and like anything else, there are many different price ranges of the instrument. While some can cost several hundreds of dollars, there are a select few that have topped the multi-thousands of dollars. Here are the five most expensive accordions ever sold.

5. The Castagnari Magic 3o – $7850

The Italian made Castagnari Magic 30 was designed as a wooden box, chromatic accordion with handmade reeds. On the two ends, the treble side has 72 buttons, while the bass is 96. This is a smaller accordion than many; lightweight and easy to hold. Musicians who know the name Castagnari, know this is one of his finest works, which also features all handmade reeds. For $7,850, you can own this masterpiece, if you want one of the most luxurious and high-performing accordions of all-time.

4. Hohner Morino IV – $17,000

One of the most prominent accordion makers is Hohner. The Hohner Morino IV was designed with a tone chamber, called a cossotto. This is one of the trademarks of the Morino, which is a high-quality, top-of-the line instrument. It is built for both orchestral and soloist playing, and was designed with 41 treble notes, along with 120 bass. To reduce shrill tones, an additional resonance chamber was included in the master-crafted accordion, which helps to amplify the warm, rich bass. It is one of the most spectacular accordions ever made and has a high sales price of about $17,000.

3. Weltmeisters Supita - $ 17,500

The Weltmeisters Supita is built for the concert performer, with its superior style and function. The bellows was designed specially to use less air, reducing screeching sounds and enhancing deep, rich, warm tones and clear treble sounds. It is beautifully crafted with the finest materials, and detailed craftsmanship. The outer box is sleek, with a classic black and white design, and for $17,500, you can own this converter model, which is one of the most expensive accordions globally.

2. Hohner Gola – $30,000

The Hohner Gola is made by the brand Hohner, which is one of the most premium accordion makers worldwide. The company uses only the highest quality materials to construct their accordions, and the craftsmanship is hard to compete with. The company can charge high prices for their instruments because so much goes into them, from the passion that every craftsman has for constructing each and every instrument, to the time spent, the grave detail put into every inner function, as well as the outer box. Its considered a lavish accordion that was designed with a lot of creativity, and superlative materials. The Hohner Gola was priced at $30,000, which makes it the second most expensive accordion, and musicians all around the world know that it is worth every penny.

1. The Pigini Mythos - $ 40,000

The Pigini Mythos accordion is the most expensive of any accordions, and is worth a cool $40,000. What makes this accordion stand out among the others, is the deep, velvety, rich tones in which it is known for. It is the popular reed maker' Pigini's product, but it was designed and created by a team that consisted of Pigini, along with the greatest performers in the world. The Italian made accordion was deigned with the highest quality materials. The accordion is already an intricate, and very detailed instrument, but the Mythos was meticulously crafted, using extraordinarily expensive inner parts for the bellows system, and lavish cabinetry craftsmanship for the box so that the music that comes out, is a spectacular, lyrical tone. It is the highest quality and any musician who knows the Mythos, agrees that it is a rare find, and highly worth its value.