Item # 583019 | Customer Ratings: 
(Based on 4
reviews)
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The revolutionary Roland V-Accordion FR-1 (piano style) or FR-1B (button type) is perfect for young beginners and music schools, yet its uncompromising sound quality makes it ideal for stage performers and keyboardists too.
After owning a Hohner Amica III acoustic, and after owning both the Roland FR-7 and FR-3, the FR-1B is the best so far because it is an ideal size for me. The chromatic button version has the same treble range as I had on my FR-3, yet it weighs so much less. With this smaller instrument I am more in control and my musical expression is so much better. Of course it does not have as many accordion sets (instruments) or orchestral voices as the higher models, but an add on module like the BK-7m can take care of that. Indeed, in my opinion the combination of an FR-1 with the BK has more features than an FR-7X, and it's a lot less expensive.
So far, I'm really happy with this box. As a keyboard player who picked up the accordion a few years ago, this is the perfect instrument. I have five other accordions, and this one is already my favorite after just a few weeks. It plays just like an acoustic instrument and seems to be very well made. I play in a Zydeco band and competing with bass, guitar, drums, frottoir, etc. is a real problem. On my acoustic accordions, I use a microvox mic which works pretty well. However, it's still difficult to play over the band and hear myself without feedback. No problem with the Roland V. Playing through a Roland KB-350 keyboard amp, it has plenty of punch. The 16 factory accordion sounds are great ranging from jazz to musette to traditional and the organ and orchestral sounds are a bonus. I find that an accordion sound in the treble and organ or strings in the bass makes a nice combination for playing with the band. Personally, I would prefer more treble keys, but I think that the transpose function should allow me to handle any song within two octaves by playing in a different key from the band. The midi function offers a world of possibilities. I've played around with it a little running through a Kurzweil module and playing leads on the accordion with a classic mono synth sound is a blast. I'm sure a real accordion player would want one of the larger models, but for me this thing is awesome. I love the light weight and it has enough sounds to replace my other five accordions. Yes, it sucks batteries (just like my first keytar) but you can use the power adapter to pratice and one set of NiMH rechargeables should get me through hundreds of gigs. It wasn't as cheap as any of my Chinese boxes, but for the price of a well-built European accordion this was a great buy!
This accordion has allowed me to finally be able to overpower the drums and guitar in my band. I just have to plug it into the P.A. and I'm set. We were also able to perform without a bassist because you can make the buttons sound like a bass. All of the sounds on this accordion sound genuine. It's very light and comfortable. I'm sure the more expensive Roland accordions have even better features, but the FR-1 is good for stage performers. I would totally recommend this accordion to anyone who plays in a band.
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