G'ady CarolC,

The problem is that, even if you do know exactly which accordion you mean ... it's no help if the person you talking to doesn't. I just try to be consistent:

A piano accordion is fairly well understood ... nobody but a real fanatic knows about "Free Bass" (extra bass that can play a non-chorded, 'classical' bass line) ... only Arabic players or fans know about ¼ tone piano accordions ...

Push-pull button accordions range from melodeons (which don't have any real choice of chords. 'Vienna' models, with a few more chords, slip up to being 'Button Accordions. If there are 2 or 3 rows a semitone apart they are Chromatic Button Accordions (British or Irish vaguely delineated by size and style). The ones with 'Stradella' bass (piano accordion style) are all 'ritish Chromatic'. There is a particular variety popular in Europe, especially France, with 2½ rows of buttons and with the middle dominant note sounding both in and out ... The Italians have a bunch or regional models ... and they all have their own names - but are all harmonicas (armonicas?) to most Europeans.

The 3 to 6 row, same note in and out, chromatics are called 'Chromaticas' ... by the italians, but nobody (much) else. they also come in at least 3 different schemes, with national preferences.

If you're not confused yet ... I have to sort myself out before I try to get you more puzzled!

Regards,

Bob Bolton