12 bass accordion pros and cons

Should a kid start whit is a 12 bass accordion?
Well to be honest there is no correct answer to this questions. There will always be pros and cons about it.

A 12 bass accordion is a great way to start because:

- It is easier to learn
Learning full stradella configuration can be frustrating and many quit because of this. Lacking patience is a normal thing for kids.
The kid will have instant gratification because he will learn quickly small songs.
Most learner books will contain songs that use only those notes. So you will have tunes to play for a year or so.

- You are starting cheap
It is the cheapest way to decide if you are really going to learn it. You really don't want to pay around 1500$ (1000 euro) to have an accordion as furniture.

- It is lighter
Initial position of playing is very important for the beginner. Being light, the accordion will allow correct posture for much longer time.
Hopefully the kid will have less back pain.

It is a bad idea because:

- Of limited grow
After a year or so, the kid will outgrow the accordion. More complex pieces will not be in available.

- It gets more expensive on long run
When your kid will outgrow the accordion, you need to buy another one.

- Of the accommodation
Having a new instrument means more time spent to accommodate with it. The keys will not be in the same place. More buttons will feel different.

Bottom line

If want to spend a relative small amount of money, never ever sacrifice the quality of accordion over the number of bass buttons.
The worse idea is to buy an accordion of bad quality that will always be out of tune. The bass play accuracy is 80 to 90% dependent on the kid's music ear development.
The editor choice is based on the age of the kid:
12 bass for 10 year or less.
24 - 48 bass for 10 + years.
72,120 not for beginners

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

This song is one of the most popular in the history. The melody was originally named "Ah! Vous dirai-je, Maman". Mozart actually wrote twelve variations of this song, but only the first one is widely known. Later it was adapted for English with the poem, "The Star" by Jane Taylor.

Here is the music sheet for accordion:

Click on the image to enlarge it.

For downloading the pdf version of this score click here: Twinkle.pdf

Below is the original poem:

The Star

by Jane Taylor.    

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!

When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the traveler in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveler in the dark,—
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twinkle_Twinkle