Oh! Gizmo

By Andrew Liszewski

In an effort to improve the nerdy image of the accordion Roland has added a few high-tech upgrades and improvements to their FR-2b model. Unfortunately though the only thing I know about accordions is what I’ve seen in Weird Al videos, so here’s a list of some of the improvements as taken from the Roland website:

Performance Parameters
The FR-2b has five pads for adding percussive excitement to your performance. Use them as drum pads or to trigger rhythms via Loop Playback Mode. There’s also a Song function for “minus one” play-along fun. The FR-2b contains eight user programs for instant storage and recall of your favorite settings.

Connections
The connection options of the FR-2b allow you to perform in any situation. A headphone output is provided for private practice. The Line output lets you plug into amplifiers and mixers onstage or in the studio. MIDI output allows you to play external keyboards and other MIDI-compatible instruments from your V-Accordion.

Adjustable Bellows Pressure
The improved Bellows Resistance Regulator on the FR-2b V-Accordion allows you to fine-tune the bellows pressure according to your strength, ability, and personal style — another FR-2b advantage for comfort and playability.

The FR-2b runs on 8 AA batteries, but even with them installed it still weighs almost half as much as a traditional accordion model. So if you spend your weekends rocking out at polka concerts or Polish weddings it might be able to improve both your image and your sore back. But if you’re looking to buy the Roland FR-2b you might want to book paying gigs all week long since it has a list price of $3,999.

[ Roland FR-2b Accordion ] VIA [ PaulTech Network ]