Okay, so my Roland FR-18 has served it's purpose, and I've decided to move onto the chromatic button accordion. I will be offering my Roland for $1400 plus shipping, or I will consider a trade for a Bb from an approved builder. Anyone interested can email me at the address below.

you can actually make the thing be a CBA
B or C system
but only 3 rows - 5 is way more useful
but people do play 3 row CBAs

maybe you already know this
just saying

what i hate is that the 5 row CBAs that roland does make, cannot convert to diatonic

they said [roland] the pressure sensor won;t do in and out
hard to believe

another thing
i would want an FR-18 to be the only accordion i take to a gig
but i;d have to play it a LOT before i;d trust it that way
so for a while it would mean taking MORE accordions to a gig
i already take 3 and sometimes 4 [C, Bflat, F/Bf/Ef, G/C/F]

jmwx

wle

I've had mine over a year. played many gigs and practices and it works perfectly every time. I do not bring a triple note backup. Ganey is offering a great deal.

IMHO..Given that accordions are a different animal, I always gig with a guitar back up.
Two gigs recently, one where a support artist's guitar string busted in the middle of a set...he panicked and I could see why, he had no back up guitar. I offered him mine which he gratefully accepted. Lesson #1.
Lesson#2...a lead guitarist in the side project band I'm in came to a gig with only his Telecaster...he had problems with the Tele and he ended up using my Danelectro 56 U3 Reissue, which I had in the case tuned and ready to go. Annoying thing was the lead guitarist has a Strat. at home that's perfectly fine.

Both gigs had a floor full of dancers and a house full staring at you...to walk off with the excuse 'I don't have a working instrument' will get you no more gigs and a lot of egg on the face.

I know electronics , like FR-18's , would be very stable units, but I'd personally never do a gig without a back up. You'd only get caught out once and you'd never do it again. But that principle applies to acoustic and semi-acoustic accordions/instruments.

yeah but you are using the one row as backup really
you CAN play 3 row songs on a one row if you have to
some anyway

question is, would you not have the one rows?

now what if it;s 8 years later and you have been noticing the roland is doing a couple quirky things..?

still no backup?

wle

I've got a like new Bb with an internal mic from Larry Miller to trade, or will pay the $1400.
Kirk

I emailed you back, Kirk. I'll be in touch.

Kirk, You're really going to like this instrument. All keys, many sounds, infinitely adjustable keyboard layout and bellows action, no feedback on stage, a volume knob, option to practice with headphones, and if you're experimenting, it can drive any midi synth (hardware or software based). Prepare your inner geek. The manual could be written more clearly, but you'll figure it out. Link #2 is an FR-18 forum with lots of good advice.