How long before we wear out our FR3 XB?

[Windstrel]

Hi from newbie accordionist again.

I was just wondering what it takes to wear out our FR3 XB?

Both I and my other half are both beginners on the accordion and so are putting in at least 2 hours a day each almost every day plus occasional sessions in pubs. The accordion is possibly a couple of years old now and we had it from new.

We've noticed a bit of screeching that occasionally happens when we press possibly multiple keys at the same time by mistake but I also wondered whether it was connected with perhaps some degradation of the speakers. It might be happening more often on higher volume and stronger bellows action.

Because it's intermittent it's difficult to demonstrate by making a recording but I wondered if anybody had come across anything similar and could comment.

Thanks <EMOJI seq="263a"></EMOJI>

 

[debra]

You won't wear out your V-accordion that easily. Electronics may even wear out almost as quickly when rarely used as when used a lot. But... electronics may fail at any time. It only takes one component to malfunction to render the whole instrument useless. So with the same use one FR may last 15 years and another may break after a few months. It is the luck of the draw and it takes an electronics technician to help you out when it breaks. An accordion repair person may be of no use at all.

 

[landro]

The upside is that you might easier find someone to repair the Roland than some one to repair your acoustic accordion, and more so as time goes by.

 

[Corsaire]

The upside is that you might easier find someone to repair the Roland than some one to repair your acoustic accordion, and more so as time goes by.

I wonder if anyone said that about pianos when electronic keyboards came along ... but you could be right. Accordion repairers may always have been fairly few and far between. Were fortunate to have an accordion workshop just an hours drive away.
There will always be a need for acoustic accordions because, apart from anything else, of their freedom from constraint i.e. electricity !

 

[Keymn]

in my experience with my older fr7, i had a bad audio board. But that was because when I plugged in my audio cable, I may have bumped it with my knee, causing it to fail connection. Had to replace little board.
The push buttons maybe the second most wear part, after maybe a million + presses .
The third would be a dead key due to dirt or maybe wear. Not sure what the contacts are like on an accordion, but my Korg had a dead key. There is a rubber strip with carbon contacts that connect to a circuit board when you press a key. It just was a dust particular in the Korg. If I had the rubber strips, I would have cleaned the circuit board and replaced them for preventative maintence. Whole set cost about 50 USD.
I always carry a spare cheap keyboard in the most unlikely event Accordion would fail. Unlike an acoustic, you depend on the accordion to power up.
On my 4x, I change my battery pack daily because I need to charge them. The plastic battery cover clip broke. I ordered 2 extra covers at $17 each for spares. There is a small limit switch that is actuated from the little tab on the cover. I even wondered about that small limit switch? If it ever went bad, the accordion will not power up? This is prevelent on all models with a battery pack, I believe. I also bought a spare battery pack cable connector.
I always have a backup plan.
I even thought of towing another car in the event my car would break down :lol:

 

[Windstrel]

Thanks everyone for the informative comments.

The squarking I'm getting seems to occur when I misfinger ie don't get my finger neatly on the key but maybe touch a next door key as well.

Trouble is, I can't replicate it but playing stuff that is challenging for me seems to increase the incidence of it happening.

Anyway, thanks again for your input <EMOJI seq="263a"></EMOJI>