Owners of Roland FR-1xb

[oldbayan]

Hi people,

Just got a hold of a black Roland FR-1xb after considering a FR-7xb. I am glad I picked the small box, it has all the features I need and I would have found the 7xb too big.  I am used to the V-accordion world, I have been playing a FR-18 for a while. 

Any other owners of a FR-1xb? I configured mine as a B-system. 

I find the bellows quite stiff, does it get softer with time? 

Thanks.

 

[dunlustin]

I had a 1XB for 6-7 years, traded it in for a 4Xb - wish I'd kept it
That said, just as well I didn't - the 4XB has a higher spec but I do wonder how often I would use it if I still had the 1XB.
Got £500 trade-in and it sold in days priced at £1150.
Did you know there are (were) Roland sets available at their site free to download?
Bellows - often discussed. Have you set the bellows curve (see manual) to Xtra Light and closed that wheel thing?
ps Some users have been told that Roland no longer support the 7X as it is not a current model - close call for you maybe.

 

[oldbayan]

Yep, bellows set to Xtra Light, but it is still very stiff compared to my FR-18. The 8-series has replaced the 7. The 4 has replaced the 3. The 1 is still offered. The 7 model is 10 years old. I installed the Dallapé sound bank. For the sets, you can tweak your own with the Set Editor program, and even add the 5' 1/3 and 2' 2/3 voices! But I not sure how they generate those sounds.

 

[TangoPrince]

Hi!

I also bought an FR-1xb in December, mine is in the Finnish C-system. The bellows definitely are stiff at first, but they do soften up after some dozens of hours of playing. I set the bellows curve at extra light at first, but now I'm considering setting it to light since the bellows have gotten softer. I doubt, however, that they ever become quite as soft as with much used acoustics (in my instrument they still need to be pulled open for about half the way compared to my old well-worn acoustic for the same effect).

You can speed up the process of breaking the bellows in by gently pulling them open all the way a few times at the start of every playing session, while pressing the air button. At least in my case that did wonders for the feel of the bellows after a few repeats.

FR-1xb definitely has a lot of instrument for the size. After the initial stiffness I've been in love with the thing, and I've not even tried other instrument sounds than accordion seriously

 

[oldbayan]

Thanks. I will try that. It's otherwise a very nice little instrument. The Dallapé sound extension has interesting vintage accordion sounds, but most of the time I use the built-in bayan sound with the LMH or LMM register.

 

[TangoPrince]

I like most of the built-in sounds too, but mostly use either the Alpine, I-Folk or D-folk sets, usually in Violin or Accord registers (musette or tremolo for waltzes, though). That's because I like a bright, cheerful accordion sound best. But granted, bayan is a must for Russian folk and other more melancholic stuff!

That's the best aspect of Rolands IMO. No need to buy multiple acoustics when you can get over 200 different sounds (accounting for all accordion sets and their registers) from one instrument.

 

[oldbayan]

I still play acoustic for sessions, small gigs or at home, except when practising with headphones; but it is so much easier and practical to use a Roland when amplification is required! Also, you carry 16 accordions in one.

The only thing I find that needs adapting, apart from the "on-off" button feel, is the fact that no matter how many notes you play simultaneously, the bellows reacts the same way. On an acoustic you need to be more careful with the air control.

 

[TangoPrince]

The only thing I find that needs adapting, apart from the "on-off" button feel, is the fact that no matter how many notes you play simultaneously, the bellows reacts the same way. On an acoustic you need to be more careful with the air control.

Yes, those things took me also a bit of getting used to, especially the air control thing. I think that of the current models only FR-4x and 8x have dynamic bellows settings, which are supposed to replicate the way pressing buttons affect the air flow in an acoustic. Too bad those models are currently a bit heavy for my wallet

You are a professional or semi-professional player, then? Nice! I, on the contrary, am just an amateur, and started playing only last summer. I've learned pretty fast, though, so it's been fun so far.

 

[oldbayan]

You are a professional or semi-professional player, then? Nice! I, on the contrary, am just an amateur, and started playing only last summer. I've learned pretty fast, though, so it's been fun so far.

I have been playing for about 14 years now, I stopped counting! Started on diatonic, and more recently playing chromatic. I do regular gigs playing Irish and Celtic kind of music on the diatonic, I also have a FR-18 for that! So practical to have all the keys at hand in one box. I used to carry 4 or 5 accordions to the gigs, to match the various keys.

For the chromatic I am working on a new project about playing Russian and gypsy music! That explains the bayan setting LOL. I also have 2 acoustic bayan Russian accordions from the Soviet era, 3 rows in B. But the FR-1xb is so much lighter to use!

 

[Keymn]

Fr1x would be my choice to add to my instruments. Find the FR4x satisfying too. Seems like a fun way to entertain with an even smaller accordion. Not into all that technical stuff playing dozens of registers in one gig. Just giving a good accordion sound with a mix of a couple orchestrations...