Ed Roman guitars and basses

Denis · August 11, 2010, 05:52:12 PM

You can spend a LONG time on this website.

http://www.edroman.com/guitars/basses.htm

Pilgrim · August 11, 2010, 06:01:23 PM

Yes, it would be nice if he had a good reputation...which I have heard he does not.

nofi · August 11, 2010, 06:02:43 PM

he was quite the punching bag at the old pit.

Pilgrim · August 11, 2010, 06:03:27 PM

I'll admit that what I've heard is all second hand, but it was enough to make me cautious.

Dave W · August 11, 2010, 08:16:21 PM

Ed's photo ought to be in the thesaurus under "full of sh*t as a Christmas goose."

My one attempt to buy a bass from him years ago convinced me that he's a bait and switch artist. And that was before I had read the horror stories about people who contracted with him to mod their guitars and had them ruined.

I haven't looked at his site in a few years and I won't now.

Psycho Bass Guy · August 12, 2010, 02:14:18 AM

Oh, c'mon now! It takes a lot of work to reshape those Chinese and Korean eBay bodies and Carvin necks into looking like bad knockoffs of decent basses.

... and under his 'Fender' section he calls the Performer "the best bass Fender ever made!" For those of you who have had the fortune of never encountering one, the Performer could best be described as the anti-Gibson, thin sounding and pointier than a Poison video full of BC Rich's.

Basvarken · August 12, 2010, 03:07:10 AM

I don't know him personally. He may be a total *sshole, or maybe not. I don't really care.
The pictures of his instruments are fun to look at.

rahock · August 12, 2010, 06:13:19 AM

Quote from: nofi on August 11, 2010, 06:02:43 PM
he was quite the punching bag at the old pit.

I called him up for some info on something a few years back and we had a nice long conversation about vintage and reissue instruments. He seemed like a really nice guy but I've never done business with him.
I definately agree about him being a punching bag though, and not just at the old pit. I've never heard a kind word about him anywhere

Rick

Dr. Aquafresh · August 12, 2010, 09:02:19 AM

I have spent a lot of time on his website, been to his two of his shops a bunch of times met his wife (she is really nice) and chatted with Mr. Roman a number of times and even bought a guitar from him once.

He is brash,opinionated, curt and even insensitive, especially if you like anything with Gibson on it.

Having said that I like him and he has some really good ideas about building a guitar, I have stolen many of them for my own projects.

Have y'all seen Zachary Guitars, I love Alex's stuff, here is his take on a Firebird.

//http://www.zacharyguitars.com/230407pics.htm

He is another guy that most people love to hate... he is just out there enough for me.

dadagoboi · August 12, 2010, 09:25:46 AM

Only 32 gold titanium frets? How dare he call the Caeser Bass fit for a king? A Kaiser maybe.

Vegas, Baby!

Denis · August 12, 2010, 10:33:54 AM

Quote from: Basvarken on August 12, 2010, 03:07:10 AM
The pictures of his instruments are fun to look at.

That's what I think!

chromium · August 12, 2010, 10:57:13 AM

Anybody know what that big all-white hollowbody is? Seen here:

T-bird headstock, Trini Lopez style f-holes...

ilan · August 12, 2010, 11:12:44 AM

Quote from: chromium on August 12, 2010, 10:57:13 AM
Anybody know what that big all-white hollowbody is?

I'm guessing he copied Dusty Hill's Bolin bass.

chromium · August 12, 2010, 11:31:42 AM

Quote from: ilan on August 12, 2010, 11:12:44 AM
I'm guessing he copied Dusty Hill's Bolin bass.

Right on! Thanks Ilan.

Dave W · August 12, 2010, 11:51:17 AM

Quote from: Psycho Bass Guy on August 12, 2010, 02:14:18 AM
Oh, c'mon now! It takes a lot of work to reshape those Chinese and Korean eBay bodies and Carvin necks into looking like bad knockoffs of decent basses. ...

Quote from: Basvarken on August 12, 2010, 03:07:10 AM
I don't know him personally. He may be a total *sshole, or maybe not. I don't really care.
The pictures of his instruments are fun to look at.

I don't know him personally either. But if you find a picture of an instrument with what seems like a reasonable price, you'll be told they don't have it any more.

His opinions don't bother me. OTOH I have read a number of testimonials from people who sent guitars to him to do one of his various recommended mods and wound up with ruined instruments. Once or twice, you figure it might just be disgruntled customers. More than that, you realize there's a real problem.

I remember a guy at the Rick Resource Forum who had read Ed's rants about the "huge" neck and heel on the Rick 650. So he sent his 650 in for Ed's "craftsmen" to work their magic. They shaved off too much, the neck bent like a banana and Ed refused to take responsibility for it. What astonished me even more was that the customer then wanted RIC to do something about it!

Quote from: Dr. Aquafresh on August 12, 2010, 09:02:19 AM

Have y'all seen Zachary Guitars, I love Alex's stuff, here is his take on a Firebird....

He is another guy that most people love to hate... he is just out there enough for me.

Anybody who flaunts his ignorance the way he does ought to be pitied, not hated. Then there's the pathetically bad workmanship. If the pics on his website are his good work, I'd hate to see his rejects.