Mike,
I started this thread, and only becuase I felt that Ed Roman was trying to get way more than what the Spyder was worth. Granted, any Alembic will be worth a lot compared to mass produced (e.g., Fender, Gibson, etc.) instruments, but I own Spyder #7, and paid significantly less than Mr. Roman's starting bid. If the Spyders become collectible, then fine, asking more only goes with the territory. As it is, they're not collectible yet to my knowledge (although in my book, any Alembic is a collectible). If it was, I could justify him charging over what would be a reasonable deal.
I equate this with the car dealer who sells a hot new model at MSRP or higher. Sure, they make a bunch on the ones they sell initially, but IMHO, lose the customer for good when they find out that they could have had the car for much less. Granted, the customer buys the car, and no one twists his or her arm to buy, but the bad taste left in one's mouth is still there. The way I see it, if you make a decent deal with the customer from the get go, the more likely it will be that the customer will become a regular one. This is what makes me distrust Ed Roman. Most folks who would buy a Spyder are in this club. They do research before they buy, and they know a rip off when they see one. Indeed, many Alembic owners watch Ebay, and if the price isn't reasonable, they don't buy. Mr. Roman has had that Spyder on Ebay twice (I think) now, and to my knowledge it hasn't sold. I think that speaks volumes about him, particularly when you consider that Bass Central sold 4 four string Spyders in the last year. There has to be a reason for that, and I can tell you from experience it's price, service, and care for the customer.
Mr. Roman's ad indicated that price was definitely not a sales incentive. I can't speak to service and care, but if the price is high like it was, it makes me wonder. I mean, if he's going to charge well over what other dealers will charge (and still make a profit), how good will his service after the sale be? Again, it all starts with the first thing you see, which in this case is price. I knew he was charging way more than other dealers, and that's what I found distasteful.
All of this being said, caveat emptor. Let the buyer beware. If you had good experiences with Mr. Roman, more power to you, and to each his/her own. I agree that he has some amazing stuff (on his website, anyway). I, for one, will stick with Bass Central and Superbass.net's Steve Frank. The price and service have been top notch, and I couldn't ask for more.
Rock on,
Alan
