Whats a decent price for a Used Roland Fr8x/

[jwgrosser]

I play professionally and love my stable of Excelsiors - Symphony Grands, one previously owned by Charles Magnante, and a rare LMMM ordered by Art Van Damme, a 140 base (extra minor 3rd bass row) dry tuned, and a wet tuned that I use as my go to acoustic gig accordion -- BUT I also love my 2 Roland FR-8x accordions. I admit I have tweeked many of of the sounds, and it is nice to be able to control accompaniment of orchestral sounds and drums. The only thing I have found the FR-8x CANNOT DO is bellow shakes as an acoustic can but is well up to snuff that an acoustic is capable of in ALL other respects. I have used the Roland V accordion to play w Symphony Orchestras and at one point used it as the solo instrument reproducing the guitar score for Vivaldi's "Guitar Concerto In D" with a little tweeking to satisfy the Conductor, who was hesitant to use the accordion substitute when the guitarist backed out of the concert 2 weeks before the performance. I can live without the bellow shake, or carry an acoustic accordion to a performance if it is something I really want to do, or work through the programming since some folks have been able to develop a decent bellow shake with the Roland FR-8x. I mostly play jazz, and don't use bellow shake in those gigs anyway. There is a place for both acoustic and digital accordions, ideally it is nice to have both, but the choice depends on the player and how they use their accordion. My favorite is to still play acoustic and have a number of fine musicians around me making music, but the digital accordion allows me to do it alone if I cannot book a number of supporting musicians. I do make more money playing solo, but it is a lot less fun.

 

[Valski]

Hello Paul,

So, Roland raised the price of a new FR-8x to $9000, and yet, they haven’t improved the instrument beyond what it was last month. Since there isn’t even a rumor of a new model coming out of Roland (no less an announcement) I can’t think of a reason for the increase save one: they are still being manufactured in an economy changed by Covid-related component shortages. I don’t know if the same thing holds true for digital pianos but I suspect it does. (By the way, and completely off-topic, are digital pianos with actual piano sound boards an improvement or a gimmick in terms of sound quality?) Roland feels that they can raise the price of an FR-8x as opposed to waiting for the component shortage to be over, and yet, the FR-8x can be thought of as old technology. On the other hand, Proxima, which advertises its new model as having advanced technology, must wait until the component shortage has passed to ramp up production. Roland is a well-established company with a lot of resources. Proxima is a hopeful start-up. The playing field, if it exists, is far from level. Who will win?

By chance I checked out Long and McQuade music which is probably the largest musical instrument retailer in Canada and the list price there was $10,000 Canadian which would make it a little less expensive than the $9,000 US price. When I purchased my FR8X they were cheaper in the USA but I still bought locally. When it comes to a big investment, once you've decided what to buy go ahead and pull the trigger. Don't worry about squeezing the absolute lowest price, just buy it and enjoy, forgetting what you paid. You won't regret it.

I'm not going to debate the merits of the Fr8x, but everyone who I know that has purchased one doesn't regret it for a moment. The only people that I've been told that don't like the V-accordions are people who don't like technology.

 

[Alan Sharkis]

By chance I checked out Long and McQuade music which is probably the largest musical instrument retailer in Canada and the list price there was $10,000 Canadian which would make it a little less expensive than the $9,000 US price. When I purchased my FR8X they were cheaper in the USA but I still bought locally. When it comes to a big investment, once you've decided what to buy go ahead and pull the trigger. Don't worry about squeezing the absolute lowest price, just buy it and enjoy, forgetting what you paid. You won't regret it.

I'm not going to debate the merits of the Fr8x, but everyone who I know that has purchased one doesn't regret it for a moment. The only people that I've been told that don't like the V-accordions are people who don't like technology.

There are those (not me!) on this forum who would debate your last sentence. I can understand somebody saying that the sound of an unedited digital accordion is not quite up to the sound of a quality acoustic accordion, but that's where the flexibility of a digital comes in. Sounds in a digital can be edited, enhanced, etc.

But putting an instrument in a plastic case can sometimes make its sound a little more "electronic." to some people. A few summers ago, I had the opportunity to compare the sound of an EVO o the sound of an FR-8x. The EVO sounded more natural, and the 8x had that "electronic" edge to it. I attributed the difference in sound to the fact that the EVO had a wooden body and the 8x had a plastic body. The comparison was as fair as I could make it; same register on both instruments, etc. Some time later, I spoke to an accordion dealer who had another explanation for the difference in sound, He attributed the difference to the size and shape of the speaker enclosures.

We are dealing with a topic that's very subjective. I bought neither instrument at the time, but later bought an FR-4x, and I'm just as happy with its sound as I am with the sound of my acoustic, in spite of the slight difference in sound.

