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Features
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Sound
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Action, Fit & Finish
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Reliability/Durability
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Customer Support
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Overall Rating
Features:
Rick Gledura "Pegasus" model [2003] with Korina body and
neck ... Even from the backside, the guitar is absolutely incredible to look at
and has a perfectly lacquered finish that shows off the amazing grain pattern of
the Korina wood (neck and body) so wonderfully. From the front side, the guitar
has a 1/2 inch thick (at the center) "arch type top" (Quilted Maple AAAAA) top
that is a dark brown root-beer color that is absolutely stunning in it's
perfection. Deep set neck tenon (Korina) with Ebony fretboard (with 24
"playable" frets) has square [Mother of Pearl/Abalone] inlays similar to that of
a Les Paul ... Only the inlays are infinitely more exquisite and beautiful with
wonderful and unique multi-colored patterns. There is a single volume & tone
with a 5-way selector switch. The pickups are Seymour Duncan Black-Backs (quite
powerful). The hardware is all gold and the tuners are Sperzel Trim-Loks with
Tone-Pros (Tune-O-Matic) bridge, and string-through-body design. My heart skips
a beat like a young man in love for the first time every single time I open the
case.
Sound:
Buzz Feiten tuning system pre-installed. I use a Marshall
JCM 25/50 Watt 2550 Amplifier with a JCM 800 Lead - 1982 four speaker cabinet. I
use a Rocktron (Voodoo Valve - Online) and/or a Roland GP8 multi-effects
processor as my pre-amp. Which is to say, I get my distortion, equalization, and
effects from the Rocktron Voodoo Valve -or- Roland GP8 and use the Marshall for
my volume, e.g. running clean with minimal distortion. My choice of tonal
combinations is limitless (literally) ... But I seem to drift towards an
out-front (in your face) heavier sound. Dare I say, Hendrix, Santana, Vaughan,
or Page ??? Probably not ... Since they're the Gods of Guitar (in my eyes) and
I'm just a humble follower. The Seymour Duncan Black-Back pickups on the guitar
are quite powerful so I keep them turned down. This is different for me compared
to my other guitars where I use Dimarzio Super Distortion pickups. The guitar
(which is ultimately what I'm supposed to be discussing) is perfect insofar as
"sound" ... I can dial-in more tone easily for a brighter sound, or less for a
heavier rhythm. The tone and volume knobs have a wide "throw" range (so-to-say)
which give me good variation. The Korina wood of the guitar lends itself to a
heavier, thicker type of sound (I think) and it's not as bright as say "swamp
ash" ... I think you could compare Korina to Basswood or Solid Mahogany insofar
as sound. But you can't compare it to either insofar as "looks" or "grain
pattern", which are simply incredible to look at.
Action,
Fit & Finish:
The guitar was purchased at Ed Roman Guitar Shop (over the
internet) and shipped to Germany. It took (literally) six weeks through the USPS
to arrive. During this time, I agonized hoping everything would be O.K. (I'll
never EVER do that again). And so it was with GREAT relief that the guitar
finally arrived in EXCELLENT condition. No scratches, no physical damage
whatsoever. Man-o-man was I sooooo PLEASED with that. Now, the ACTION on the
thing SUCKED. I had severe string buzz going on and my first reaction was that a
12 year old must have set the thing up. So I was kind of pissed ... And
unimpressed with my Buzz Feiten Tuning.
