Originally Posted by
repechage
Lugs and Fischer fork crowns were not easy to come by back then. At the time a few speculated that the Masi like parts were liberated. There are a number of Wizards with Nervex pro lugs too.
A few years ago there was a Masi frame on ebay that had the seat lug filed as that one is only more so, which I consider a tribute to Albert Eisentraut.
There are not too many of these as stated. There is no "James Dean" parallel here so the prices will not Match a Confente, but a Wizard would be a good addition to a California Masi and Related Bike Collection. You could start with a Carlesbad Masi, a Wizard, a Medici, a Confente, Eisentraut, Lippy, Roberson, Tesch, American Moulton, Starck, And I might be leaving one out. Not a cheap collection to acquire though.
Maybe add Simonetti, since that was Mike Howard's next gig, and Gianni Simonetti himself came out of Masi as well.
Interestingly, in the CR archives, Baylis thinks that Mike Howard's best work was with Wizard, and you get real inconsistency with the finishes on the Medicis (which I have not seen enough of to comment pro or con).
Even so, my early '90s Simonetti (filet brazed Tange) done by Howard rides wonderfully, and still feels Italianesque.