 

[Mike K]

If you already have a decent MIDI workstation, you could consider to (let) modify one of your acoustics with MIDI. That is what I will do. I have never been a fan of Roland, and I think their V-accordions are way overprized. Modifying an existing accordion will cost you a fraction of even a second-hand FR-8x.

Midirig Midi System - MidiRig.com

Midirig Midi System

midirig.com

MIDI, Microphone and Mixer/Amplifiers for Digital Accordions

Currently, Musictech is considered to be the Worldwide benchmark in the field of MIDI for Accordion, Digital Accordions and Microphone Systems and Mixer/Amplifiers for the amplification of traditional accordions enabling highly authentic and accurate reproduction of the reed sounds due to the...

www.musictech-midi.it

INteresting but I have no idea how this works. hall effect sensors sense current I think. how is it detecting what you are playing?

 

[Ben-jammin]

INteresting but I have no idea how this works. hall effect sensors sense current I think. how is it detecting what you are playing?

Hall sensors detect magnetism. So they can be used for current detection. For a midi system they are used as a proximity switch to detect when keys are played they and can be thought of as a discrete switch on/off but more reliable and consistent than a dry contact type of switch.

 

[JerryPH]

When trying to compare an 8X to a MIDI accordion, don’t forget a bit of the obvious… in that you are going to have to spend several thousand dollars to even TRY to come close to the versatility of sounds that an 8X has built in, and if we start looking at versatility, there are near no modules that I could find that give you over 50 different accordions and hundreds of instruments and multiple drum sets and effects, and let’s add insult to injury… I have not seen a MIDI unit that has the ease of programmability in a modified accordion anywhere in the world… unless you want to spend an extra $2800 US dollars for something like an SD-90 and even then there is no comparison as you now need more room, increased setup complexity, externals speakers and many other costs… still no direct comparison or competition.

 

[Dingo40]

Referring back to the title of this thread, I'm reminded of the old joke:
Q: "What's a decent price for a used Roland Fr8x?"
A: Buying or selling? ?

 

[JerryPH]

We lost that thread weeks ago... lol

 

[Pbraido]

When trying to compare an 8X to a MIDI accordion, don’t forget a bit of the obvious… in that you are going to have to spend several thousand dollars to even TRY to come close to the versatility of sounds that an 8X has built in, and if we start looking at versatility, there are near no modules that I could find that give you over 50 different accordions and hundreds of instruments and multiple drum sets and effects, and let’s add insult to injury… I have not seen a MIDI unit that has the ease of programmability in a modified accordion anywhere in the world… unless you want to spend an extra $2800 US dollars for something like an SD-90 and even then there is no comparison as you now need more room, increased setup complexity, externals speakers and many other costs… still no direct comparison or competition.

Also a nice extra with a Roland 8x or others is the ability to stroll at a restaurant or dinner hall or retirement home and have all the combinations of sounds or even backing tracks walk with you - to me this is invaluable

 

[Valski]

Also a nice extra with a Roland 8x or others is the ability to stroll at a restaurant or dinner hall or retirement home and have all the combinations of sounds or even backing tracks walk with you - to me this is invaluable

I was trying to figure out how to play backing tracks on my FR8X but have given up for the time being. Perhaps you can point me to the page in the manual that shows how. It would also be helpful to get some tips as to the best method as I understand that there are several different ways to do this. For a while I was having too much fun just playing the Fr8x without the additional features and now have started to incorporate the Bk7m into my playing. The backing tracks would be my next step.

 

[Pbraido]

I was trying to figure out how to play backing tracks on my FR8X but have given up for the time being. Perhaps you can point me to the page in the manual that shows how. It would also be helpful to get some tips as to the best method as I understand that there are several different ways to do this. For a while I was having too much fun just playing the Fr8x without the additional features and now have started to incorporate the Bk7m into my playing. The backing tracks would be my next step.

You just have to take your backing track as a mp3 or wave and transfer it to your usb stick and place it in the usb drive slot of your 8X. Then select the song list button on the grill select your song using the data enter knob push play and play along to it. You can adjust the volume of it by pressing the down button then the data enter knob to adjust it

 

[JerryPH]

I was trying to figure out how to play backing tracks on my FR8X but have given up for the time being. Perhaps you can point me to the page in the manual that shows how. It would also be helpful to get some tips as to the best method as I understand that there are several different ways to do this. For a while I was having too much fun just playing the Fr8x without the additional features and now have started to incorporate the Bk7m into my playing. The backing tracks would be my next step.

Creating backing tracks are extremely easy on the BK-7, just play your song, record to a USB drive what the 8X is putting out and then plug it in to your 8X... and play along!

 

[Valski]

Okay thanks, have to give it a try. The Fr8x is an amazing instrument and there is so much that it can do. It's unfortunate that the manual is complex and hard to understand.

 

[JerryPH]

Okay thanks, have to give it a try. The Fr8x is an amazing instrument and there is so much that it can do. It's unfortunate that the manual is complex and hard to understand.

