What do all accordions have in common?

Accordions use metal reeds and bellows to produce sound. The instrument is played with both hands, using either buttons or keys on each hand to open the air passage to the reed block as the bellows are pumped. Accordions are all "free-reed" instruments, closely related to the harmonica and harmonium (pump organ). The reeds are steel and the finest metal comes from Scandinavia (blue steel). Although some accordions use mass produced reeds, the finest quality and sound comes from reeds that are hand-made. Read more on the site bellow...