Double Bass Warning about Romano Solano Bass Luthier

[Eric Hochberg]

However, I know of at least four basses which needed complete overhauls including re-graduated tops, new bass bars and re-set necks. For me, that means the bad ones are incredibly bad.

Playing devil's advocate, when you say "need" above, does that mean the basses in question were unplayable or broken and as is useless to the owner, or does it mean they needed the work to become optimal, and after the work was done, they were better basses?

This is relevant as many builders seem to attach different price points depending on the detail of the work they do on different levels of basses. I suppose this translates into hours spent, but I'm always a bit suspicious when a builder of "handmade" instruments doesn't put his "all" from a craftsmanship standpoint into every instrument in order to fit into a marketing scheme and price point. In other words, how much more work does it take to get those graduations or bass bar just right? Fancy purfling, special scrolls and other details that are costly from a labor standpoint and don't relate to the performance of the instrument are another thing completely.

Bass Cellar in Cincinnati has a line of basses where they hand make the bodies to a high level of craftsmanship, but use factory necks with pre-carved scrolls to keep the price lower.

Should one assume that a hand made bass going out the door for $12k is not going to have the attention to detail or other cost cutting measures of a $20k bass? I think that would be a fair assumption. Of course attention to detail of the important structural elements of the build, like a neck set, should be unquestionable.

 

[drurb]

...I suppose this translates into hours spent, but I'm always a bit suspicious when a builder of "handmade" instruments doesn't put his "all" from a craftsmanship standpoint into every instrument in order to fit into a marketing scheme and price point. In other words, how much more work does it take to get those graduations or bass bar just right?

I'm not a luthier and I don't play one on TV. My understanding is that graduating the top is one of the most time-consuming aspects of making a double bass. In order to meet a price-point, I can certainly understand why a maker would choose to provide a relatively basic or simple graduation pattern rather than spending many more hours individualizing the process further for the particular piece of wood being carved and taking the extra steps to create a more complex graduation pattern. So, with regard to graduations, IMO, it is legitimate that a less-complex pattern is created in order to keep labor costs lower. The customer should be made aware of this and be able to opt for the more costly approach.

...Should one assume that a hand made bass going out the door for $12k is not going to have the attention to detail or other cost cutting measures of a $20k bass? I think that would be a fair assumption. Of course attention to detail of the important structural elements of the build, like a neck set, should be unquestionable.

I agree completely.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

In order to meet a price-point, I can certainly understand why a maker would choose to provide a relatively basic or simple graduation pattern rather than spending many more hours individualizing the process further for the particular piece of wood being carved and taking the extra steps to create a more complex graduation pattern. So, with regard to graduations, IMO, it is legitimate that a less-complex pattern is created in order to keep labor costs lower. The customer should be made aware of this and be able to opt for the more costly approach.

This seems like more of a factory/business model approach to me as opposed to the idea of buying an individual maker's work where a level of quality is expected based on their past work and reputation. It seems to me that when an individual puts their name on their work, a supposedly handmade instrument, I think most do the best they can to make a great bass, with or without fancy ornaments. If they fail at this in some regard, then word gets around, as is happening here.

 

[PaulCannon]

Playing devil's advocate, when you say "need" above, does that mean the basses in question were unplayable or broken and as is useless to the owner, or does it mean they needed the work to become optimal, and after the work was done, they were better basses?

I wasn't there and didn't see the basses pre-op, but I did hear firsthand from two owners and one luthier. Cheap glue, green wood, shoddy work on the inside. If anything, more attention is paid to aesthetics than the actual construction on these things.

 

[drurb]

This seems like more of a factory/business model approach to me as opposed to the idea of buying an individual maker's work where a level of quality is expected based on their past work and reputation. It seems to me that when an individual puts their name on their work, a supposedly handmade instrument, I think most do the best they can to make a great bass, with or without fancy ornaments. If they fail at this in some regard, then word gets around, as is happening here.

I think you're right-- a different sort of business model but valid nonetheless.

...Cheap glue, green wood, shoddy work on the inside.

Wow. This is a whole new level of claim.

 

[Low Hertz]

Sure, should I say "Mr. Hertz" or does he know you as "Low"?

