In a message dated 4/8/2002 8:15:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time, richardsachs@juno.com writes:
<< i'm still not believing this one. even after all these years. mario was probably not the first choice. if i recall correctly, he wasn't even the first italian to come with mr.masi to america. he's just the first one who was willing to stay. he was young. it was california. end of story. e-RICHIE >>
Yes but.....
(BTW, to bored non-Masi fans, I believe this discussion is larger than just Masi bikes...it applies to the craft and individualism that each craftsman brings to bicycle making, whether it be Flying Scots, Rene Herse, Richard Sachs or whatever.)
I think you are perhaps correct Richard, in that Confente got a certain amount of USA hype and he promoted himself successfully, briefly, to the USA aficionado. BUT, please show me another Masi "offspring" or artisan who used the same level of filework and sculptural viewpoint demonstrated in Confente frames?
Do we know of the first Italian builder who came over with Faliero to California? Where are frames made by this guy(s)? Are they as excellent in execution and function?
I might agree that the Italian workshop might not foster that sort of individualism while Confente, once out on his own, was more motivated to establish himself as an artistic entity. But nonetheless, we see other Italian frame builders pushing for stylistic identities (within the tight conventions of the form, I call it "Italian Mannerism".) I think of Somec and Paletti, etc.
So, I guess I will see the California Masi as not-the-same as earlier Italian bikes, but pretty darn excellent bikes with an indirect but interesting heritage.....
Dale Brown
Greensboro, North Carolina