A visit to Ed Romans

rickengeezer · Post by **rickengeezer** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 5:47 am

Last week I had a business trip to Vegas and thought I should make a pilgrimage to Ed Romans, as I've always found his web site "entertaining." I drove straight there from the airport, a fairly short trip, although the store is a bit camoflaged, basically looks like a warehouse.

They had a lot of Ric guitars but a fairly limited supply of basses. I drooled at the new (never sold) 4001CS he has, and of course had to ask for the price: $5995. Well, maybe not this year. Then I spotted a TransGreen 4004Cii/5; had never seen one of the new five strings before so had to play it a little. My impression-MUCH wider neck and string spacing than the 4003s/5, which is my main bass. A totally different instrument. As a picker, I found that I liked the 4003s/5 spacing better, but those who never liked it might find the new models to be just what the doctor ordered. I also liked the looks of my bass better (just old fashioned, I guess), but I thought maybe I'd ask on the price for the 4004Cii/5 just in case: $2995. Well, not taking that one home, either. There were only a couple of other basses there (two 4003's, one a nice looking Fireglo) but by this time I had figured out that if I had to ask the price, I needn't. The sales guy (Ed was in the back room and was the official arbiter of prices, but never came out onto the floor) was friendly and fairly knowledgeable. He said that they had moved 3 of the LK models at $7,000 a pop. I would have liked to have seen one of those.

So, I left with an Ed Romans t-shirt and no instruments. Oh well, that CS wouldn't have fit into the overhead compartment on the plane, anyhow....

edski · Post by **edski** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 6:05 am

$3000 for a Cii/5? That seems pretty steep, but I haven't looked into those. If the folks who just got one of those from POTR's don't mind me asking. what did they charge?

bottom4 · Post by **bottom4** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 6:16 am

At $3K that’s pretty much double what other dealers are selling them for. They told me the reason for that price is that bass has been discontinued. I've been talking to them over the last few days trying to convince them that the bass is not discontinued.

Well I just called them again for one last shot and they told me the bass has been sold. What do you think?

highway_star · Post by **highway_star** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 7:20 am

I'm beginning to think Ed is full of himself. He has a little dissertation on PRS guitars stating that the newer models aren't as good as the ones Paul made himself. Well Paul Reed Smith has stated that his hand-built models would never pass the QC standards of his current production.

edski · Post by **edski** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 7:26 am

Yeah, $1500 sounds much more reasonable, given that I just got my Laredo for a bit over $1200...

Sounds like Ed Roman is quite full of himself, as well as a certain amount of bad information. Can't believe that Rick has discontinued the Cii/5 already.

phlemmy · Post by **phlemmy** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 7:36 am

He's got a 4004LK...for $10,000.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 8:04 am

I think I would find the 4004CII5 a little wide too ... for me a perfect 5 string would be 1 3/4" at the nut and 2 1/2" at the bridge ...

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 9:18 am

4004LK for $10,000?!

zekmoe · Post by **zekmoe** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 9:24 am

I've always found Eds prices way off the mark. Sometimes twice what other people charge. No idea why, but he must have some customers as he seems to be expanding. But not me.

rickengeezer · Post by **rickengeezer** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 9:48 am

I didn't see a 4004LK in the store, although at 10K maybe they didn't keep it out on the floor. However, the Ric's were behind a velvet rope with "ask for assistance" signs on them. But if there was a 4004LK in the store, the sales guy didn't seem to know about it, although he did mention that three had been sold recently.

I kind of got the impression that the store was interested in selling to "high rollers" who weren't really comparison shoppers. Given how few never-sold 4001CS models there must be, it was clear that they were comfortable waiting for the person who wanted to pay through the nose for it. Of course, even the new stuff was expensive...including the t-shirt.

phlemmy · Post by **phlemmy** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:56 pm

when i called amonth ago, he said he had 2...one for him, one for $10000.

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 2:08 am

A couple of months ago when I called he had one listed at $7500.
Good ole Ed

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 8:57 am

and guys buy these for 10K...

wints · Post by **wints** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 2:35 pm

We know what your thinking Jared....DO IT!