Customer Reviews

Hohner 3002N Cajun Ariette Accordion in Natural

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Hohner should be ashamed to put their name on this Chinese-made accordion. No, wait, they don't. Lucky thing, for it would bring shame on that fine old name. I bought one of these several months ago and I've had several reeds go bad. Now I'm going to have to waste my time fixing the thing, if I can. It's sure not worth paying a pro to fix it. Even when it all works, it doesn't work very well. The action is slow and unresponsive. Save your money until you can afford a German-made Hohner.

I came away very dissatisfied with this instrument. Besides giving me the Bronx Cheer on button #7 (never knew that was even in the diatonic scale), I found it hard to play due to stiff bellows, sticky keys, air hungry, and sluggish response and too much play in the button assembly to allow covers to seat properly. You get notes when you don't want them. Also came with nicks, dings, scratches and peeling paint on the note covers. If you want a quality Cajun Accordion buy the ones made in Louisiana, U.S.A. A toy is better than this. Save you money and buy something better.

I hate to start a review this way but...

Hohner should be ashamed to "produce" this instrument.*

*I use quotation marks b/c this "toy" of an instrument is worlds away from the good german hohner products I have had experience with in the past, and is indeed another example of China getting rich off of producing absolute junk. These should seriously be sold for less than $200 retail.

First...

The reeds in these small accordions are the most air hungry things I have ever encountered, and with leave your bellows gasping for air to finish basic phrases (and you shortly there after from working the incredibly stiff bellows). The bellows do loosen up a little once broken in, but are still nothing like what is found in a middle of the road European-produced or American-produced accordion.

Second...

When mine arrived the first things I noticed were...
-The all black accordion I ordered was not all black, and instead black bellows with a dark brown walnut cheap veneer finish on the ends. It looks terrible. I was informed that is what has been showing up as the black model to most music stores.
-The key mechanisms have A TON of play in them, enough that a few leak air. Not to mention the keys are plastic, with what feel like weak springs.
-The screws holding the arms to the reed flaps were loose on half of them. It was literally unplayable upon first arrival.
-The treble reeds (at least on mine) completely override the bass for air, so the bass side is ridiculously quiet while playing busy parts with the right hand.
-The leather straps etc. are total junk.
-The bellows have random spots of glue here and there (messy factory work).

Final word...

It is easy to be tempted into buying junk like this. Learning to play cajun/zydeco/etc. is a fun genre to dive into, and finding an affordable instrument is difficult (obviously I made this mistake, and you are considering it if you are reading this). Accordions are basically handmade, even if they are crappy, and unfortunately that translates into a 20-fold spread when it comes to cost AND QUALITY, and starting off with a new instrument isn't something most of us want to rush into dropping $2500 on.

The accordion is playable, and there are a few videos floating around of people doing a half-way decent job on it. It severely lacks response. The reeds need a ton of air. You need to go over it when purchasing to find the many problems it will come with, and get those taken care of before walking out the door of your music store (let alone those it may develop down the line).

One sentence? Chinese junk that takes the joy out of playing music, albeit affordable junk.