Fire engine red accordions, green ones, black shiny ones - there's so many types of piano accordions to choose from!
So, how to chose the right instrument for you?
The first thing is that you need to feel comfortable playing it. So, if you're petite it needs to be not too heavy for you. Generally, lighter accordions tend to be more expensive, but it could be well worth it if it means you'll play your new instrument more. Make sure the accordion's not simply too big for you to play properly sitting down or standing. You want to be able to easily pull the bellows in and out. A 100% in tune accordion is very vital, because you also are training your ear every time you play. And when you start to play with other people perfect pitch is crucial.
Do you want the full base (120) or a smaller, lighter less complex instrument? Full base accordions are often heavier, but this is balanced by the fact that you get a bigger range. You might also want to consider where it's made. The Italian and German ones are more likely to be handmade accordions, and this usually means a sweeter tone. The amount of vibrato is also a consideration. Vibrato lends warmth and richness to the note and you can actually have this adjusted. More vibrato goes well with French style music, but not so much for classical.
The number of couplers gives you a bigger range of sounds you can produce. The minimum number for a good range of different sounds is three. Couplers give you a choice of a base through to treble tone using extra reeds on each note. The more couplers, the more tones you can get - but you get added weight as well.
Now the reeds in most accordions are made out of steel reeds. But if you live near the sea, (or play your accordion on the beach) you should get stainless steel reeds - otherwise the sea air could rust them. You'll want to test every key on the intake and the out take of the bellows. EVERY key. Otherwise you might get stuck with that one bung note that's going to annoy you until you get it fixed or buy a new accordion.
Make sure the straps are strong and padded, and easily adjustable to just the right length for you. You need to feel easy holding the instrument, like it fits you perfectly. A good case comes in handy too. Accordions are complex machines, and protecting them while they're being transported is much easier with a solid case. A word to the wise - never ever leave and accordion in a hot place (like the boot of your car in summer.) The wax that holds the reeds could melt, leaving your lovely reeds in a useless pile. This can be fixed, but it's expansive and time consuming.
And I've got to admit it - piano accordions are beautiful looking musical instruments. The really top ones and the very old ones are works of art. Filigreed, embossed, ornamented - better than a sculpture on your mantelpiece. If you want to get really upmarket, there's even electronic ones, accordions with a microphone inside them. (Very handy if you want to play with louder instruments like percussion.) If you take your amplified sound quality seriously, then a built in high quality microphone will be worth a look.
Lastly, it seems like a good accordion player makes his or her instrument come to life. It's almost breathing, as the music flows out of it. So, when you're choosing a piano accordion, you need to really BOND with it. It's going to be really close to you when you play, so if you can feel like you're almost breathing with it, it may just be the one for you.:)
