Where is the lowest costing place to purchase a V-Accordion? Are buying used discontinued Roland models a good idea?

[pillbugg]

Hi, I'm interested in a relatively small V-accordion that has roughly around 30 keys and 80 bass buttons.
It seems like the lowest costing V-accordions are the FR-1X models from Roland. Does anyone know where is the cheapest place to buy them? A website, or a physical store perhaps? I'm in the USA, California.

I have also looked at the discontinued models and I started to wonder if anyone thinks it is a good idea to buy a used one. The FR-1 and, especially the FR-2 models look great.

It sucks that V-Accordions are so niche... it seems that there are no other companies making them to compete (and bring the price down a little) on Roland V-accordions.

 

[pillbugg]

So far, the cheapest (new) FR-X1 accordions that I've managed to find are from reverb.com.

 

[Dingo40]

Pillbugg,
"I started to wonder if anyone thinks it is a good idea to buy a used one. The FR-1 and, especially the FR-2 models look great."
As I said to the checkout operator, "Technology's great, when it works ?!"
So. How many ageing, expensive, electrical gizmos with scarcely any spare parts and scarcer service options would you be volunteering to buy from someone you've only just met: and ...you're asking if it's a good idea??
Frankly, personally, I'd rather be Novak Jokovic on his flight out to Australia!?

 

[JerryPH]

So far, the cheapest (new) FR-X1 accordions that I've managed to find are from reverb.com.

That's unusual, because just generally speaking everything I ever saw there was nicely over-priced. I'd suggest looking at places like Sweetwater (yeah, expensive, but superior customer service), or just visit the Roland website, find all local Roland dealers and contact them.

In the end, the cost of the FR-X1 is going to be what it is because its not a high selling unit and not stocked much anywhere and dealer markups on them are not that high anyway.

Getting a used one... never a bad idea, if they were well cared for, but again, not many appear so those sell pretty much as fast as they come up for sale.

 

[Tartan Ghostie]

Hi, I'm interested in a relatively small V-accordion that has roughly around 30 keys and 80 bass buttons.
It seems like the lowest costing V-accordions are the FR-1X models from Roland. Does anyone know where is the cheapest place to buy them? A website, or a physical store perhaps? I'm in the USA, California.

I have also looked at the discontinued models and I started to wonder if anyone thinks it is a good idea to buy a used one. The FR-1 and, especially the FR-2 models look great.

It sucks that V-Accordions are so niche... it seems that there are no other companies making them to compete (and bring the price down a little) on Roland V-accordions.

I have a Roland Fr1-x that I got through Guitar Center after comparing prices everywhere. They had it shipped to them for pickup. I think it is a "fair trade" situation, where you can't undercut a price by shopping somewhere else. At 26 treble/72 bass I find I have to do a lot of bass movement and treble octave switching to get the range of what I want to play. I got it for the array of voices that I could program in with the Roland Editor app, and sometimes go for piano or Hammond organ sounds for fun. I wish I had more keys on both treble and bass, but fortunately a GOOD friend gave me a small scale Petosa Grande (ladies' size) with 41/120 and a bass that blasts! If I go to the other end of the house I can play the Petosa and not bother my wife.
I like Roland, but I don't have any experience with the 3, 4 or 5.

 

[pentaprism]

IMHO, the FR-1 and FR-1x, with only 2 treble octaves, is hardly enough for anything. Switching octaves mid-play is possible, but is clumsy at best.

It's great if you can find an inexpensive used FR-2. My FR-2b was bought used in 2014 for $700 (its real age is unknown) and is still functioning as new. And FR-3 is even better (sold mine for $1700 in 2013 when I switched from PA to CBA).

I do believe electronics can last a long time. I did have to replace the key contacts a few years back, my family's Roland KR-7 (18 yrs old, I believe) is still playing strong.

 

[pillbugg]

At 26 treble/72 bass I find I have to do a lot of bass movement and treble octave switching to get the range of what I want to play. I got it for the array of voices that I could program in with the Roland Editor app, and sometimes go for piano or Hammond organ sounds for fun. I wish I had more keys on both treble and bass

IMHO, the FR-1 and FR-1x, with only 2 treble octaves, is hardly enough for anything. Switching octaves mid-play is possible, but is clumsy at best.

It's great if you can find an inexpensive used FR-2. My FR-2b was bought used in 2014 for $700 (its real age is unknown) and is still functioning as new. And FR-3 is even better (sold mine for $1700 in 2013 when I switched from PA to CBA).

I do believe electronics can last a long time. I did have to replace the key contacts a few years back, my family's Roland KR-7 (18 yrs old, I believe) is still playing strong.

Yeah, that could be very bothersome, which is why I am leaning on buying a FR-2. I wish they were still being made! It seems like the perfect size v-accordion for me.

 

[AccordionUprising]

My recollection is that the difference between the FR-1 and 1x was mostly adding ways to modify sounds by importing them via usb. I don't know if you could change the sounds on the FR-1 (or the FR-2 etc). But if you're ok with the sounds it's got, then that won't matter.

Certainly getting a used FR-(no x) would be the cheapest way to go.

I've talked with pros about the lack of cheap synth accordions, but the market to support the price of making them seems to be the reason there aren't options. Roland decided to price them comparable to acoustic instruments and go after traditional accordion players. With the number they sell, maybe that makes sense. Pity, they'd sell a lot more if they were cheaper, but would that pay the bills for specialty bellows and stuff? Most keyboards don't have any moving parts like that. It's a pretty unusual interface.

