This particular instrument is like a compact light weight 2/4-reed double chamber jazz version of the famous Scandalli Super VI, made for Aldo Mencaccini. Aldo is the founder of BELL accordions and a legendary accordion master-technician. He was on the original design team for the Super VI. (His American made Bell 4516 was used as a prototype for the early Scandalli Super VI models, often referred to as 2S and 4S models because of the grill ornaments at the time.) He was so impressed by the Scandalli factory and team the company put together for the development of the Super VI line that he had his Bell 25xx series accordions made by Scandalli. This particular accordion looks like a custom order not found in any of the 1950's Bell catalogs I have.

• Serial Number L 227/966, Made in Italy in the mid-1950's
• 2 sets of treble reeds - LM
• Concert Tuning
  
• DOUBLE TONE CHAMBER (CASSOTTO)
  
• 4 sets of bass reeds
• 41 keys, 19.25 " keyboard - American walnut keys and key bed, excellent action
  
• 5 treble switches - Bassoon, Clarinet, Master (the longer one in the middle), Bassoon, and Clarinet
• 120 bass
• 3 bass switches
• Condenser Microphones with Tone and Volume controls on the grill
• New excellent quality Italian padded shoulder straps
  
• Clean and air-tight bellows
  
• New bellows protector
• 20 lb
  
• Very good hard-shell case with internal padding
• Serviced at the Accordion Gallery and offered with a full year warranty
• Re-waxed and tuned
• Keyboard action optimized
• New shoulder straps
• New bellows protector
• New bellows straps

I acquired this accordion from Alex and Bell accordions when the NYC store closed. I didn't know Scandalli ever made such a 2/4 reed double chamber model and was eager to play the instrument. After fresh wax and complete voicing and tuning it sings. The compression is great. The reeds are very responsive and you can play the instrument without effort. This is the lightest and most compact double tone chamber accordion with full size keyboard that I have played. The body is slimmer than the Sonola Ernie Felice model (the jazz accordionist's standard in this class). The warm mellow tone will remind you the 1950's Supper VI. Whether you want to extend you professional playing career and save your back or you simply want to enjoy the heart melting tone of this fine accordion without carrying the weight of the larger Super VI model this instrument will be perfect for you. It is in tune and ready for a recording session.

When I acquired the accordion it even had MIDI installed, a relatively modern design with electromagnetic sensors.

Unfortunately, the bass side didn't work and the power supply was lost at the time the Alex and Bell music store closed.

The additional cables were creating clutter under the grill and I removed the MIDI. It must have been a challenge to

install it in such a compact space. The 5-pim MIDI connector is the only component left since it was mounted on the

treble body and not on the grill. You can see it in the picture below covered with a piece of black tape

(under the 1/4" microphones connector). The condenser microphones work great.

New shoulder straps, new bellows straps, new bellows protector

Accordion Gallery