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Author Topic: Opinions on the Hohner Corona II Classic: Origins, Value, On-Line Purchasing?  (Read 2045 times)

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Joseph Stewart

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Greetings to All,

I am new to the Melodeon.net forum and to the button accordion (i.e., melodeon), but I'm keenly interested in learning it, along with an emphasis on the Tex-Mex/Norteno style of play. So I'm considering the future purchase of a Hohner Corona II Classic (GCF), and I have a few quick questions for those of you who are experienced melodeon players:

1) Is the Hohner Corona II Classic model truly made in Germany (rather than China) as widely claimed? If so, is it worth the typical retail (or on-line) price of roughly $1,700 USD, when compared to other (similar) makes and models?

2) If you were going to purchase a new melodeon, would you be concerned about purchasing a new, higher-priced instrument like the Corona II Classic, sight-unseen, from an on-line merchant? Or would you insist on purchasing it from a retail music store?

3) If you were an absolute beginner to the melodeon, like me, and you agreed to make such a purchase from an on-line merchant, how would you know with any degree of certainty if there were any issues with the mechanical functionality or tuning of the instrument, once it was delivered to you? Are there any routine tests that can be performed on the instrument to evaluate whether its in 'new' working order or not?   

4) And lastly, if playability, or tuning issues, or the need for maintenance of some kind were to develop with the instrument months or years later, would parts or service be readily available to me for the Corona II Classic here in the U.S.A.? Or would it need to be shipped overseas for such service?

Thank you very much for your time, consideration and expertise.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2019, 05:42:32 PM by Joseph Stewart »
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Theo

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Two suggestions:

Get in touch with Tex-Mex/Norteno players in your area and ask them. You will need to camel contact anyway for help with learning to play.

I would look for an older 1950s to 70s Corona and pay a good technician to have it put into good playing order.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Joseph Stewart

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Two suggestions:

Get in touch with Tex-Mex/Norteno players in your area and ask them. You will need to camel contact anyway for help with learning to play.

I would look for an older 1950s to 70s Corona and pay a good technician to have it put into good playing order.

Theo,

Thank you for your response and the suggestions or recommendations you provided.

Unfortunately, I live in a relatively remote part of the northwestern U.S., and although I occasionally travel, I have very limited access to music stores or qualified musical instrument technicians. This would be especially true of the melodeon. And, as you might also expect, there are few (if any) players of the melodeon itself, much less the Tex-Mex style of play this far north. But thank you again for your participation.   
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Jeremy Burnett

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I don't know where you actually are, but there is a band in Washington State called "Nordic Spirit" (not Tex Mex!) A lady in the band plays a Corona, they might have useful information.
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Theo

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I can’t help with contact with musicians, but there are likely to be on line communities that you could join that are specific to the music that interests you.

 
As far as repair people are concerned you don’t have to have a a technician nearby (though it helps). I live in a much smaller country (UK) and many of my customers send me their instruments by courier.  I’m not suggesting you send me a repair job, but via couriers and with careful packaging you have access to a number of good repair people in the USA.

I have only had one modern Corona in my hands, called Supreme I think.  It was very expensive, but heavy not particularly responsive and I wondered why the price was so high.  I eventually sold it for a fraction of the new price.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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John Fabke

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This is my first post here. I'm really enjoying the forum!
I live in Nashville, TN and have been learning to play Conjunto style accordion. I'm brand new to the instrument and I got into learning how to play after having been encouraged to try it out by some friends in San Antonio.
I also work as a trad music historian/archivist and manage a small record label, Spring Fed Records. We've recently been releasing some recordings of some wonderful, old school Conjunto players from the West Side. If it's OK, I'll post links to the recordings on another post.
To address your questions. Perhaps it might be cheaper and easier to try getting started on a Hohner Panther GCF than a Corona. The Panthers are actually pretty good. I'm finding it easy to learn on. I'm definitely enthused to keep learning and I've got my eye out for a Corona but I'm sure I'm going to stick with it.
As for where to get one, you might want to try looking in San Antonio. Those instruments are popular there and in addition, you can get someone down there to tune it for you. The tuning is crucial to the sound.
There are skilled repair people down there too.
You should make a trip down to see and hear the real deal. It's very difficult (IMO) to get a sense of what it looks and sounds like from a recording or video. The scene is lively and the musicians are approachable. San Antonio is the best!
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melodeon

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Contact this guy.. he is at the core of the TEX/MEX.. Conjunto scene i Tejas..

Karlitos WAY Accordions
803 Shadybrook Ln
Seagoville,  TX  75159-1228  |  view map
(214) 538-5873


He also has a facebook page.

As to the Cornoa II..

Get a made in Germany pre 1980s model.  Pass on the new ones.. not the same and grossly overpriced.
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Joseph Stewart

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Contact this guy.. he is at the core of the TEX/MEX.. Conjunto scene i Tejas..

Karlitos WAY Accordions
803 Shadybrook Ln
Seagoville,  TX  75159-1228  |  view map
(214) 538-5873


He also has a facebook page.

As to the Corona II..

Get a made in Germany pre 1980s model.  Pass on the new ones.. not the same and grossly overpriced.

Excellent! Thank you for the feedback and the reference!
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