I still think there'd be a market for dead-simple midi-controller box meant to give normal keyboard players a way to walk around. But what do I know? It may be that the bellows and such mean that even a simple instrument would cost a lot to make.

 

[wayne]

Hi, I'm interested in a relatively small V-accordion that has roughly around 30 keys and 80 bass buttons.
It seems like the lowest costing V-accordions are the FR-1X models from Roland. Does anyone know where is the cheapest place to buy them? A website, or a physical store perhaps? I'm in the USA, California.

I have also looked at the discontinued models and I started to wonder if anyone thinks it is a good idea to buy a used one. The FR-1 and, especially the FR-2 models look great.

It sucks that V-Accordions are so niche... it seems that there are no other companies making them to compete (and bring the price down a little) on Roland V-accordions.

Hi, I'm interested in a relatively small V-accordion that has roughly around 30 keys and 80 bass buttons.
It seems like the lowest costing V-accordions are the FR-1X models from Roland. Does anyone know where is the cheapest place to buy them? A website, or a physical store perhaps? I'm in the USA, California.

I have also looked at the discontinued models and I started to wonder if anyone thinks it is a good idea to buy a used one. The FR-1 and, especially the FR-2 models look great.

It sucks that V-Accordions are so niche... it seems that there are no other companies making them to compete (and bring the price down a little) on Roland V-accordions.

Liberty Bellows in Philadelphia., PA has a used one now for $1799.00, and a new one for $2399.00. Both are piano accordions. I bought a used one a year ago in brand new shape on eBay. So far I have no problems with it.

 

[pillbugg]

@wayne If they ever dig up a (used) FR-2 piano accordion, I'll be sure to check it out. ?

 

[Valski]

My recollection is that the difference between the FR-1 and 1x was mostly adding ways to modify sounds by importing them via usb. I don't know if you could change the sounds on the FR-1 (or the FR-2 etc). But if you're ok with the sounds it's got, then that won't matter.

Certainly getting a used FR-(no x) would be the cheapest way to go.

I've talked with pros about the lack of cheap synth accordions, but the market to support the price of making them seems to be the reason there aren't options. Roland decided to price them comparable to acoustic instruments and go after traditional accordion players. With the number they sell, maybe that makes sense. Pity, they'd sell a lot more if they were cheaper, but would that pay the bills for specialty bellows and stuff? Most keyboards don't have any moving parts like that. It's a pretty unusual interface.

I still think there'd be a market for dead-simple midi-controller box meant to give normal keyboard players a way to walk around. But what do I know? It may be that the bellows and such mean that even a simple instrument would cost a lot to make.

Hi Bruce, I was under the impression that the X stood for expansion including software upgrades. I would guess that it might be important to be able to upgrade software over time, especially with an older product.

 

[Keymn]

I purchased my Fr1x early in 2021 at SweetWater. They beat the price of all others by 200$ less then competitors. But you need to ask for a price comparison. And I even bought it on no interest for 48 months…I did wait 3 months to receive, but worth the wait…today may not be so, since the prices are bound to go up considerably…I have seen 10 to 20% increases in Korg since I purchased my pa1000. Now we are excited about a new accordion to be released? Save your money and enjoy what you have…

 

[squeezeandthanks]

Dale Mathis on YouTube just posted a video regarding the shop that he works with closing… liquidated roland sale. Seems promising although I haven’t checked in with the shop to find out exact rates. Worth checking out for sure!!

 

[debra]

I don't know exactly when the FR1X was introduced but the FR8X is from 2013 and the FR4X from 2016 if I'm not mistaken, so for technological products all of them are ancient models and should all have been discounted considerably for years already. But... Roland has not come out with anything new since these models so I'm afraid the V-Accordion may be dead as a product line. But there are other companies making digital accordions that are making advances. And we are all anxiously awaiting the real arrival of the new Proxima (supposedly delayed due to Covid)...
Something every company keeps secret is the date when production of a certain model ends. When you buy a brand-new Roland it may actually have been produced several years ago and therefore not necessarily be in much better technical shape (meaning in terms of expected life span) than when you buy a used V-accordion of the most recent model series. So buying used certainly makes sense!

 

[pillbugg]

Dale Mathis on YouTube just posted a video regarding the shop that he works with closing… liquidated roland sale. Seems promising although I haven’t checked in with the shop to find out exact rates. Worth checking out for sure!!

I've actually been following him and saw that!

 

[squeezeandthanks]

I've actually been following him and saw that!

Report your findings on what they have, I’d be interested to hear what they’re going for!

 

[pillbugg]

Report your findings on what they have, I’d be interested to hear what they’re going for!

Will do!

 

[JerryPH]

For those that are missing part of the story, Dale Mathis is not retiring, he's maintaining alliances with Roland (or various Roland dealers), to continue to sell V-Accordions. Crown Music is closing down because the owner (Donna) is retiring.

For people looking for an affordable solution, 10% down and a 5-year finance is about as manageable as I have seen anywhere... though I don't know the percentage rates that could potentially make a $7,000 accordion in to a $10,000 one five years later. If there is no other way to make your dream of ownership comes true, this can be very enticing.