Hello,
For a number of years Romano Solano was building up a bass luthier business. I liked him
and supported him. Many of his basses sounded and played with a beautiful Italian tone.
Others just wouldn't make it, had no pizzicatto on the low E. He also made a lot of strange
basses, ending up on consignment in various shops, like a 5 string with a 39" string length.
He loved to build BIG heavy basses, and I started with a 7/8th Panormo of his.
To help promote him I sold it to a guy in the New World Symphony to get his
bass out playing with the youngest and best players. I liked that bass, a little
heavy but a sweet Italian sound and a 40.5" string length.
(The New World Symphony is heavily endowed, hires only recent conservatory
grads, and they can only stay with them 2 to 3 years. They are an incredibly
enthusistic and influential orchestra.) The idea was he would rebuild the
same Panorma flatback for me while this one was helping him.
I sold for him, at no profit for myself about a dozen basses, mostly using
my name as a reference and putting people in contact with him.
I had bought a couple of basses from him intended to resell getting him
some quick cash.
Then I went to see his studio, a 12 hour trip. He said he had two basses for me,
one was an old restored 7/8 Amati, the other a small, beautiful Ruggari Copy.
The old bass was great, the quality of the restoration was great, but the bass
was too big for me. The one that fit me, the little Rugarri had no sound.
We agreed on a written price for me to buy both of them, I paid for the big bass,
and he would get the other one right for me. Besides having virtually no
pizzicatto on the low strings, it had a bad nasal sound on the G string.
So we had a deal. He showed up to my house with that little bass but
insisted on $2,000 more than we agreed on, because he had to regraduate
the top. That to me is fixing up the bass. It still had that nasal sound.
He also sold 3 instruments at my house, one to one of my students,
one cello to a luthier friend of a friend that makes harps (A GREAT CELLO),
and I took an old bass of his for resale, one he picked up from someone
that upgraded.
I still wanted the Rugarri, but while thinking over night he sold it.
I even sold one of his basses to a student of Gary Karr so he could get his
bass in Gary Karr's hands. In short, I thought of him as a friend
and many of his basses sounded incredible. I sold thus about 12 basses
for him, many of them influential sales, like to the biggest
bass teacher and player in Central Florida.
Then I was in a car wreck and needed a light weight bass quicly.
I begged him to make me the Ruggari Model, just this time make
it right the first time. I was very clear, it was the Ruggari model,
and like my mantra I told him it must have great pizzicato down
to the low E.
He showed up with a 5/8th bass he copied and it had zero
pizzicatto on the low E. It was well constructed but
was unsuitable for the big band I played with and was't
much of anything, though the workmanship was beautiful.
I told him I wanted the Rugarri, he was angry. He said he would give
me my deposit back when he sold it. That was years ago and
he never returned the deposit. Or I offered to keep the deposit and
make me that Ruggari I asked for.
Finally, after notifying in mail I would publicize the story of him ripping
me off for $1000 on the 2X Bass List if he didn't get back to me, I posted
the story on him cheating me.
At first I thought, OH NO, no luthier will want to deal with me. Instead
just the opposite, I got thank you notes from a number of well known
bass luthiers, offers to make me basses, and a lot of people posted that
they ordered one bass from him, even had the measurements measured to
match their existing basses, or he just made something completely different,
like on friend ordered a flat back with an Eb neck and he delivered a nice
bass with a D neck. Generally buyers bought their instruments, but a number
found them unusable to them and lost of money trying to resell their basses.
He learnt out an old cello to someone, didn't get it back, and I was instrumental
in contacting the guy and ensuring Romano got the cello back.
It's now been about 3 years since I posted on the double bass list my story.
In the meantime Barrie Kolstein found me a smaller sized 100 year old Italian
bass with a short string length for my small hands, but with a huge sound.
In the past I would always recommend both Romano and Barrie Kolstein,
one being the wild artist, the other the most experienced and dealer with
the best record of integrity. That way the buyer had a choice. I made nothing,
it was only a hobby. I just expected to be treated well when I got an instrument.
I have always said that if Romano Solano either repays me, or wants to
make me a bass I would send a positive end of the story to the world.
He never had to integrity to follow up. I have given him every
chance in the world to do what is right. I'd still like one of his basses,
but with good pizzicatto on the E string. He can make some incredibly
beautiful sounding basses. He also makes a lot that are good except
for pizzicatto response on the low string.
His Klotz copies sound great, (It was the Prescott copy) but weighed about
50 lbs.
I just wanted what I wanted, his Rugarri bass. I would strongly
consider one of his newer basses that are reasonably sized for some
vertically challenged.
In Summary, he is a dishonest man. He does not fulfill his promises, even
when you show them his handwriting. He often shows up with something
completely different than what you order. Many of his unexpected
basses still sold, many are loved by their owners, while others went through
bad deals, promising the bass would open up or such, and suffered financially
trying to sell basses he had pushed on people.
When he makes his good basses, they are basses of the ages. I admired
his artistic streak.
