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Buying the Roland FR-1X in 2022 - is Rolland discontinuing it?

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neilson

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Dear community,

I am planning to get a Roland FR-1X to practice during the night with headphones. However, checking its release date, I saw that the FR-1X has been in the market since 2012 (10 years!!). For any electronic device, that's a rather long time. So much has evolved since then (USB-C, better rechargeable batteries, bluetooth, better audio technology, cheaper internal storage, etc.).
In Germany, you can't find the FR-1X available in any major online dealer. You have to order and wait God knows how long so they can deliver it to you.
I'm wondering if it is worth getting it as of September 2022, considering that Roland might release the FR-1X successor rather soon (pure speculation from my side).

What's your opinion on it? Would you recommend waiting a bit more? the Fr-4x was release in 2017, but it's a bit out of my budget.

Cheers
Neilson
 
neilson said:
Dear community,

I am planning to get a Roland FR-1X to practice during the night with headphones. However, checking its release date, I saw that the FR-1X has been in the market since 2012 (10 years!!). For any electronic device, that's a rather long time. So much has evolved since then (USB-C, better rechargeable batteries, bluetooth, better audio technology, cheaper internal storage, etc.).
In Germany, you can't find the FR-1X available in any major online dealer. You have to order and wait God knows how long so they can deliver it to you.
I'm wondering if it is worth getting it as of September 2022, considering that Roland might release the FR-1X successor rather soon (pure speculation from my side).

What's your opinion on it? Would you recommend waiting a bit more? the Fr-4x was release in 2017, but it's a bit out of my budget.

Cheers
Neilson
Click to expand...
Including pentaprism's reply, checking Thomann and my own experience, I would suggest that you order your FR-1x now, in order to have it after some months for the price shown now.

To me (another matter of opinion), Roland seems to cash every penny (or equivalent) from its products before updating, upgrading or replacing.
 
neilson said:
What's your opinion on it? Would you recommend waiting a bit more? the Fr-4x was release in 2017, but it's a bit out of my budget.
Click to expand...

I don't recommend waiting a bit more. But I do spending a bit more - for the FR-4x that is (or FR-3x, if you can find one).

FR-1x - the PA version - has only 2 octaves on the treble side. That's hardly enough for any kind of music. Yes, you can change octave mid-play. But doing so is clumsy at best.

FR-1xb is OK, however. It has 3 octaves.
 
Occasionally one hears of issues arising from the actual material of which the shell of the FR-1x is made.🤔
This alone would put me off!
 
Thank you all for the answers. Great pros and cons list. I've decided to buy it and will summarise what I got from you in this thread and add a few comments, just in case anyone else is looking for the same thing:
  • Prices for virtual accordions will not really drop. Compared to the prices in the USA, for example, buying a brand new FR-1X for around 1650 EUR is actually not that bad of a deal.
  • The current technology available in the FR-1x fits the purpose (which is to play with the headsets, at a semi-professional level). Even if Roland decides to release a new model tomorrow, the possible new features would not be game changers (no Fear of Missing Out :D).
  • FR-1x has a good combination of size, features and price. Even if another maker comes into play, I don't think their models will be cheaper than 3000 USD.
  • Quality of the box could be a problem, but the seller offers a 5 year warranty. In 5 years I want to be playing well enough and ready for an upgrade anyway.
  • Buying new, but device being built 10 years ago (I saw this in another thread) - I guess that's probably fine. Usually if you keep electronics sealed, away of humidity and at room temperature, they could work fine for years. My father gave me a Casio CTK-480 keyboard in 1997 and it still works.
  • FR-4x would be awesome, but unfortunately 3700 EUR is a bit too much at the moment.
  • Acoustic is really not an option when you live in a small apartment in Germany. I do have a Hohner, which I rarely play due to the noise.
Thank you all again!
 
neilson said:
Acoustic is really not an option when you live in a small apartment in Germany. I do have a Hohner, which I rarely play due to the noise.
Click to expand...
You can put thin, cheap and very effective acoustic insulation (same as in cars/vans) inside both ends of a real accordion which softens it a lot. Couple this with gentle bellows pressure and you have a winner for happy neighbours. I practice like this when staying in my small city apartment at 6am in the morning!
I did try a Roland (loan instrument) but didn't like the wires, batteries, plastic, gizmos and above all the feel and the noise it made. I know some people like electronic everything but there do appear to be significant issues judging by the sheer volume of postings on here.
 
Alan Sharkis said:
By all indications, the next step in digital accordions will have to come from some other maker. Your guess is as good as mine about who that might be.
Click to expand...
I have some serious concerns for the future of digital accordions... the one place we see movement is from a VERY unreliable company with a limited list of choices (ie: 1 choice and its not advancing very fast as I predicted).
 
I think someone should make a 'simple' digital accordion that focuses on these 3 qualities...

1. Serves those that wish to practice accordion quietly
2. Feels as close as the real thing as possible
3. Is not as fancy as the others (doesn't have many features), and thus, is not as expensive
 
pillbugg said:
I think someone should make a 'simple' digital accordion that focuses on these 3 qualities...

1. Serves those that wish to practice accordion quietly
2. Feels as close as the real thing as possible
3. Is not as fancy as the others (doesn't have many features), and thus, is not as expensive
Click to expand...
Yes, but I bought my FR-1xb both for quiet practicing and as a MIDI input device.
 
JerryPH said:
I have some serious concerns for the future of digital accordions... the one place we see movement is from a VERY unreliable company with a limited list of choices (ie: 1 choice and its not advancing very fast as I predicted).
Click to expand...
They (Proxima) are not the only game in town, but others are either not distributed widely (Cavagnolo has no Western Hemisphere distribution) or are priced ridiculously high (Concerto.) Then, there are the companies that make midi for accordions that have also produced reedless accordions based on their midi systems (Music Tech, Master Production of Castelfidardo, and Logic System.) Those companies probably could produce fully digital accordions but probably won’t in the near future.
 
I agree with pentaprism. FR-1x is limited by the lack of keys in the treble.

I had one and kept running out of notes.

Then I saw the light and switched to playing CBA - now I have a FR-1xb and I am very pleased with it.

The bigger Rolands are too expensive, so I don't know what the answer is. Either a second-hand bigger one, or learn to play CBA and get a FR-1xb.
 
A new fr1x for 1650 eur is a great deal. Go for it. You'll have the money left over to buy some decent sounds from Richard Noel. There's absolutely no sense in comparing a v accordion to an acoustic. Apples and oranges. Like comparing acoustic and electric guitars. No sense.
 
Tom said:
A new fr1x for 1650 eur is a great deal. Go for it. You'll have the money left over to buy some decent sounds from Richard Noel. There's absolutely no sense in comparing a v accordion to an acoustic. Apples and oranges. Like comparing acoustic and electric guitars. No sense.
Click to expand...
The black edition sells at Thomann for €1579, the red for €1629, but you'll have to wait "months" until delivery. Time is money. ;-)
 
Hmmmm......$1320 "Available in several months".... Be interesting to know what price they have "actually" sold one for in the past. Anyone know?
 
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