The craft of building Cajun accordions

Abstract

Craftsmen have been building single-row diatonic button accordions in South Louisiana since the mid-twentieth century. A brief history of this phenomenon will be given, followed by an explanation of how these accordions are constructed, from the perspective of someone who has made these instruments for decades, trained other makers, and served as the parts supplier for several shops. Topics covered will include the types of wood used, other parts and materials, design choices that affect sound quality versus visual appeal, special challenges in assembly, and tunings.