History

Beltrami Accordions are based in Stradella near Pavia, Italy. Stradella was once a huge centre of accordion manufacturing, one of the big three, along with Castelfodardo and Vercelli, and many well-known accordion factories were based there the most famous and largest being Dallapè which was established in 1876 which employed several hundred artisans. Other names who established their factories in Stradella include Maga Ercole (1895), Enrico Massoni (1900), Paolo Rogledi (1904), Salas (1910), Giovanni Tesio (1910), Cooperativa L’Armonica (1912), Fratelli Crosio (1934), Egidio Massoni (1936), Massoni Renato (1937), Losio Migliorini (1937), Lucchini e Barozzi (1937), Barozzi e Bonfoco (1939), Lucchini (Luigi) (1939), A.R.S (1943), Tizzoni (1944), La Voce D’Oro (1944), Giustini (1946), La Stradellina (1946), F.I.A.S (1965), Aurora (1947), Alpa Eos (1947), Bianchi (1948), Guglielmo Bonfoco (1948), Super Salas (1948), L’Armoniosa (1950), Gloria (1951), Stradelfisa (1951), Mondial (1954), Guido Guerrini (1954), Gino Giustini (1954), Musitalia (1954) Enzo Tondi (1958), Giuseppe Panati (1975), Stocco (1981), Beltrami (1982), By Marco (2000), Marossa (2013)

1976 -Claudio Beltrami starts working for FRATELLI CROSIO in Stradella where his father Giovanni worked as a tuner. (His father Giovanni started in the accordion business after World War II and continued to do so until his death in 1994 having worked for FRATELLI CROSIO, LUCCHINI, TIZZONI and COOPERATIVA L’ARMONICA of Stradella).

Here he works in various departments of the factory learning about the different components and their assembly. Most important is the experience gained in reed block construction and the sound box casing which were to prove paramount when he eventually set up his own firm.
After 2 years he trains as a tuner and is found to have a particular aptitude for this skill thanks also to the experience passed down to him from his father. This fertile period with Crosio ends in 1980.

1980 –Claudio goes to work for the “MUSITALIA” factory where he completes his training.

1982 – Claudio left the factory and opened up his own business as a tuner where most of his clients were the surrounding factories including his previous employers.

1985 – Claudio Beltrami recruits his wife into the business, who had demonstrated a great aptitude in the various phases inherent to the voices and their construction.

1988 – Claudio opened his first shop and begins producing his own instruments, under the brand name of “BELTRAMI FISARMONICHE – STRADELLA”. Beltrami has immediate success and this quickly becomes his main activity.
2002 Beltrami moves to his new larger premises in Stradella.
2003 Beltrami has official agents in the UK via www.zzmusic.co.uk for England & Wales and formerly in Scotland with Bruce Millers in Aberdeen until its closure and now with Accordionbay http://accordionbay.co.uk/

Beltrami has several ranges of accordions to suit all pockets. Types of reeds may also be specified from the more expensive hand-made variety down to the more affordable but nevertheless still good budget reeds. Beltrami collaborates with external suppliers for the production of top quality accordion bodies and is also currently developing his own carpentry department.

From the beginning his philosophy in construction is one of making the most efficient instrument to suit his clients’ needs after having advised them towards the best type of instrument for the type of music played. This inevitably includes all the various tunings and temperaments required for all types of music from various ethnic music (which often require the most unusual types of tuning, across the infinite number of different musette tunings, “Musette” though to the American Swing tuning and straight Classical. Whilst Beltrami has a range of standard models his particular forte is in customising the accordion to individual tastes. He will go to great lengths to achieve what the customer asks for.

Being a small manufacturer, making only 50 or so hand-made instruments per year Claudio is constantly exploring new ways of improving accordions. Each accordion is quality controlled by Claudio himself. He has given his customers the choice of any timbral possibility on both right and left-hand manual registers and strives constantly to contain the size of his instruments and therefore their manageability as is evident in his “Compact” series, sacrificing the overall sound as little as possible. 1997 Beltrami becomes an official technical assistance centre for HOHNER harmonicas too. Beltrami also offers advice and installs amplification into instruments as well as Midi systems produced by MUSITECH of Castelfidardo.

Double Zed Music has worked closely with Claudio Beltrami since 2002 and arranges for Claudio to visit the UK every year to 18 months where Claudio takes on some of the bigger repair and tuning work carried out by Double Zed Music.

If you are interested in ordering a new Beltrami accordion and would like to discuss this in greater depth before to committing to buy one please email us with your details and we can make an appointment with you to talk either via telephone or Skype or to meet face to face. There are many options open to you so it’s worth seeing what can be achieved before deciding on what to buy. The prices shown on the website are basic prices and can change depending on the amount of extra options you require.

Also, please email us or see our website for any used accordions available made by Beltrami and other manufacturers.