Product: Ed Roman Custom Strat
Price Paid: (Trade In + $850)
Submitted
03/01/2001
at
03:12pm
by
Steve Sherman
Email: ss<at>rocktraxx dot com
Features
:
9
2000 Ed Roman Custom 'Pearlcaster' I actually went to the shop to get a repair on a Fender Custom Shop strat but ended up trading it in because I fell in love with this instrument.
Bridge: Gold Ball bearing trem type with individual sappdles... don't know what it is exactly but I think it contributes some of the sparkle you can hear overtop of the wooden strat tone. I like this a LOT - I could listen to the open E chord all day.
Tuners: Gold Grovers - I prefer Schaller but these have been good.
Neck/Scale: 22 Frets (like my custom shop strat had been, but with the cutaway heel this thing feels superb in my hands, like the body is not even there.
Surprisingly, no case was included.
Sound
:
10
If I had to describe what I'd like best about this instrument I'd say it is the unique combination of 'musicality' 'articulation' and 'character' Nice acoustic sound under the electonics. I go from clean and clear to HUGELY overdriven and the personality still comes through.
Surprisingly, the Ash is pretty warm- not quite mahogany but I don't want that from a strat. I think I prefer it to alder.
The TONE knob actually changes the sound in a usable way but I'd love to see some innovator finally get away from the fender STANDARD of no tone control on the bridge pickup though...
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
8
No matter how many people throughout history worship Fender guitars, (and I'm one of them from time to time) I will ALWAYS fault them for poor factory setups. This guitar on the other hand had low action with no fret buzz.
And dammit, the translucent natural finish looks so wet you could put Goldfish in it.
I actually met Ron, the guy who set this up. Could not ask for a more pleasant experience.
About a week in, I realized I had to lower the pickups. They were just too hot and I feel that having them lower brought out even more of the instrument's natural tone.
Reliability/Durability
:
8
Haven't had a problem yet. I play it at bi-weekly rehearsals and out as much as I can. So far so good.
There's a lightness and some 'flex' in this thing, but I think ANY bolt on neck guitar is going to feel a bit less 'solid' but that's part of their charm and sound.
Customer Support
:
9
I don't even know how to broach this subject because so many people will bad mouth Ed Roman. I have never had so much as a minor snag in dealing with the guy for a year and a half. Maybe the service is not a TEN, but I'm giving it a NINE to make the point that you'll read in my final note.
Overall Rating
:
9
I loved it from the moment I pressed a single fret down in passing.
I see some other folks have recently trashed these guitars and I just can't see how this can be for real. I suspect it's more about agendas, so here's mine: a word of advice for anyone who wants to buy a guitar from Ed Roman, from whom I've now bought several times. It's like getting honey from a beehive: don't piss them off and you can get the best stuff that can't be had anywhere else. Act like a spaz and jerk around and of course you'll be dead meat.
If you want a hug, go to a therapist. If you want a guitar, I recomend the PearlCaster.