It would be my greatest pleasure to write a happy ending to the story, to
at least get my money back or a reasonably sized bass. Don't show up
at my house with a 42" string length. He is an artist, does not do
what he says and will cheat someone that spent years helping promote
his business. I thought he was my friend.
Now I only recommend Barrie Kolstein to people looking for a bass. No one
was ever sorry they did business with Barrie. He's seen the inside and restored
more old Italian and other European basses than anyone else in the US.
The store stands for total integrity. If he does work, or something
does go wrong with a bass, he fixes it, even if he is losing significant money
on the deal.
No, Barrie is not the cheapest, you simply know Barrie Kolstein stands behind
every instrument.
Compare a typical bridge. Most shops fit a bridge well enough. They may
even install metal adjusters. Barrie's bridges are made of well seasoned
maple bridge with Ligume exotic wood adjusters. Ligume adjusters are
self lubricating so you can change, even raise the action without reducing
the tension on the string. And they are solid and won't break through compared
to a Chinese adjustable bridge.
The soundpost is so critical to the sound,
only someone that was trained by a master and fitted 1,000s of soundposts
will get it perfect so it's shaped exactly to the inside curve of your bass.
The length should be perfect, just tight enough to stand with strings on but
should fall without string tension.
Even beginners buying a plywood bass should buy them from Barrie. Typically,
a plywood bass needs a good fingerboard dressing, a fitted (adjustable) bridge,
a perfectly fitted sound post, quality string and all measurements correct.
When you consider that A fitted adjustable Kolstein Bridge, a new set of
quality strings, a fingerboard dressing, and everything done right is worth
at least $500 versus a guitar store putting a cheap bass together.
And if you have a problem, Barrie will take care of it. He did some work on an
old bass I had, and later there was a minor problem. He took the bass apart,
putting thousands of dollars into getting it done right, at no cost. He stands
behind his work.
He has several rooms filled with old European fully restored basses. None
have names or prices on them. You play the one and pick what you love.
You can spend days trying out instruments and Barry will never rush you or
push you. Check out his web site www.kolstein.com and look at those basses!
So I recommend Barrie and post a warning about Romano Solano.
I am not putting down his luthier skills, many of his basses are fine, some are exceptional,
but he also builds dogs and he pushes them off on people. And if he'll cheat
me, someone that tried to help build his reputation and promote him when he needed
that help, done just for friendship, who else will he cheat.
You have been warned. Please, feel free to ask Romano to return one of my
calls or letters. I would love to write a letter of apology, saying Romano came
through.
For a number of years Romano Solano was building up a bass luthier business. I liked him
and supported him. Many of his basses sounded and played with a beautiful Italian tone.
Others just wouldn't make it, had no pizzicatto on the low E. He also made a lot of strange
basses, ending up on consignment in various shops, like a 5 string with a 39" string length.
He loved to build BIG heavy basses, and I started with a 7/8th Panormo of his.
To help promote him I sold it to a guy in the New World Symphony to get his
bass out playing with the youngest and best players. I liked that bass, a little
heavy but a sweet Italian sound and a 40.5" string length.
(The New World Symphony is heavily endowed, hires only recent conservatory
grads, and they can only stay with them 2 to 3 years. They are an incredibly
enthusistic and influential orchestra.) The idea was he would rebuild the
same Panorma flatback for me while this one was helping him.
I sold for him, at no profit for myself about a dozen basses, mostly using
my name as a reference and putting people in contact with him.
I had bought a couple of basses from him intended to resell getting him
some quick cash.
Then I went to see his studio, a 12 hour trip. He said he had two basses for me,
one was an old restored 7/8 Amati, the other a small, beautiful Ruggari Copy.
The old bass was great, the quality of the restoration was great, but the bass
was too big for me. The one that fit me, the little Rugarri had no sound.
We agreed on a written price for me to buy both of them, I paid for the big bass,
and he would get the other one right for me. Besides having virtually no
pizzicatto on the low strings, it had a bad nasal sound on the G string.
So we had a deal. He showed up to my house with that little bass but
insisted on $2,000 more than we agreed on, because he had to regraduate
the top. That to me is fixing up the bass. It still had that nasal sound.
He also sold 3 instruments at my house, one to one of my students,
one cello to a luthier friend of a friend that makes harps (A GREAT CELLO),
and I took an old bass of his for resale, one he picked up from someone
that upgraded.
I still wanted the Rugarri, but while thinking over night he sold it.
I even sold one of his basses to a student of Gary Karr so he could get his
bass in Gary Karr's hands. In short, I thought of him as a friend
and many of his basses sounded incredible. I sold thus about 12 basses
for him, many of them influential sales, like to the biggest
bass teacher and player in Central Florida.
Then I was in a car wreck and needed a light weight bass quicly.
I begged him to make me the Ruggari Model, just this time make
it right the first time. I was very clear, it was the Ruggari model,
and like my mantra I told him it must have great pizzicato down
to the low E.
