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Custom guitar builder Roman dies
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Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo
Ed Roman, pictured in 2004 at the counter of his Las Vegas store, Ed Roman Guitars, died Dec. 14 at his home after an illness. Roman, 61, railed against the kings of guitar manufacturing, exhorting musicians to support custom guitar makers like himself. » Buy this photo
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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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 instruments 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 after an illness, his daughter said. He was 61.
"He's going to be remembered with a smile. He made everyone laugh," she said 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 in 2001, according to his daughter.
His time in Las Vegas 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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Someone who builds a quality product in America is a true hero.
A great loss of a great Luthier. I don't play and I can look at his fabulous website for hours. He did it all. He new all great guitarists and even played and sung on his own recordings. You can see it all on the Ed Roman Guitar website. I was shocked to see he moved here in 2000, because he had been a legend for ever. RIP Mr. Roman. You were a great one.
I'm shocked. He looks so healthy in this picture!