The last 3 accordions I’ve been repairing for The Accordion Shop have been Hohner 120 Bass piano boxes – all from a similar era but rather different inside. I thought I would do a quick blog with some pictures and a video to compare them. They are a Hohner Atlantic IV De Luxe with a wooden body, a Hohner Atlantic IV Musette with a metal body and a Hohner Organola IV P with a wooden body.
Age Unknown
I think these are all from the 1960’s but I may be wrong – I can’t find a good website with a detailed history of Hohner models or serial numbers – Please comment if you can help on this! (you can submit a serial number to Hohner and get a certificate with information about a specific accordion if you don’t mind paying 30 Euros!) The 2 Atlantics look almost the same apart from their Grills – but I think the wood version is older. The De Luxe and the Organola have LMMH reeds or 16′, 8′, 8′, and 4′ and the Musette has LMMM or 16′, 8′, 8′, 8′. Here is what they sound like.
Differences Under the Bonnet
The 3 Accordions are a bit different inside but all rather nice to work on! The well engineered Bass Mechanism is similar on all of them and easy to remove.
The keyboards on all there have individually removable keys, the wooden Atlantic has wooden keys and the metal Atlantic and the Organola have Plastic ones.
The Atlantics both have a Roler Blind Mute which muffles the sound (A little bit).
Reeds and Reed Blocks
All three accordions have wooden reed blocks but the Atlantics have 8 short treble blocks and the Organola has 4 long ones.
2 of these accordions have been refurbished to be sold for The Accordion Shop who always have a nice selection of second hand and new accordions. That’s it – Hope you enjoyed and feel free to comment! Cheers, George.
I have just opened my newly acquired Hohner Atlantic IV deluxe Musette (red model) and found small date stamps on the reed blocks. So this suggests mine was made around 3/XI/58
I own a organola IV de luxe like the one you’ve repaired, but with a different grill. Not knowing if the one on your pictures is the original grill (I don’t think so) my suggestion would be, that the grey organola (like mine) is from the late sixties or early seventies. They did not build this series for a long time. Mine left the Hohner workshop in summer 69 and I think yours might have been built between 1969 to 71… something like that. Earlier models look different and they do not have the fancy bugari bass side.
Cheers Stefan!
How much is the Hohner Deluxe v1 Mussett thats if you are selling them don you have some for sale many thanks
Hi
Those accordions are all sold by The Accordion Shop on Sunningdale. Check their website for new and second hand stock. https://theaccordionshop.co.uk/
Cheers
George
Hi George
I have a Hohner Pirola 111, newly aquired which had not been stored properly and had some corrosion.
I have cleaned every thing up including complete disassembly and reassembly of bass and it all looks pretty good and works,.
My problem is after removing treble end to clean it up I can’t refit it. Two small hing brackets have me puzzled. Can you help me please
Cheers
Peter
Hi Peter,
I’m not sure how to help without being there! I have not actually serviced a Pirola but the little brackets sound like the system used in an Atlantic – hinged with a spring – they are tricky! If I remember rightly, you put one long edge of the bellows together and then as you bring the other edge together it clips into place. Hope that Helps!