Ed Roman now copies the Demon and War Angel

[Newc]

Abstract is the line. The model he's using my design on is the Lobotomizer.

"Guitar King" - yeah right.

[Newc]

Well, let's see if I get a reply from the felcher.

Hello, my name is Matt Newcomb.

In 2005 I drafted an electric guitar body design which I then consigned Jackson Guitars to build. I named that body shape the WarAngel. The guitar was built for me by Jackson Guitars and delivered to me in 2006. The guitar was issued Work Order #2006 and is on file at Jackson Guitars.

Yesterday I was directed to your site - specifically this page:
http://www.edroman.com/guitars/abstract/lobotomizer.htm

I have never been one to believe in coincidence, especially when the "Lobotomizer" model you are advertising as an original design so closely matches my own design, right down to the lack of control holes and the location of the output jack, not to mention the slanted fretboard end.

I am flattered that you found my design so appealing, however, I must ask you to refrain from using it. It is my intellectual property and I have issued Jackson Guitars (also known as JCMI) exclusive right to manufacture this body shape.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Sincerely,
Matt Newcomb

[Newc]

And the reply:

Basically he says it was custom ordered by a customer who sent him a drawing of what he wanted.

I wanna talk to the guy who is dumb enough to choose E.R. over Jackson CS

He goes on to say it reminds him of the Warthog and the Warrior.
And of course he says he recalls an Aria from the 80s that looked like it.

Hell, the Warrior reminds me of the BC Rich Stealth slightly, but IMO they're as different as the Kelly and Explorer. There's no visible difference between his "Lobotimzer" body and my WarAngel body.

He also says he wants me to call him so we can settle this like gentlemen over the phone

Should I fly to Vegas?

[Dinky93]

And the reply:

Basically he says it was custom ordered by a customer who sent him a drawing of what he wanted.

I wanna talk to the guy who is dumb enough to choose E.R. over Jackson CS

He goes on to say it reminds him of the Warthog and the Warrior.
And of course he says he recalls an Aria from the 80s that looked like it.

Hell, the Warrior reminds me of the BC Rich Stealth slightly, but IMO they're as different as the Kelly and Explorer. There's no visible difference between his "Lobotimzer" body and my WarAngel body.

He also says he wants me to call him so we can settle this like gentlemen over the phone

Should I fly to Vegas?

Then you can kick his ass.
Ed is such an asshat.

[Davey]

And the reply:

Basically he says it was custom ordered by a customer who sent him a drawing of what he wanted.

I wanna talk to the guy who is dumb enough to choose E.R. over Jackson CS

He goes on to say it reminds him of the Warthog and the Warrior.
And of course he says he recalls an Aria from the 80s that looked like it.

Hell, the Warrior reminds me of the BC Rich Stealth slightly, but IMO they're as different as the Kelly and Explorer. There's no visible difference between his "Lobotimzer" body and my WarAngel body.

He also says he wants me to call him so we can settle this like gentlemen over the phone

Should I fly to Vegas?

ask RacerX if he'd want to fly over instead of you. ed should reemember him.. or at least how it felt to get a foot up his fat ass

[missionguitars1]

Then how can Gibson have sued PRS or anyone else for making even "kinda like" LP bodies?

How can Rob Cavestany have kept ESPee or Ibenhad from making Death Angels?

There's got to be a way to protect the design from "just anyone" making them.

Well, PRS actually won the suit that Gibson brought against them on the single-cut body they were making and have resumed production on them...and I don't think ESP/Ibanez would make a Death Angel unless they could sell a bajillion of them...while one of the coolest looking bods out there, it's a a lot like the Demon - probably a limited (albeit rabid!) audience...

Don't get me wrong - I'm completely with you on protecting your design, but you're going to have an expensive, uphill battle to protect it!

[Scholomance]

I think you might be surprised who would choose Ed over Jackson. Its amazing that people will still go to the guy, but they do and some of them are very knowledgeable guitarists, aware of what he does. I think the Aria he's referring to must be the Urchin, which he also has a copy of on his page. Younger guys may not remember that one, as with a lot of the 80's guitars he builds.

And the reply:

I wanna talk to the guy who is dumb enough to choose E.R. over Jackson CS

He goes on to say it reminds him of the Warthog and the Warrior.
And of course he says he recalls an Aria from the 80s that looked like it.