But in all fairness, considering that it was winter and the guitar was six weeks
in transit, I'm now calmed down and thinking the poor ACTION upon delivery was
unavoidable. Lucky me, I took out my Peterson VSII Strobe Tuner (LOVE THAT THING
- WORTH IT'S WEIGHT IN GOLD) and spent the weekend getting the guitar in playing
condition again. I started by getting the neck straight (with slight up arch)
since it was bent badly like a backwards "C" (just not so extreme). Once I got
the neck straight (slight arch in the right direction) I set about changing the
strings and getting the string height nice (the way I like) ... That was the
easy part. Now came INTONATION on a BUZZ FEITEN guitar. That sucked and took me
hours and hours (literally). I had to go to the U.S. Patent web site to get the
offsets and then (you know the deal) I had to go back-and-forth loosening the
strings and adjusting the bridge saddle to get the intonation absolutely
perfect. PHEW !!! What a <blank> that was. The bottom line is that I got it
PERFECT and the offsets from the U.S. Patent Website for BUZZ FEITEN (supposedly
trademarked) worked absolutely perfect on the Peterson VSII tuner. Could not
have done the above if it weren't for my OUTSTANDING Peterson Tuner (GET ONE
EVERYBODY !!) So anyway, the action is "now" perfect and the fit & finish were
(as always) just wonderful. RICK GLEDURA - If you ever read this, "YOU ARE A
MASTER CRAFTSMAN" ... You're guitar is WONDERFUL and BEAUTIFUL. It plays like a
dream. There's a part of me that doesn't want to play it because it's just so
beautiful. I just want to put it in a glass case and keep forever. But that
wouldn't do it any justice, because it captures my sound and expresses my soul
like a gospel singer drunk on God. I'm so in LOVE with it that I feel like a
child in a candy store, e.g. giddy when I open it up and see it in the case.
Reliability/Durability:
The guitar is absolutely solidly built (like a tank). I
would definitely play it live, but would NEVER leave it alone for a minute since
it's too tempting for someone to steal if given any opportunity (it's that
beautiful and breathtaking to look at). And that might be my reasoning for not
playing it live ... I'd be too afraid that it might get stolen. The hardware is
robust and I'm confident I'll be able to give the guitar to my grandchildren
someday. The lacquered finish is thick and tough, I've bumped it slightly here
and there with no apparent markings or scratches to be seen. The guitar is VERY
WELL MADE (no denying) ... It's 100% handmade by a single craftsman and it shows
in every regard. RICK GLEDURA is the BEST (in my opinion) and is in a very small
crowd (Jeff Terwilliger, Gary Jacobs and Steve Helgeson) of master
craftsman when it comes to making guitars !!!
Customer Support:
Aaaah ... I've been waiting to get
here. I want to write something about Ed Roman. The man is many things. Ed Roman
is NOT your friend. Ed Roman is a BUSINESSMAN. He will sell you anything
(probably his kitchen sink if the price were right). Ed Roman is NOT a thief or
robber, but you should treat him with a degree of caution. Ed Roman is FAIR and
will not deliberately screw you. If you buy a guitar from Ed Roman ... Be
up-front and direct in your conversations. Be absolutely CLEAR and CONCISE in
your specifications. YOU WILL NEVER GET YOUR MONEY BACK -or- receive support
once the guitar has been purchased and left the shop. In other words, it's a
done deal. So be damn sure you get exactly what you're asking for ... Let me
just say it again, Ed Roman is a MASTER businessman. He's been selling guitars
for more years than most any other. He knows exactly what he's talking about and
his website is a GREAT place for information. Ed Roman has some of the BEST
guitars on the planet. PLEASE TAKE A LOOK IN THE WORLD'S GREATEST GUITAR
SECTION. These are the Best-Of-The-Best Guitars in the world (I firmly believe
there are none finer). So the bottom line is that if you want a 100% handmade
guitar from a master craftsman (Rick Gledura, Jeff Terwilliger, Gary Jacobs and Steve Helgeson), then in the end you will have to go through Ed Roman.
BUYER BEWARE ... Ed Roman is the MAN (no doubt) when it comes to buying a
quality handmade guitar, but he can BITE and you can LOOSE just as much as you
can WIN. Just remember, it all BUSINESS (do the deal 100% by the book) no
handshake deals here. Ed Roman Guitars is a lot like Microsoft
... Just like Bill Gates, he has surrounded himself with a
quality staff of knowledgeable people. BRIAN IN SHIPPING IS AWESOME !!!
Do not talk with ED to put your mind and heart at ease if something goes wrong
(shipping delays, etc.) speak to his staff. Ed Roman's wife is WAY COOL !! But
her words don't mean anything if Ed says something different. Like I said, BUYER
BEWARE ... Once you leave the shop and make the purchase, it's over and done.
