Those interested in accordion learning may also be interested in learning how these accordions are manufactured. Initially created in the late 1910s, the accordion manufacturing process has drastically changed over the years as available technology has increased. While the first “button” accordions were made by hand by talented musicians, they are now largely created by machines.
Part Creation
The accordion has hundreds of different minute parts that must all be made before the accordion itself can be composed. Those interested in accordion learning may not realize that the supply chain for this process can be fragile, as some raw materials needed are quite rare. Once all the requisite parts are made, the rest of the standard process is usually followed.
The Assembly
Once every part of the Chicago accordion is fabricated, it’s time to assemble the item. This involves taking the keyboard(s), casing(s), and reed(s) and mounting them to a surface, typically aluminum. About three or four reed blocks are put into place; at least one is dedicated to bass, and at least one other is dedicated to treble. However, more advanced accordions will have more equipment.
The Finalization
Because of the difficulty of construction, most accordion manufacturers have the bellows created by outside companies. Composed of folded and pleated cardboard, a mold is used to craft the bellows. Everything is finally attached together, usually via welding. At the end of the process, an albeit expensive consumer accordion is now ready to be shipped!. To learn more visit Chicagoland Accordion Academy.