Hell, the Warrior reminds me of the BC Rich Stealth slightly, but IMO they're as different as the Kelly and Explorer. There's no visible difference between his "Lobotimzer" body and my WarAngel body.

[roodyrocker]

I think you might be surprised who would choose Ed over Jackson. Its amazing that people will still go to the guy, but they do and some of them are very knowledgeable guitarists, aware of what he does.

If they chose Ed, they can't be very knowledgeable
BTW, ESP already had a guitar similar to the Demon but it was built in very small numbers as I've only seen two pop up for sale over the years and wish I was able to get one of them at the time but couldn't. ESP made the George Lynch Serpent in Amber. The Amber one had the longer lower horn while the regular black and white serpent had the more traditional body.

[markD]

ibanez had the 540P which looks much better than the demon - and it's almost the same body shape...

but still, the war angel is unique.

[TexasRocks]

So, Newc, if I wanted Jackson to build me a War Angel, would they? That is exactly the cut I was thinking of when looking at the Death Kelly and the Death Angel.

[Scholomance]

Yeah, I know what ya mean! Its just really weird to me how someone who has gone through reputable custom shops and knows their guitars can just as easily consider him as an option. I've talked people out of jumping to their doom with him but there will always be those guys who want what they want and don't care where or how they get it.

If they chose Ed, they can't be very knowledgeable

[Newc]

So, Newc, if I wanted Jackson to build me a War Angel, would they? That is exactly the cut I was thinking of when looking at the Death Kelly and the Death Angel.

Yup, and with my blessing. Fuller's ordered one and because it's a Jackson, I had no problem with it. Feel free to do it with a pointyhead and Charvel logo if you want.

My concern is the "Randy Rhoads" scenario - maybe the guy who ordered it from E.R. is destined to be "the next big thing", and he's going to use my design to do it. Suddenly Ed Roman Guitars is thrust into the spotlight just as Jackson was with Rhoads.

If the guy can't be persuaded to change to Jackson, he'll have to settle for another design. This design is not open to the general population of guitar builders - that includes Fender, Carvin, Warmoth, Gibson, ESPee, Ibenhad, Kramer, Hamer, even GMW or PRS or Warrior.

It's a Jackson exclusive. Anyone who wants to order one from Jackson is welcome to do so as far as I'm concerned.

[Flatpicker]

I have never touched an Ed Roman guitar. From a fit and finish standpoint, are they any good?

I say that because some of the designs he is producing are long out of production through their original owners such as the Scarab designs.

He may be an ass. I had tried to purchase my 1st PRS thru him years ago and it went nowhere, but, if the quality is there, is he doing anything different than what GMW has done with their BCR Warlock repro's or any other smaller builder like Ran does with their guitars?

Gibson lost the case in regards to the Singlecut shape, and, we have been against Fender stopping other companies from using an offset doublecut body. So, why is he wrong?

[Venomboy]

I've played some Ed guitars. Not bad quality wise.

I asked him flat out if the Mexican BCR luthiers built for him and he said one of the Pasaye brothers (used to work for BCR and maybe still does) builds prototypes for him.

I'd never buy anything from the ass but like I said, they were quality guitars.

[Newc]

...but, if the quality is there, is he doing anything different than what GMW has done with their BCR Warlock repro's or any other smaller builder like Ran does with their guitars?

Gibson lost the case in regards to the Singlecut shape, and, we have been against Fender stopping other companies from using an offset doublecut body. So, why is he wrong?

For me it's technicalities: "Everyone" knows the Les Paul shape says Gibson, just as the Strat shape says Fender or the Rhoads says Jackson. The average music-fan-turned-musician knows this. They associate body shapes with brand names. Advanced players seek refinements to those traditional offerings but want the body shape becuase it's classic and well-designed. It's comfortable. No matter the name on the headstock, if you see a Les Paul, you're going to think "Gibson", even if it turns out to be a PRS or ESP.

Even if the first guitarist you saw was EVH, you quickly discovered that the guitar he had was a "Strat" bodied Charvel. "Strat" being synonymous with "Fender", and very often those two words are spoken as a pair.

The WarAngel body shape doesn't have the brand recognition that comes with "we've made millions of them since 1956, so you know where it came from".