What to do with my mom's old accordion?

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What to do with my mom's old accordion?

(15 posts) (12 voices)

Started 2 years ago by Kristen
Latest reply from Patch
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Kristen
Member

My parents divorced almost ten years ago, and one of the many things my mom left behind when she moved out was her accordion. I've kept it for a long time, because it did belong to my mom at one point, but.. I've never seen her playing it, so I finally decided to stop being so sentimental and packrat-ish and get rid of it. My mom doesn't want it back, and I have no idea what to do with the thing.

It's got to be over 45 years old and it hasn't been played in over 35. No one's kept up on maintaining it; it'd been sitting in my dad's closet since long before my mom moved out. I'm using it as a printer stand right now, actually. :\

My mom swears it's in pristine condition, but I can't even get the case open to look at it. Either way, does anyone know what I can do with it? I really don't want to just drop it off at some City Mission or Salvation Army. I'd like to bring it somewhere it'll be appreciated, as odd as that may sound.

Soooo, if you guys have any suggestions, that would be great! :)

Posted 2 years ago #
Bobbi
Member

If there is a local musical instrument store, take it with you and talk to the owner. I'm sure he/she would be a fountain of information and would be able/willing to take it off your hands or let you know it just needs to be tossed. Instruments need to be used to stay workable. There are parts of an accordion that can deteriorate over time.

Posted 2 years ago #
opadit
Member

A well-run thrift store has a manager or a person in charge of pricing who will know how to accurately value and price antique items that are donated. (If the store doesn't, then you end up like a friend of mine who found a wildly valuable 1950's Gibson guitar selling for $15.)

A pawnshop would likewise know whether the accordion is still valuable.

I'm wondering, though -- if your mom doesn't want it, and you don't want it, and you've been using it as furniture, and you can't even get it open, why do you care if it's "appreciated" by anybody else? I can say with almost 100% certainty that the accordion doesn't care whether or not it's appreciated. Maybe you're feeling that you don't want it to end up at the dump unless it's really, truly garbage? If so, then I think you'll have done your duty to avoid landfilling the thing if you make a few phone calls, try to get it appraised, and take it to a music shop or thrift store.

Posted 2 years ago #
Jeri Dansky
Member

I like the idea of finding out if it really is still workable, as mentioned above. But I also want to add a plug for Freecycle, which can be a wonderful way to find a new home for all sorts of oddities. Just be accurate in your description!

Posted 2 years ago #
Kristen
Member

opadit, I totally understand where you're coming from. If I'd known it was still lying around, I would have tried to "rehome" it years ago. It's exactly like you said - I really don't want it to end up as trash if someone else could get some use out of it. I hate seeing anything go to waste, even if it frees up more room in my house.

Jeri, I don't know why Freecycle never dawned on me! I've used it numerous times in the past to get rid of other things. Thanks for the reminder!

Thank you so much for your suggestions, you guys!

Posted 2 years ago #
elledee
Member

I would certainly freecycle or craigslist it, perhaps music go round...

I wanted to learn how to play accordion last year and looked around a bit without luck. Then my mom found a vintage concertina in an auction for me, so I found my outlet there :)

Even though the accordion doesn't care if it's being loved or used or not, I think part of uncluttering is also being good stewards of what we have: our own space (by what we own and put into it) and towards items we no longer need/want (buying quality in the first place and sending things off to good homes). I hope you can find a place where someone who wants it will find it, rather than being sold for $2 at a thrift store and then ruined in a kids playroom.

Posted 2 years ago #
springlj
Member

I LOVE LOVE LOVE freecycle and hope that you are successful with finding someone to take it.

But if you don't, I am going to go out on a limb here and say THROW IT OUT. Like really walk to the trash and whip it in there. I believe that it would be very liberating for you to take control of what your mother will not. Offer it to her one last time with the insistance that it will be thrown in the garbage in x number of days.

Are there memories tied to the instrument connected to the divorce? I'm no therapist, but from life experience, it may be a case of your mom not wanting to deal with certain issues and transferring the responsibility to you.

The reality of it is that it may or may not work, you're using it as a piece of furniture and you are going to spend you time driving it around town to see if it's worth anything. I wish you the best of luck and hope you find peace with whatever the final outcome is.

Posted 2 years ago #
elledee
Member

one last idea...perhaps a local theatre or high school drama/music department? Those prop rooms are usually full of cool old stuff.

Another idea would be a nursing home, as there might be residents there who remember how to play or a music therapist willing to give it a try.

Posted 2 years ago #
PrairieGal
Member

I wonder if the local band teacher would be intersted? My husband is a band teacher and we have an odd collection of instruments, just for interests' sake. It's neat to show the kids different kinds of instruments and fund noodle around on something different.

Posted 2 years ago #
klutzgrrl
Member

I'm really curious to know if the accordion found a new home!

Posted 2 years ago #
nellieb
Member

What did you do with the accordian?

I sold two old musical instruments for a friend, we took a quick sale on one for $2,000 USD and the other eBayed for a bit more than $1,100 USD. We were both happy as I made a commission on both sales and she moved out a former husband's instruments that had not literally been touched in over 20 years!

I went to a music store and then an instrument repair shop to learn whether the items had any value. Am I glad I did!

Posted 2 years ago #
russtacean
Member

Hi Kristen,

i would really like to get your accordion if you still have it.

Please let me know, thanks.

best wishes,
russ

Posted 2 years ago #
russtacean
Member

ps - i would pay for having it packed and mailed
and would give it a caring home.

Posted 2 years ago #
Miss Lizzie
Member

Russ, I have an accordion I would be happy to send to you. It's a child's or practice organ, I can email you a photo. To the best of my knowledge it works fine, makes a nice happy sound. I bought it with the notion of selling it on eBay, but we all know how that usually works out, lol.

My email

dizziemisslizzie1958@yahoo.com

Cheers!

Posted 1 year ago #
Patch
Member

FYI and future reference RE- what to do with music instruments: bless his heart, the Manilow Music Project and Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation (one of my fave flicks) donates musical instruments to schools. Useless trivia: Mr. Copacabana himself even cut his own musical chops on the accordion. ;)

Posted 1 year ago #

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