I bought my first accordion from the Music Swop Shop in Carlton when i was 18 - it's an italian instrument made by Antonio Ranco, maybe 100 years old? I still have it and it still works although it is mechanically quite hard to play, so it is officially in retirement. Every now and then it comes out for a photo shoot.....

 

In 2003 I bought my second accordion, a Parrot 60 bass, made in China. I got it just in time to have a microphone system installed before taking off for a 3 month Scandinavian tour with the short-lived band Melbourne Original Performers (M.O.P., or MOP for short). I was the piano player in the band, but decided that for any shows at venues which didn't have a real piano, i'd use accordion instead of a "plastic piano", which turned out to be about 98% of the time. 

 

around the same time, the Julien Wilson Trio formed. This band has been very popular for it's unusual instrumentation (sax, guitar, accordion) and we've had some great times and been lucky enough to travel to some fabulous festivals etc. The group still performs several times each year and our latest CD will soon be available.

 

I also use a light-weight Scandalli 80 bass, and sometimes a Scandalli 120 bass (my most "classical" sounding instrument), and a 48 bass Busillachio - my "grunge" instrument, small rough and crunchy.