Not only complex, but useless and FAR from complete. I hated that manual even before I had an 8X... lol

I made a backing track for Tom but I cheated... I record 4 channels to my recorder/mixer... FR-8X L and R hands and the BK-7m L and R channels, I just exported the 2 BK channels and sent them to him in a MP3 file... 30 seconds of work and done.

The problem with backing tracks is that you absolutely have to play it 100% the same... each time, so I am not a big fan of backing tracks, the arranger gives me a bit of fluidity and control.

 

[Tom]

Not only complex, but useless and FAR from complete. I hated that manual even before I had an 8X... lol

I made a backing track for Tom but I cheated... I record 4 channels to my recorder/mixer... FR-8X L and R hands and the BK-7m L and R channels, I just exported the 2 BK channels and sent them to him in a MP3 file... 30 seconds of work and done.

The problem with backing tracks is that you absolutely have to play it 100% the same... each time, so I am not a big fan of backing tracks, the arranger gives me a bit of fluidity and control.

....and I haven't tried it on the Fr4x yet, still experimenting with what it does. I'm not likely to pick up a BK7 anytime soon, and am hoping for a "software arranger" that can respond to midi or analog signals (line in or mic). Has anyone tried or had luck with such? Has there been a thread on "software arrangers?"

 

[JerryPH]

Has anyone tried or had luck with such? Has there been a thread on "software arrangers?"

A few years ago I did... I didn't like it at all, and kept my 2 arrangers. But one never knows, technology advances, time moves on... maybe something new has come out?

 

[mickey]

If you already have a decent MIDI workstation, you could consider to (let) modify one of your acoustics with MIDI. That is what I will do. I have never been a fan of Roland, and I think their V-accordions are way overprized. Modifying an existing accordion will cost you a fraction of even a second-hand FR-8x.

Midirig Midi System - MidiRig.com

Midirig Midi System

midirig.com

MIDI, Microphone and Mixer/Amplifiers for Digital Accordions

Currently, Musictech is considered to be the Worldwide benchmark in the field of MIDI for Accordion, Digital Accordions and Microphone Systems and Mixer/Amplifiers for the amplification of traditional accordions enabling highly authentic and accurate reproduction of the reed sounds due to the...

www.musictech-midi.it

I bought the MidiRig package last December as I wanted a system that would play along with me. I am not a great fan of accordions digital
sounds. With this gadget I keep my accordion's acoustic sound. The conversion was not cheap as I needed an amplifier and also wanted headphones. Still waited for the headphones after numerous promises that they were on the way to me. There's an old thread re- this company.
There's a guy in Scotland, Roy Hendrie, who seems to have a very good online business advert with demos plus info on Melodeon.net. I am not a great fan of digital accordions but must admit his does sound pretty good. I have no connections to the chap.

Midi and Sounds for Accordion

Introducing the "SQUEEZE Easy" Midi System

royhendriemusic.co.uk

 

[Keymn]

If going with another digital, it will need to compare to sounds of Korg. They are very warm as far as accordion sounds. I never seen so much scrambling on getting others to program the Roland accordions. Seems they do not please with factory setups. Never had that problem with synths and keyboards…Roland fr7 and the Cordovox. I never worried about programming when received out of the box…wish they would pay more attention to newer sampled sounds verses what I think are the 80’s 90’s Roland lower priced synths sounds on the vaccordion…

 

[JerryPH]

If going with another digital, it will need to compare to sounds of Korg. They are very warm as far as accordion sounds. I never seen so much scrambling on getting others to program the Roland accordions. Seems they do not please with factory setups. Never had that problem with synths and keyboards…Roland fr7 and the Cordovox. I never worried about programming when received out of the box…wish they would pay more attention to newer sampled sounds verses what I think are the 80’s 90’s Roland lower priced synths sounds on the vaccordion…

Thats because it wasn't as well known, Older synths and Cordovoxes had no programmability that could be added beyond the sounds they came with and those were far limited in comparison.

Play with your 4X on nothing but factory sounds... then play with them using a Richard Noel or Mathis set, you will see that:
1. They don't really do anything all that special with their programming and...
2. The sounds are FAR superior than full factory only and that this is the way they SHOULD come from the factory.

Comparing a huge keyboard to an accordion is not making that large keyboard in to an accordion. Some people have the gift of being able to move back and forth between full sized keyboards and digital accordions... unfortunately, I feel that I am the majority in that if I want to play a digital accordion, I have no desire to connect to an external 44-keyed arranger. . Thats not to say I'd not consider an arranger from Korg that takes that keyboard off and makes it 1/4 the size and lower in price, but then again, I'd likely still continue the path to programming my 8X... it's fun and educational, and let's me get the most of my financial investment.

 

[The Gambler]

I've just taken delivery of a brand new 8X for £3719. Lots to learn now