Note: I can only base this on conversations I've had with Ed Roman where he
clearly stated exactly what I've written. Would I buy
another guitar from Ed Roman Guitars ?? YES ... Although I will never
ship via USPS ... I'll visit Las Vegas (always wanted to and the wife will love
me for it) and I'll buy direct from DA MON (as they say down in Jamaica). ED
ROMAN you're O.K. (despite my harsh words). It's all BUSINESS. And the review is
FAIR, REALISTIC and ACCURATE.
Overall Rating:
I've been playing guitar for over 20
years. I have owned many guitars. I think Fender Stratocasters suck (cheaply
made, mass-produced guitars). Vintage, Customshop, and custom made Stratocasters
might be the exception. I think Washburn guitars are EXCELLENT !!! My first
guitar was a Washburn A-20V and I still play it (20 years later). I do own a
Fender Stratocaster (gave it to my 12 year old son) ... 'cause I didn't want to
see it anymore. Just didn't feel good in my hands. I own a Marshall JCM 25/50
Watt 2550 Amplifier with a JCM 800 Lead - 1982 four speaker cabinet. I use a
Rocktron (Voodoo Valve - Online) and/or a Roland GP8 multi-effects processor. My
Rick Gledura "Pegasus" model [2003] with Korina body and neck is just my DREAM
COME TRUE insofar as a guitar. I would consider buying another, but will
probably (someday) buy another guitar (just for variance) from either Jeff
Terwilliger, Gary Jacobs and Steve Helgeson. If my Rick Gledura
"Pegasus" were stolen I would cash in the insurance (yes, it is insured) and buy
another. I would be deeply hurt though, because it's truly a one-of-a-kind
guitar. There are no two alike ... I love the fine specimen woods that were used
throughout, e.g. Korina. I love the amazing (Quilted Maple AAAAA) top. In
closing, if you are considering spending several thousand dollars on a guitar:
DO NOT purchase a mass-produced, machine made PRS or Les Paul ... Take a look at
Ed Roman's - World's Best Guitars - Web Pages and inform yourself before
purchasing. You won't be sorry. You may never spend money on PRS, Les Paul,
Fender, etc. again ... Go CUSTOM and therein, you can do no wrong if you
purchase from one of these people: (Rick Gledura, Jeff Terwilliger, Gary Jacobs and Steve Helgeson) They won't be around forever, and they might give
in to large-scale production demand someday, but for now - they're doing it all
by hand (one-at-a-time) and you can't find that anywhere these days. I
personally liked what Rick Gledura said about building guitars: Per Rick Gledura
-- "In my opinion the most important part of the guitar is the neck. The neck is
the part that translates your ability and soul into the music, sounds and tones
that are pleasing to your ears." And therein, I purchased Rick Gledura because I
agree and the neck of this guitar is exquisite in every detail. And the body is
equally right-on-the-money as being out of this world !!!
Ed Roman's Comments on this
letter
This guy is a very prolific writer, I actually took the
time to read this letter twice !!!!!
I suspect that this may be one of the fairest reviews I
have ever seen on me !!!!
This man tells it pretty much like it is (based
on the facts he has).
The mitigating issue here is that this customer opted for
delivery by none other than the US Postal Service and the guitar took about two
months to arrive to him.
He was extremely worried if the guitar was insured properly
and when he got me on the phone I had absolutely no knowledge of how the guitar
was shipped.
I was simply not able to tell him what he wanted to hear so
therefore that made me akin to Bill Gates. Ouch !!!
When he finally got through to the right people they put
his mind at ease. I am quite sorry it wasn't me.
I will also say that I have refunded many people many
thousands of dollars when they were unhappy with things. It has cost me dearly
over the years to give refunds but it is a necessary evil on my side of the
fence that I deal with daily. I will also say that I am usually friendly and
easy to do business with. There are exceptions of course.
My basic motto is "When you make a commitment to me I make
a commitment to you"
Or
"If you make a commitment to me to buy a guitar, I will
make a commitment to do my best to try and keep you happy"
"If you break your commitment after I have started work on
your guitar then please don't get upset if I break my commitment to keep you
happy"
Peace, Love, Dove
Ed Roman
Overall,
you've become the "Microsoft" of Guitar Shops in that I have no choice but to do
business with you to satisfy my taste in handmade, custom-built guitars. No
other guitar shop (that I've seen) can compete with what you have to offer ...
