Serenellini Dona: Full-featured three-row in a compact size

Hat tip to Steve Jones on melodeon.net for pointing out that Serenellini has updated its website to reflect its most recent designs.

     Of particular interest for three-row players is the Serenellini Dona, which is a two-voice three row in a package that is only slightly larger and heavier than Castagnari's Benny.  Serenellini offers this box in several colors, and while super durall reeds are standard, Serenellini offers upgrades; they also offer a flat keyboard option on their two row boxes, which may be available on the Dona by request.

     Compared to Serenellini's previously available wooden 3 row, the Dona is better equipped for a standard 3 row tuning with its full-length rows (12-11-10).

     I'm particularly interested in how the bass is configured, since Serenellini indicates that the basses have 5 voices.  I have found that accordion makers follow two conventions when describing the left-hand voices -- Castagnari lists how many reeds sound when a single bass or chord button is depressed, whereas some other makers indicate the total number of reeds that will sound when a bass/chord pair of buttons are pressed.  I imagine that Serenellini is using the latter convention -- and this means that this relatively little three-row box could possibly have a low bass voice!

     If any readers of Melodeon Minutes get a chance to play a Serenellini Dona, please let me know, and I will add your comments to this post.

Photo by Serenellini