Sorry I took so long to respond. Romano knows who I am. This is not one sided. When I posted this on the 2x bass list a lot of people got different basses then they ordered. He stole $1,000 from me.

Note I now have a wonderful Italian Ferratti bass I got from Barrie Kolstein, a man of integrity, and no one ever said Barrie lacked ethics.

That said, Romano can make some incredibly sweet sounding basses.

And, I wrote Romano a letter warning him unless he refunded my $1,000 I would post that exact story.

Please, by all means, get his side of the story. Have him return my calls or emails. If he ever does, I'd be happy to retract what I said and remove this post.

As an old girlfriend said, Romano is a Gonif (Thief.)

 

[TroyK]

Just to be clear, are you saying that if he gives you $1,000 you will remove and/or retract your post?

Sorry I took so long to respond. Romano knows who I am. This is not one sided. When I posted this on the 2x bass list a lot of people got different basses then they ordered. He stole $1,000 from me.

Note I now have a wonderful Italian Ferratti bass I got from Barrie Kolstein, a man of integrity, and no one ever said Barrie lacked ethics.

That said, Romano can make some incredibly sweet sounding basses.

And, I wrote Romano a letter warning him unless he refunded my $1,000 I would post that exact story.

Please, by all means, get his side of the story. Have him return my calls or emails. If he ever does, I'd be happy to retract what I said and remove this post.

As an old girlfriend said, Romano is a Gonif (Thief.)

 

[Low Hertz]

I gave him warnings before I posted this. My complaint is valid. I welcome anyone to talk with me about this.
I have witnesses.
But, if he makes it right, I will report that.
To review, I helped him sell a lot of basses, mostly in Florida.
When I was in a car accident, I accident I asked him to make me his Ruggari Model bass, a smaller
3/4 bass. As I played big band jazz mostly then, I told him that the most important thing was pizz, especially on the low E. Every time we spoke, I told him that.

When he showed up, he showed up with a DIFFERENT bass, a clone of a 5/8th bass, not what I ordered.
Still, I was ready to go through with it, but it had no sound pizz on the low E. None.

He said he would refund the deposit when he sold the bass. He never got back to me or responded
to my repeated calls and emails. I invite you to contact him. I have witnesses to this. He also told
some student of mine who bought one of his basses, on my recommendation, that he would get in
touch with me. He never did.

I am a respected systems engineer, I've held a top secret clearance, have an MA from Columbia,
and work as a professor and musician. I am a man of the highest integrity.

I have gave him every chance. I would have been happy to buy his Ruggari bass like I ordered.
In fact, I would buy one of his other basses.

It's NOT the money. It's the principal of it.

Bob Comarow

 

[Low Hertz]

BTW, as I said, Romano can make some INCREDIBLE basses.
I was very happy with him, and thought of his as a friend.
As I said, I promoted his basses in Florida, and on the web.
Several students of mine bought basses from him, another a beautiful cello.

Friends of mine bought his basses.

In one case, my friend Dan Peterson in Florida wanted a new clone of his
bass, with an Eb neck, and he showed up with a D neck bass. Dan took it,
liked it, but it was not what he ordered.

It was this case, where he showed up with a completely different bass than
I ordered, and then wanted more than we agreed to, IN WRITING, and
then wouldn't give me my deposit back.

My name is Bob Comarow.

As said, I have tried for years to get through to him, left him messages,
and even written real physical letters to him.

I have given him every chance to make things right.

Should he ever contact me, it will be my pleasure to write that
he came through.

 

[TroyK]

Writing that he made good seems reasonable, paying money to have a negative review deleted, however sounds like extortion. I think you're walking a fine line here. Let's stick to the facts of your experience.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

I agree with Troy. Not a lawyer, and your story has been consistent, but the facts are that until today you’ve been making anonymous accusations against a named public figure, and topped that off with a demand for payment so you’d stop accusing him.

Not smart.

It’s a fact that people have made claims on this forum, which I’m sure they believed were totally righteous, that were legally actionable against them.

Be careful.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

From a forum administrator point of view, these types of threads are sometimes allowed when it seems a certain builder has a number of dissatisfied customers who have not received the basses they have ordered and paid for (either in whole or in part). The builders are free to chime in and tell their sides of the story, but they rarely do. They are also free to contact the site through the help desk if they feel they are being portrayed unfairly, but they seldom do.

