Greg, You're covered by the'ish' ;^) It would be very interesting to find out how long the GC's were made in Italy before the end of their run. Cheers, Matt in SoCal
>
> From: gpvb1@comcast.net
> Date: 2004/12/01 Wed PM 01:49:04 CST
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: Re: [CR]Carlsbad vs. San Marcos Masis & the Real Deal
>
> So is my 11-74 B60 Italian GC now junk? Bummer, dudes.....
> Greg Parker
> Dexter, Michigan
>
> Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 10:15:52 -0800
> From: "Matthew Gorski" <bikenut@verizon.net>
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Subject: [CR]Carlsbad vs. San Marcos Masis & the Real Deal
>
> My $02 on the Real Deal Masi's are....
>
> Italian Masi's (Specials, GC's ....) built up to 1973ish
> and than the Carlsbad Masi's built in late 73/74/75
>
> Mario Confente was the Verona shop foreman until mid 1973
> when he came with Faliero to set up the Carlsbad operation.
> Masi didn't move his operation to California. He licensed
> Roland Sahm to build and sell Masi bicycles in America.
> Faliero set up the shop 'as if' it was his and left Mario
> to run the show. They made them like in the old country,
> except the Carlsbad frames were aesthetically superior to
> the model or ideal they emulated.
>
> Masi was already in his 60's at this point. I think we connect
> the 'real deal' with the frames made by or in the shadow of the
> old man himself. By sending his master frame building apprentice
> to Carlsbad it's as if he sent the flame/torch of the 'House of
> Masi' with him. When Mario left Masi in 1975 and original cast
> members (Smith, Baylis, Cunningham, Howard, Simonetti and on) went
> their separate ways the ethereal connection to Faliero died.
>
> This is not a knock on frames built later by Lippy, Eisentraut
> and on into the Rancho Santa Fe and San Marcos days. Masi still
> had a trick up his sleeve back in Milano. The 3V was quite
> significant yet it marked the Modern era for Masi in Italy.
>
> I'm not a frame builder nor do I play one on TV. I do own a
> bike shop but I am the only customer ;^)
>
> Matt Gorski
> Belmont Shore, CA
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org
> [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of
> LouDeeter@aol.com
> Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 8:51 AM
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: Re: [CR]Carlsbad vs. San Marcos Masis
>
> Ted Baer writes: Now that I am fully aware that the Masis made in Italy
> are
> the "real deal,"
>
>
> If "real deal" means built in the Masi shop in Milan or prior to that,
> Florence, then the exceptions would be the Nuovo Strada, Gran Sports and
> 3Vs that
> were made by contract builders such as Billato and Mondonico. I believe
> in the
> CR timeline, and after Masi moved his operation to California, that the
> Prestige and a few Gran Criteriums were made in Italy with Alberto's
> name on the
> toptube. I'm not really sure where those frames were actually made. I
> would
> tend to say "any Masi made in Italy prior to 1971 is the "real deal".
> Lou
> Deeter, Orlando FL