Ed Roman Dead?

[Vass]

Sad. Love or hate him, he was a legend in our corner of the world and we are poorer for his loss. Fuckin guy..... No one else is Ed Roman. Even if he's the boogie man, well shit. The boogie man is dead. Now your boogie man is some shitbird in China, and he just isn't as entertaining.

RIP dude, and condolences to his family.

[mottobur]

RIP Ed Roman.

Never dealt with him but enjoyed his website.

No drama here...

[JTFormula]

Lol not the same Rich but damn nice skills on the skins there.

[Tekky]

Ed has hit Blabbermouth:

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=167500

(I know someone else posted it in the General JC section, but it's not official until it's posted in the official thread)

Anyway... While I hate reading the comments on Blabbermouth articles, I saw the comment about Kim Jong Il and Bin Laden and I was just disgusted. In this situation, there is no comparison. Ed Roman wasn't a mass-murderer or trampled over people's freedoms. He allegedly bilked some people out of money and treated people harshly. I have no personal stories of the man, but there are many stories that support it. Granted, it doesn't absolve him of what he has done, but right now he is just a man who has a family that will miss his presence.

[~K~]

I dont wish him any ill will for sure. But lets ace it, he didn't have a love of the JCF s he tried to shut us down.

I'll never forget when Ron gave him the kick in the pants.

I agree with Todd, I hope he finds peace where he couldn't while he was here

[Nightbat]

Ed has hit Blabbermouth:

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=167500

(I know someone else posted it in the General JC section, but it's not official until it's posted in the official thread)

Anyway... While I hate reading the comments on Blabbermouth articles, I saw the comment about Kim Jong Il and Bin Laden and I was just disgusted. In this situation, there is no comparison. Ed Roman wasn't a mass-murderer or trampled over people's freedoms. He allegedly bilked some people out of money and treated people harshly. I have no personal stories of the man, but there are many stories that support it. Granted, it doesn't absolve him of what he has done, but right now he is just a man who has a family that will miss his presence.

True, a very comparison but a little lower something else also rings true:

no respect for the dead if they dont deserve it!

Dying doesn't absolve you from your wrongdoings in your life, if you did hateful things, kicking the bucket doesn't grant beatification
If you lived like an ass you'll be remembered as one

[groverj3]

When I was in high school the family took a vacation to see some friends in Pheonix and found that it was way cheaper to fly into Vegas from South Bend, IN. So, we took the opportunity to do some sightseeing (Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, etc.). I had seeen Ed's website before and knew nothing about the man expect that there was some way cool stuff on the site... So, needless to say I convinced my dad to check out the place with me while we were in Vegas. Like I assumed, there was a ton of really cool stuff there and most of the people I interacted with were actually pretty helpful and actually helped steer me to getting my SL2H. I tried out their Caligula 27 fret neck through model through a Hughes and Kettner Triamp there, which was cool... but the guitar wasn't set up very well and they wouldn't let me turn the amp up loud enough to sound decent even though nobody else was in the store (I'm saying quiter than guitar center noise levels). Also, they gave me a tour of their custom shop.

Ed himself looked to be in really really poor health, and this was back in '05 or '06 I believe. Pretty overweight and it didn't look like he would last that much longer to my untrained eye. I won't bash the quality of the instruments his shop made, because they really were very good. However, the man didn't exactly have the greatest personality.

Regardless though, he's not some kind of international villain and isn't responsible for any heinous acts of violence... so RIP.

[Chad]

I talked with him several times in the 90s and bought a few things from him. This was long before his infamous internet persona/reputation had formed. Never met him in person, but on the phone he was very confident and had opinions that he boldly held. But I didn't mind him that much and actually enjoyed some of the conversations . If he thought a person was a "tire kicker", his patience was short. But if you genuinely were considering buying something or just wanted to talk shop, he was fine to talk too. So I bought a few things. Then he didn't keep his end of the deal in one of my purchases. I gave him a chance to make it right and he wouldn't, so I never talked to or bought from him again. So I have mixed feelings. I don't think he was near as bad as people made him out to be, but I did eventually feel ripped off in dealing with him. Whatever the case, those are bygones. RIP, Ed.

[tonemonster]

I am not going to bash him, and this post isnt intended to promote bashing, but was he actually a luthier himself? or did he employ the actual craftsmen that built the guitars?

[texasfury]

I never this paradox about him. People always bashed his custom guitars as crap, but would turn right around and mention how his luthiers were great guys who did good work. How is it that "great luthiers" somehow seemed to always churn out bad product?

[WRC]

I always loved to look at the High Prices & great pictures on his website & of course being he was friends with Ted Nugent he couldn't be all Bad..
Ted Nugent for President Damn right I'd VOTE for him in an instant..

