heymisterk Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 So I am back in the market for a guitar, either a Heritage semi-hollow or a PRS. Whenever I do some internet research, I inevitably come across an angry and insulting rant by this guy named Ed Roman, blasting anyone who likes either the Heritage or PRS. He basically calls all fans of these guitars - and many others - complete idiots. All I can gather is that he runs a guitar shop in Las Vegas. Does anyone know why he has a potato chip seemingly stuck so far up his arse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenKen Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 A great character in the sometimes sterile world of musical instrument marketing. He is, however, now dead and would be tickled to know we still rant about him (although he might think us total idiots for doing so). RIP Ed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 A great character in the sometimes sterile world of musical instrument marketing. He is, however, now dead and would be tickled to know we still rant about him (although he might think us total idiots for doing so). RIP Ed. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heymisterk Posted September 15, 2012 Author Share Posted September 15, 2012 A great character in the sometimes sterile world of musical instrument marketing. He is, however, now dead and would be tickled to know we still rant about him (although he might think us total idiots for doing so). RIP Ed. Ouch, but your point is well-taken. Still, based on what I read, he thought a LOT of people were idiots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buxom Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Isn't he the guy who had Johnny Ramone's Mosrite? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 .... an angry and insulting rant by this guy named Ed Roman, blasting anyone who likes either the Heritage or PRS. .... Roman railed on Gibson too - particularly the propensity for neck/headstock breaks. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Ed Roman ranted against anything that wasn't sold in his store. He was a salesman and it was all marketing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenKen Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Oh he ranted about more than product. I found him one of the more entertaining reads on the interwebz. As a qualification I hope that those who read him realized that his was the opinion of one man and that beyond his take on guitars, on which he had considerable experience and expertise, not to be taken particularly seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Does anyone know why he has a potato chip seemingly stuck so far up his arse? Hahahaha that's going in my little black book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaleb Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Ed was a little out there, but he was awesome. Some people take his rants way to seriously. If you're a wise-guy like I am, you'd laugh your *** off. If you were the opposite, you'd get fired up. I don't think he really hated Gibson guitars themselves, but I think he had a falling out with them in the 90s. He had his opinions, but then again, they were HIS opinions. He built/modified/repaired guitars for many people, including Leslie West, Mark Hitt of Rat Race Choir, Ted Nugent, and many others. And he was good friends with these guys..... That's Ace, Ed, and Richie Scarlet, whom was Ace's guitar player at the time (1989-1995!). Richie also ran the guitar dept. at Ed's original store in Danbury, CT, East Coast Sound, in the late 70s/early 80s. And Ace lived in CT at the time (circa 1982, right when he left KISS), so that's how they all hooked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 What I don't understand is why anyone cares about who Ed Roman is. I have never heard or read anything from him that seems important or makes any sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaleb Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 What I don't understand is why anyone cares about who Ed Roman is. I have never heard or read anything from him that seems important or makes any sense. If other musical instrument retailers operated their businesses like he did (with extra advertising for good measure), the guitar biz would be better. Ed told it like it was. He wasn't a flake salesman. The man often spoke (or ranted, which ever you prefer) about his disdain for the modern corporations ruining his field of work and most other aspects of American society. I support the small companies. I love Les Pauls, and most other Gibson designs, but I could do without the 1000000 variations on the Les Paul Standard. Hell, I'm reluctant about buying any Les Paul made after the early 90s unless it's a Les Paul Classic, which IMHO, should have been the Standard. Gibson needs to go back to the basic Jr-Special-Studio-Deluxe-Standard-Custom system. No variations. And there shouldn't have to be reissues; the regular Les Paul Standard should be good enough. They need to use a volute again. And then give you all the color/hardware options you want so there's no confusion. And bring back the 3-pickup option rather than introducing a separate model! And then do the same for the SG, Explorer, V, and ES series. And limit the amount of signature models. There's a reason I think Rickenbacker is the best guitar maker ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malchik Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Ed was a cheat and a loud-mouth. RIP. If other musical instrument retailers operated their businesses like he did (with extra advertising for good measure), the guitar biz would be better. Ed told it like it was. He wasn't a flake salesman. And people ***** about prices