If a builder has a history of taking money and then not following through, then this type of thread can be a valuable public service to other potential buyers. All we ask is that the people reporting give their basic stories in a single thread and not go around blasting the builder in multiple threads. This thread seems to be following that basic formula pretty well that i can see. Several threads up in the BG forum have gotten far more contentious.

This seems like more of a factory/business model approach to me as opposed to the idea of buying an individual maker's work where a level of quality is expected based on their past work and reputation. It seems to me that when an individual puts their name on their work, a supposedly handmade instrument, I think most do the best they can to make a great bass, with or without fancy ornaments. If they fail at this in some regard, then word gets around, as is happening here.

^^^^This

 

[DaveAceofBass]

Someone told me that the Kolstein Guarneri “shop bass” that I play (one of the ones he has roughed by his affiliate shop in Romania and finished in NYC) is not good enough for a professional, so I’ve been keeping my eye out for another bass. I always wanted a Laborie (I’m a Rabbath guy) and I have noticed that Rumano Solano makes a Quenoil model, and there was one recently listed in the classifieds that I inquired about. I also had my eye on a Kai Arvi bass. But after a recent trip to the Bass Violin Shop in Greensboro I will be hanging onto my Kolstein. While I was up there I tried both a Kai Arvi and a Rumano Solano bass. The Solano had some obvious issues in construction, as there was a noticeable gap at the neck block. The Kai was nice but not enough to warrant selling my Kolstein, which is a beautiful instrument in its own right. Barrie is a wonderful guy and as has been mentioned before he is honest and you can trust him. My bass is in great shape, and BVS always tells me it’s a great bass whenever they work on it. No need to drop 40K on a Laborie at the moment...but after having seen the Solano in person I would agree that there are too many issues with quality to warrant purchasing one of these instruments from someone with an already sketchy reputation.

 

[Low Hertz]

I agree with Troy. Not a lawyer, and your story has been consistent, but the facts are that until today you’ve been making anonymous accusations against a named public figure, and topped that off with a demand for payment so you’d stop accusing him.

Not smart.

It’s a fact that people have made claims on this forum, which I’m sure they believed were totally righteous, that were legally actionable against them.

Be careful.

Thank you. Actually, I have a number of witnesses.
Romano knows that.

I have never made an anonymous accustation since my profile was wide open to the public. Anyone could have looked up my name and location. It had my picture as well. So, the accusation that I was anonymous is simply not justified.

I don't care about the money at this point. I just wanted to warn others.

Bob

 

[ACWilliams]

I have owned a Solano bass for two years now and have found it to be one of the greatest investments of my life. When I asked Mr. Solano to build me a bass that fit within my size, sound, and price requirements, he made me something beyond my expectations of any bass maker, and I could not imagine having gotten a better deal. My suggestion if you are looking to purchase a bass from him is to listen to his suggestions and be patient, as rushed work gets rushed results. Solano is not a man that will mass produce basses to gain a profit, he is a man that loves his craft and puts his artistry first.

 

[Low Hertz]

basses

Just to be clear, are you saying that if he gives you $1,000 you will remove and/or retract your post?

Yes, he still owes me the deposit.

I paid for a Ruggari. She showed up with some strange 5/8th bass, completely unsuitable for
jazz. No pizz at all on the low E string. He knew I was playing in a jazz ensemble at the time.

I would have given him every chance to make me the bass I ordered, or even paid more for another bass that sounded great. What he showed up with sucked.

I hoped I'd hear from him after all these years.

 

[TroyK]

Again, you are free to air out your differences in this thread. We do not support deleting this thread in exchange for financial compensation. That would set a bad precidence and just feels wrong. If this gets resolved to your satisfaction and I hope that it does, please update us all with that outcome.

 

[Low Hertz]

Hi, I never said I'd delete for any kind of financial compensation.
I just prefer this thread hand out. It did its purpose.
I never expect to get the money the Thief said I'd get.
It's really so stupid, I loved most of his basses.
He can make some great, sweet-sounding basses.
But, as you can see, there are problems.
I guess I'd recommend only buying what you play, and
don't expect any support.