Trading Post: Edwardian Offer
I re-posted the Contemporary Stratocaster.
Despite provenance, I'm not bonding with the guitar - too many similarities to my Eric Johnson Stratocaster make it uninteresting - an HSS setup, the 12" radius (but a much shallower neck), etc. It's a great guitar, and the "not long for this world" locking setup is actually quite clever and easy to use.
But it doesn't help that my wife is no fan, regularly commenting that it "looks dirty". I suppose the 30 year aging of an off-white doesn't speak to everyone. God help me in 20 years or so...
A couple of days in and I've received an offer that I may not be able to refuse, even though I'm not sure I'm getting value...
The offer? An Edwards E-SN-145.
Edwards, for those who don't know, is an ESP brand made for "Japan only". My first experience with the brand came while living in Japan, and wandering into an ESP shop with walls of wild ESPs and less wild Edwards'.
Edwards, you see, is ESP's brand for creating compelling copies of traditional designs (Les Pauls, Strats, etc.) as well as stuff that ventures into Suhr/Tom Anderson territory (that's just my visual frame of reference - yours might be more apt).
Here's a video:
In any case, I was immediately blown away by the quality of the copies (especially the LPs). Tight tolerances and what seemed to be excellent materials (read:wood) made for light and resonant guitars. So when I received a trade email explaining that an Edwards SN-145 was on offer, I replied as soon as I could.
I wanted pics, and I wasn't disappointed (well, the pics aren't great, but the guitar is pretty).
I'm a sucker for that blue, and have been looking for the right guitar in that colour. Sure, a PRS Singlecut in "Jack Blue" (or whatever they used to call it) would be super, but I'm not shelling out $4K for ANY guitar. I've never liked quilted tops, except in this color, where the quilt ends up making the top look like the waters of the Caribbean.
In any case, the owner of this nice guitar suggested we get together in a few days. I'll hold my breath - it's long enough for him to change his mind if he wants. Heck, it is long enough for me to change my mind, though at this point my wife thinks this guitar will go much better with the decor in the basement.
It doesn't get much more supportive than that.
Concerns? Of course. While I think value likely lines up in there here and now, I don't think that will be the case in 20 years. Sure, the Edwards is pretty, but even compared to the LTD Elite, the lack of matching headstock makes it less desirable. That Edwards is a Japanese "domestic only" swings things back the other way, but I'm not sure by much.
The other thing that concerns me is the Floyd - I've never dealt with one. Worst case is this becomes my first run, and the internet is great an teaching you how to deal with things.
In any case, all the rules go out the window when your wife says it will look better on the wall.
Here's hoping that this one happens. For my wife's sake of course.
Despite provenance, I'm not bonding with the guitar - too many similarities to my Eric Johnson Stratocaster make it uninteresting - an HSS setup, the 12" radius (but a much shallower neck), etc. It's a great guitar, and the "not long for this world" locking setup is actually quite clever and easy to use.
But it doesn't help that my wife is no fan, regularly commenting that it "looks dirty". I suppose the 30 year aging of an off-white doesn't speak to everyone. God help me in 20 years or so...
 |
| I might be described as "off white", so I sympathize |
A couple of days in and I've received an offer that I may not be able to refuse, even though I'm not sure I'm getting value...
The offer? An Edwards E-SN-145.
Edwards, for those who don't know, is an ESP brand made for "Japan only". My first experience with the brand came while living in Japan, and wandering into an ESP shop with walls of wild ESPs and less wild Edwards'.
Edwards, you see, is ESP's brand for creating compelling copies of traditional designs (Les Pauls, Strats, etc.) as well as stuff that ventures into Suhr/Tom Anderson territory (that's just my visual frame of reference - yours might be more apt).
Here's a video:
In any case, I was immediately blown away by the quality of the copies (especially the LPs). Tight tolerances and what seemed to be excellent materials (read:wood) made for light and resonant guitars. So when I received a trade email explaining that an Edwards SN-145 was on offer, I replied as soon as I could.
I wanted pics, and I wasn't disappointed (well, the pics aren't great, but the guitar is pretty).
I'm a sucker for that blue, and have been looking for the right guitar in that colour. Sure, a PRS Singlecut in "Jack Blue" (or whatever they used to call it) would be super, but I'm not shelling out $4K for ANY guitar. I've never liked quilted tops, except in this color, where the quilt ends up making the top look like the waters of the Caribbean.
In any case, the owner of this nice guitar suggested we get together in a few days. I'll hold my breath - it's long enough for him to change his mind if he wants. Heck, it is long enough for me to change my mind, though at this point my wife thinks this guitar will go much better with the decor in the basement.
It doesn't get much more supportive than that.
Concerns? Of course. While I think value likely lines up in there here and now, I don't think that will be the case in 20 years. Sure, the Edwards is pretty, but even compared to the LTD Elite, the lack of matching headstock makes it less desirable. That Edwards is a Japanese "domestic only" swings things back the other way, but I'm not sure by much.
The other thing that concerns me is the Floyd - I've never dealt with one. Worst case is this becomes my first run, and the internet is great an teaching you how to deal with things.
In any case, all the rules go out the window when your wife says it will look better on the wall.
Here's hoping that this one happens. For my wife's sake of course.
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