now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaleb Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Ed was a cheat and a loud-mouth. RIP. And people ***** about prices now. Let me ask, did you ever do any business with him? Which is better? The flake at Guitar Center that sells snake oil or a guitar maker/salesman that is honest about his opinions to his customers. Hmmn, goes to show. This is the Gibson forum. People hate on Mr. Roman cause' they're too fixated on their Les Pauls just cause' Jimmy Page played em'. Not good enough for me. I'm tired of being told how great Les Pauls are. I wanna hear more about Heritage, Hamer, Baker, and the others out there. IMHO, the best guitars today come from small companies that are interested in satisfying their customers and making their guitars the best they can be, not big corporations that just wanna gain market share and rely on history. I have the same feelings about the music scene: the best modern bands, to me, are the ones in the clubs making their dues. I love Gibson guitars, but not Gibson, Inc. You people take Ed too seriously. I have discovered the hidden meaning behind his rants: they're supposed to be POLITICALLY INCORRECT! And his opinions about Gibsons are merely his opinions, but sometimes that didn't come across as clearly as it should have. Plus, if he was truly an anti-Gibson like some think, why was he so close with Ace, Richie Scarlet, Leslie West, Mark Hitt, etc and worked on their guitars? Those guys are all Gibson players, from Ace's and Richie's 70s-era Les Paul Customs and Standards to The Great Fatsby's Jrs to Hitt's old 355. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaleb Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Oh he ranted about more than product. I found him one of the more entertaining reads on the interwebz. As a qualification I hope that those who read him realized that his was the opinion of one man and that beyond his take on guitars, on which he had considerable experience and expertise, not to be taken particularly seriously. Thank you. Someone's got their head in the right gear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaleb Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 So I am back in the market for a guitar, either a Heritage semi-hollow or a PRS. Whenever I do some internet research, I inevitably come across an angry and insulting rant by this guy named Ed Roman, blasting anyone who likes either the Heritage or PRS. He basically calls all fans of these guitars - and many others - complete idiots. All I can gather is that he runs a guitar shop in Las Vegas. Does anyone know why he has a potato chip seemingly stuck so far up his arse? He's just messing around! I mean, in one rant, he quoted Sam Kinison in the movie "Back To School"! Before he set up shop in Vegas, he had a store in Danbury, CT called East Coast Music Mall. Prior to that, it was East Coast Sound. I blast a friend of mine for liking Nickelback all the time! But I'm just being a wise-a$$. It's all wise-a$$ humor. SOMETIMES THAT GOES RIGHT OVER PEOPLE'S HEADS AND THEY TAKE IT TOO SERIOUSLY!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Settle down fanboy. I had a few dealings with Ed over the years and he was a salesman. Nothing more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenKen Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 I had a few dealings with Ed as well Searcy and he was more than a salesman (although he was a pretty damn good one of those). He ran a first class shop that builds great guitars and they're pretty fair a repair as well. He was around long enough to make a few enemies but he had a many more friends.....and some pretty well known ones at that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS1976 Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 He was a Pr!ck. if Heritage guitars speak to you, go for it. Roman was just an old bitter starf***er who liked attention. Good riddance. and no... he didnt have Johnny Ramones Mosrite. he sold asian copies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaleb Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 To quote Kramer from Seinfeld.... Woah, tough crowd.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Turns out Ed Roman wasn't Roman at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvar Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 I don't have a lot of respect for someone that purposely hacks a Les Paul, or any other guitar for that matter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=mdChXIO0WtM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenKen Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 I know what you mean brother. At least Ed put his back together. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisdude Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Hmmmmm ED ROMAN. I have not heard that name in a while. One of the worst types of luthier. Nooo he did not rip Gibson off, he rippped EVERYONE off, including my endorser who nearly twatted him at NAMM 08. HOWEVER, when he died I was like,, hmm ok I do not want anyone to die man. He was certainly a character. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markini Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 You know I am a Gibson fanboy, though Ed Roman was quite abrasive in his manner and wrong IMO on alot of topics, he was right about about Gibson necks being broken more often than other makers. Beware of knocking a Gibson over the neck at the headstock is quite vulnerable, then again I think the design and angle might contribute to why Gibsons sound so good. Note: I have never broken a Gibson neck (fingers crossed) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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