He showed up with a 5/8th bass he copied and it had zero
pizzicatto on the low E. It was well constructed but
was unsuitable for the big band I played with and was't
much of anything, though the workmanship was beautiful.
I told him I wanted the Rugarri, he was angry. He said he would give
me my deposit back when he sold it. That was years ago and
he never returned the deposit. Or I offered to keep the deposit and
make me that Ruggari I asked for.
Finally, after notifying in mail I would publicize the story of him ripping
me off for $1000 on the 2X Bass List if he didn't get back to me, I posted
the story on him cheating me.
At first I thought, OH NO, no luthier will want to deal with me. Instead
just the opposite, I got thank you notes from a number of well known
bass luthiers, offers to make me basses, and a lot of people posted that
they ordered one bass from him, even had the measurements measured to
match their existing basses, or he just made something completely different,
like on friend ordered a flat back with an Eb neck and he delivered a nice
bass with a D neck. Generally buyers bought their instruments, but a number
found them unusable to them and lost of money trying to resell their basses.
He learnt out an old cello to someone, didn't get it back, and I was instrumental
in contacting the guy and ensuring Romano got the cello back.
It's now been about 3 years since I posted on the double bass list my story.
In the meantime Barrie Kolstein found me a smaller sized 100 year old Italian
bass with a short string length for my small hands, but with a huge sound.
In the past I would always recommend both Romano and Barrie Kolstein,
one being the wild artist, the other the most experienced and dealer with
the best record of integrity. That way the buyer had a choice. I made nothing,
it was only a hobby. I just expected to be treated well when I got an instrument.
I have always said that if Romano Solano either repays me, or wants to
make me a bass I would send a positive end of the story to the world.
He never had to integrity to follow up. I have given him every
chance in the world to do what is right. I'd still like one of his basses,
but with good pizzicatto on the E string. He can make some incredibly
beautiful sounding basses. He also makes a lot that are good except
for pizzicatto response on the low string.
His Klotz copies sound great, (It was the Prescott copy) but weighed about
50 lbs.
I just wanted what I wanted, his Rugarri bass. I would strongly
consider one of his newer basses that are reasonably sized for some
vertically challenged.
In Summary, he is a dishonest man. He does not fulfill his promises, even
when you show them his handwriting. He often shows up with something
completely different than what you order. Many of his unexpected
basses still sold, many are loved by their owners, while others went through
bad deals, promising the bass would open up or such, and suffered financially
trying to sell basses he had pushed on people.
When he makes his good basses, they are basses of the ages. I admired
his artistic streak.
It would be my greatest pleasure to write a happy ending to the story, to
at least get my money back or a reasonably sized bass. Don't show up
at my house with a 42" string length. He is an artist, does not do
what he says and will cheat someone that spent years helping promote
his business. I thought he was my friend.
Now I only recommend Barrie Kolstein to people looking for a bass. No one
was ever sorry they did business with Barrie. He's seen the inside and restored
more old Italian and other European basses than anyone else in the US.
The store stands for total integrity. If he does work, or something
does go wrong with a bass, he fixes it, even if he is losing significant money
on the deal.
No, Barrie is not the cheapest, you simply know Barrie Kolstein stands behind
every instrument.
Compare a typical bridge. Most shops fit a bridge well enough. They may
even install metal adjusters. Barrie's bridges are made of well seasoned
maple bridge with Ligume exotic wood adjusters. Ligume adjusters are
self lubricating so you can change, even raise the action without reducing
the tension on the string. And they are solid and won't break through compared
to a Chinese adjustable bridge.
The soundpost is so critical to the sound,
only someone that was trained by a master and fitted 1,000s of soundposts
will get it perfect so it's shaped exactly to the inside curve of your bass.
The length should be perfect, just tight enough to stand with strings on but
should fall without string tension.
Even beginners buying a plywood bass should buy them from Barrie. Typically,
a plywood bass needs a good fingerboard dressing, a fitted (adjustable) bridge,
a perfectly fitted sound post, quality string and all measurements correct.
When you consider that A fitted adjustable Kolstein Bridge, a new set of
quality strings, a fingerboard dressing, and everything done right is worth
at least $500 versus a guitar store putting a cheap bass together.
And if you have a problem, Barrie will take care of it. He did some work on an
old bass I had, and later there was a minor problem. He took the bass apart,
putting thousands of dollars into getting it done right, at no cost. He stands
behind his work.
He has several rooms filled with old European fully restored basses. None
have names or prices on them. You play the one and pick what you love.
You can spend days trying out instruments and Barry will never rush you or
push you. Check out his web site www.kolstein.com and look at those basses!
So I recommend Barrie and post a warning about Romano Solano.
I am not putting down his luthier skills, many of his basses are fine, some are exceptional,
but he also builds dogs and he pushes them off on people. And if he'll cheat
me, someone that tried to help build his reputation and promote him when he needed
that help, done just for friendship, who else will he cheat.
You have been warned. Please, feel free to ask Romano to return one of my
calls or letters. I would love to write a letter of apology, saying Romano came
through.