[Andy Fellini]

Hey guys-

Long time lurker and first post. Sorry it's a novel. I have to say, I love this site. I appreciate the candor of everyone on here, probably the best forum I have ever been on. The amount of stuff I have learned from you folks is priceless and to that I say, thank you.

I am awaiting shipment of my 3rd PC-1 in Chameleon and I can't wait. Hopefully in time for Christmas.

I had to weigh in on the Ed Roman deal (it seems like Connecticut draws all the firebrands like Ed R. and Vince S., who is live on Facebook, BTW).

When I was a junior in high school, my friends and I took the trip (albeit short) to the vaunted East Coast Music Mall in Danbury, CT, circa 1990. We were not looking to spend any money, because we didn't have any. We just wanted to see what the deal was up there.

Honestly, the place had everything you would want as a musician. I was playing bass at the time, and being a Rush fan, I was enamored with Rickenbacker and Steinberger basses. Needless to say, they had 'em in all flavors. When I asked the price of one of the Rick basses, one of the guys working there told me to wait, he needed to check with a manager (which I thought was odd).

Needless to say, over comes Ed Roman. I've never been intimidated by someone like him, but I have also never seen anyone that looked like him. Rotund and Fiery-red hair. Keebler-style.

He was to-the-point, and you could tell, he did not want tire-kickers (you would think he would tolerate the younger generation - not the case). He answered the few questions I had, and then went on his way.

Leaving his place that day, I didn't know how to feel. I still wanted a Rickenbacker bass and knew that I would eventually earn the money to buy one, but did I want to buy it from him? He had them all, but when I did have the scratch, did I want to give it to him?

I think that was his biggest drawback. He couldn't empathize with the guys that had no cash, young or old. He would proudly display all of the photos of him & Ace, Rick Neilsen, Eddie, etc. but when it came time to helping the "little guy", he had no time. BTW - at this time, he had an awesome collection of PRS guitars (not sure of the exact history but I believe this is before he had some sort of falling out with him).

Either way, I think he was a polarizing figure. To the folks that dealt with him and had a good experience, God Bless. To the folks he screwed over, he is answering for that now.

Have a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays-

Andy

[Tekky]

True, a very comparison but a little lower something else also rings true:

no respect for the dead if they dont deserve it!

Dying doesn't absolve you from your wrongdoings in your life, if you did hateful things, kicking the bucket doesn't grant beatification
If you lived like an ass you'll be remembered as one

I'm on the fence about the respect part. I do agree that death doesn't absolve him of his alleged wrongdoings. (I use "alleged" because the only knowledge I have of his actions is second-hand, though that just gave me pause if the thought of dealing with him ever came up.) But those wrongdoings are already out there in the aether. I'm not saying that this thread should be all warm and fuzzy for him. There are plenty of negative stories about the man. But, he does have a family that does love him, warts and all. (warts used in the figurative sense)

True story... The Chicago Blackhawks former owner "Dollar" Bill Wirtz died prior to the 2007 season. Bill was not liked by the fans. In fact, he was downright hated. (I even belonged to a forum called wirtzsucks.com) He blacked out all of the home games, hired bad management, and handcuffed any competent management into making bad deals. In short, he turned a franchise that made the playoffs for 24 consecutive years into the laughing-stock of the league. In the 2007-2008 season opener, his son and new Chicago Blackhawks Chairman/Owner Rocky Wirtz ulogized him in a pre-game ceremony. I was there. The rain of 'boooos' from the crowd was deafening. I felt so bad for the family. This was a man they loved, warts and all, being absolutely slammed by 20,000+ in the arena and countless others listening at home. (Rocky hadn't yet reversed the home-game blackouts) Despite many bad seasons, I had never been as ashamed to be a Blackhawks fan as I was at that moment.

Now, what does this have to do with ER? Well, I guess it's a plea for reason. Let's not trash him here. There are plenty of established threads that make his questionable ethics very public. Let's not praise him either. Let's just wish his soul peace and let the current historic record be his legacy.

OK, I'll step down from the soapbox.

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

LOL, Christmas came early for some. Count me as one who is pissing on his grave.

I guess I won't get to kick his ass like I told him I would...but I will piss on his grave, as I also promised him. I wish I still had those emails.

I only hope he had a moment to know it was the end. Good riddance, fuck Ed Roman!

[horns666]

Wow, Blabbermouth is a pretty big site in general. He schmoozed, and made more connections than guitars it seems.

Not too much love there. As much as I love my home at JCF, that site is pretty well known to say the least.

Personally, RIP ...is the best I can do, just to be respectful to the living that cares.