Just keep an eye open for a used one... there are always people obsessed with having the latest rather than the best, their loss may be your gain!

However, in your case, if you want to play banjo or mandolin over tracks (you don’t say whether audio or SMF’s) rather than drive the arranger section from some sort of MIDI input, I’d probably recommend another device for one primary reason...

The BK7-m does not do Markers for SMF’s, and the BK series in general could not place Markers in audio files. Why this? Because Markers allow you to restructure a backing track on the fly... Want an extra solo? Want to skip the 4th verse? Want to jump to the first verse if people are slow to get up and dance, or to the last verse if they don’t get up at all?!

Markers allow you to use an SMF or audio track and restructure it on the fly. Killer for live! It’s basically what you’d do with an arranger if you were playing it... play the song how YOU want, as you want.

So, in your case, I’d look to getting a tablet and running OnSong or some other app that allows Markers in audio and MIDI... you can still use a Bluetooth footpedal to move between sections hands free so you can keep playing. You could still pick up a BK7-m as the MIDI module if you really wanted, but if you use what you already have and simply record to audio each song, you could perform with no other gear than the tablet and the footswitch...

I like easy setups! 🎹😎