Ed Roman, Las Vegas guitar builder dies at age 61

[Diamondjimi]

Ed Roman, Las Vegas guitar builder for stars of classic rock, dies at age 61


LAS VEGAS, Nev. - As a guitar-maker for the stars, Ed Roman found a platform for fierce opinions about his commercially manufactured competition, exhorting musicians to drop what he called "misdirected ignorant brand loyalty."

His own guitars found their way into the hands of everyone from Ted Nugent to British rockers Eric Burdon of The Animals and John Entwistle of The Who. Roman, sometimes likened to a Viking for his red hair, was unafraid to unleash self-described politically incorrect opinions about foreign-made products, chain stores and corporate guitar manufacturers.

But his daughter remembers a soft side to his big, brash personality. She remembers him taking care of her pet hamster, letting the critter roll around in a plastic ball amid an office brimming with expensive guitars.

"He had a very kind, gentle heart," Lindsey Star Roman said.

Roman died Dec. 14 at his home following an illness, his daughter said. He was 61.

"He's going to be remembered with a smile. He made everyone laugh," she told the Associated Press Thursday. "And he's certainly going to be immortalized through his guitars."

Roman, whose critiques found an outlet on the voluminous "Guitar Rants" section of his personal website, started playing the instrument as a youth in Stamford, Conn. His inspiration was Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees The Ventures, a prolific instrumental combo most active in the 1960s.

Roman worked on motorcycles before turning to guitar building in 1976, because "he always wanted to make something better," his daughter said.

"He was fortunate to meet most of his heroes," she said.

Roman, tired of East Coast winters and observing that "everyone eventually comes to Vegas," moved to Las Vegas in 2000 and opened a large shop there in 2001, according to his daughter.

His time in Sin City brought him — and his wide range of custom guitars — close to other famous musicians, including Marie Osmond and country musician Keith Urban.

Also a singer and a bassist, Roman was in the process of recording albums of his own before his unexpected death last week.

Roman's Las Vegas store remains open. In lieu of a funeral, a memorial concert is planned for Roman's birthday, Feb. 24.

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[Diamondjimi]

He made some great replica's. CLICK HERE

R.I.P.

[lesfunk]

I once sold a Kramer flying V bass to him for $200. He said he was going to use the neck to make an Gene Simmons Axe bass replica. He said the Japs pay $3000 bucks for one. this was in 1996.

[Nitro Express]

I found out about this guy while hunting for parts to build a EVH Kramer replica. When I put it out on a couple of websites I was looking for parts and was Ed Roman a cool kat to do business with I couldn't believe the amount of negative responses I got. To be honest, Ed Roman probably had the most negative feedback and warnings I have ever gotten regarding a business.

[Hardrock69]

Hmmm

Well, be that as it may, 61 is a bit young to go. Not that young, to be sure, but still...I think everyone should be allowed to live to be 100...

[Nitro Express]

He made some great replica's. CLICK HERE

R.I.P.

He made some really cool guitars. It seems like if you were famous you got treated well but if you were just the average person buying from him and had a problem, he was an asshole. What floored me was all the negative feedback I got on the guy. Then the internet is full of Ed Roman screwed me stories. When you have that much negative feedback and the stories seem to mesh you usually have some truth backing it. So I steered clear of Ed Roman because of that. Also, how many Ed Roman guitars do you see people playing? Hardly any. I mean he made the mirrored Ibanez Iceman for Paul Stanley but other than that, I can't think of another famous person who was consistently using an Ed Roman guitar. Maybe his shop was a money laundering front. LOL! Then you have to sell some guitars and have the illusion of being legit but you certainly don't care about customers when you have another source of cash flow. His whole operation seemed to have a sleazy something doesn't quite add up right here vibe to it. Kind of a what else is going on here or what else do you do because you sure as hell don't seem to care about return business and frankly, I don't see anyone out there playing your guitars.

[Nitro Express]

Hmmm

Well, be that as it may, 61 is a bit young to go. Not that young, to be sure, but still...I think everyone should be allowed to live to be 100...

My great aunt just celebrated her 106 birthday. She was still in really good health and active at age 96. She's not fairing so good at 106. She went downhill quite a bit in those last ten years. She's almost blind now.

My great grandfather on my mom's side had four wives. Because of that my mom had a zillion aunts. We were always visiting aunt so and so. The family reunions were huge. I never quite figured out why that was until I was older and then it donned on me it was because of the polygamy. You go to a reunion and you meet these relatives you really don't know and they ask you what wife your line comes from.

[jhale667]

Always sad when someone dies, but that having been said: Never heard a single good word about the guy. Actually ripped off a friend of mine, counterfeited his product... not the first time I'd heard of him doing that, either...

[ThrillsNSpills]

I bought a Steinberger from him when he worked at East Coast Music Mall.

Nitro, he made Marie Osmond a custom axe. What more do you want?
When you think guitar you always think of Marie Osmond.

[Nitro Express]

I bought a Steinberger from him when he worked at East Coast Music Mall.

Nitro, he made Marie Osmond a custom axe. What more do you want?
When you think guitar you always think of Marie Osmond.

LOL! I used to read Ed Roman's rants because I found them amusing. One thing he did rave about was how good the Donny and Marie Vegas show was. Ed Roman was the last person I would think would like that kind of thing but he was telling everyone to go see it if they had the chance. I have met several of the Osmonds over the years. Donny Osmond actually parked next to me at a mall in Murray Utah outside of the Nordstrom's store. He was with his sons and seemed like a nice enough guy. I met Alan Osmond at a fund raiser that Jimmy Page was also at. They kind of knew each other and he went into a funny story of the Osmonds hanging out with Led Zeppelin after they did a show in London. I did some film editing work for Warren Miller and we worked in the old Osmond Studios where they broadcasted the Donny and Marie show from. The big sound stage was basically storage space for the present owner's exotic car collection and we worked in a smaller studio off to the side. There was also a recording studio. Basically it was a white elephant and the Osmonds wasted a lot of money on a studio that never paid for itself because the location was all wrong. They didn't manage their money well at all.

[gbranton]

That's crazy. I just discovered this website a couple of months ago. I was reading about a guitar he was making for Mark Kendall of Great White and the article contained a link. I love guitars and naturally the next three hours were down the drain after I clicked on the link.