So since I got my finger blowed up, I can't really play piano, and I have been taking on psychic damage ever since.

However it seems like I might be able to play an accordion, since my blowed up finger is on my left hand and accordion seems like it has much less "ballistic" hits to the finger.

But I can't make heads or tails about what in the fuck kind of accordion to try: I play mostly moody emo Chopin sadgirl tunes, and I love piazzola, so I was reading about bandoneons, but it turns out that you can't actually get one (like literally it seems like they were only mass manufactured pre WWII and now only for like $10k custom made) and the key layout means you can like only play tango on them. And then since its a folk instrument there are like one million other kinds of accordion and I can't tell how much each is specialized for a specific kind of music.

Is there anyone on here I reach who plays #accordion and can help me out knowing what kinda button bag to play? I would be a beginner accordionist but I have been playing piano my whole life and am looking for a long term romance I mean replacement, so I don't need the like "there are 5 notes on this one and you can't go wrong" kind. I would love to be able to play sea shanties and folk punk tunes, but if its also possible to play some Chopin or Debussy arrangements on the thing that would be extremely emotionally valuable to me.

edit: thank you accordionists of the fedi for the information, and non-accordionists of the fedi for helping me reach them. my questions have been largely answered and i am gonna pick one up shortly :)

I don't have a ton of money, but if it turns out that I just need multiple bags to play different kinds of music, so be it, I am just not sure where to start.
now my question is "where do you get the sheet music" and also "what even is the sheet music with this dang stradella bass in the picture"

@jonny I was new to the button box 25+ years ago and never looked back.

I forked out a bunch for a serious 2.5 row button box in 2000, it's lasted through many a gig since then without trouble. I've only had to replace the electronics (it is 🎤 d). It's a Saltarelle Pastourelle III

Really different from a piano keyboard. Really good for shanties.

Attwenger is a band which makes superb use of button box IMO

https://youtu.be/cIrbojnHeqY?si=DwmtWBap6_dfQ8Yo

HiAso

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@grechaw
Hell yes. Thanks for the recommendation :)
@jonny some players don't use the left hand at all. It's an excellent melodic instrument, but it is keyed, so gets awkward as you move away from home keys (or just gets ... modal). Mine is a GC box and the half row gives me some notes that aren't in G or C major. Much lighter than a piano accordion, varies a lot with number of reeds.
@jonny if I was trying to get back into this sort of thing I'd get a bayan from Ukraine and get it repaired. I was never very good at it but I knew a guy who could play basically anything from jazz and folk to an orchestral arrangement of Blue Danube
Paganini - Liszt - La Campanella - Alexander Dmitriev - Virtuose Accordion Bayan

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