Product: Ed Roman Custom Carved Top
Price Paid: US $5200
Submitted
08/11/2000
at
09:43am
by
Gjohnson
Email: gjohnson<at>phelpsd dot com
Features
:
8
Made in 1999 at Ed's shop in Connecticut
The guitar has 24 frets
The guitar came with PRS electronics and PRS zebra pickup (as specified)
Pickups were PRS humbucking (zebra)- pickups were solid mounted to body
The carved top and back were solid AAAAA quilted maple
Neck and body were Korina - Neck through body design
Finish / painting were subbed out to Thomas Mcnaught - Purple transparent - quilted top and back
tune-o-matic bridge
grover imperial tuners
string through body design
all gold hardware
Brazilian rosewood for fretboard
custom inlays on the neck - "flying eighth notes" in abalone
bound body, neck, and head stock
Body style - Dean cadillac
Case included
Concerns - rod/ nut cover in head stock - craftman ship in this area was lacking - looked like something you would see on a much cheaper guitar
Sound
:
8
guitar plays great - neck is a little to much like a baseball bat as you approach the head stock
replaced the PRS electronis with vinatage gibson humbuckers and eliminated the five position switch - this was done because of a ground loop that developed and worsened after having the guitar about a month - contacted Ed and he put me in contact with PRS for free replacement parts since I did not feel like the hassle of shipping across country
I have kept the vintage gibsons in the guitar and love the tone and sustain
setup - Digitech 2101 artist- preamp / Peavey classic 50/50 - power amp - Marshall 4x12 cabinets
Very happy with the guitar - now - Ed needs to be involved in quality control on all the guitars that leave his shop not just his pet projects
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
7
Action - very good
Had to replace pickups and electronics
Top - nice color and appearance - although color was a little off of what I had specified
One tuning peg fell apart after about a week, but was quickly reassembled
Nut fell off after about a week - was re-glued
Reliability/Durability
:
9
Super paint job and finish on the guitar - although I paid for it - probably more than the average person pays for a guitar
It is a very reliable guitar now - I have six guitars - it is usually what I pick up to play
Customer Support
:
4
Ed is your basic asshole - usually forgets most of what you discuss with him and has a tendancy to be very rude - His wife on the other hand is Ed's opposite - usually pleasant to deal with
Customer support was less than desirable
Overall Rating
:
6
I have been playing 20+ years - I own several Gibson guitars, an old alvarez, a dean, and an epiphone. Have my own studio with tons of gear.
To speak with other customers about their satisfaction - Don't try to do color specifications over the internet -
I like the guitar but would probably look around - would probably purchase a McNaught or McInturff
Love the appearance - Hate the fact that I had to fix stuff on a new guitar - hate the fact the color is not what I wanted
