How much did you spend if you don't mind my asking
No man, not at all...
(brace yourself
)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3774823715&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3781742787&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7302430558&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT
Yeah, I know it seems like an awful lot but I sold off thousands of dollars of equipment before I jumped in... vintage amps/pedals mostly. I also got rid of a bunch guitars of medium grade quality that I spent years with trying to convince myself that I liked when I really didn't (you know that feeling? you want to like them but you never really do? you try to convince yourself that they're something they're really not).
I've written a little about it in previous post; wanting to buy these guitars in the past but just never getting around to it.
I don't want to exaggerate about these three but...seriously, I'm blown away by them. That Cream colored Springy came in today. I was so, so, so surprised. I had worried about it initially. What I got was something I didn't expect at all ...it's flawless. Immaculate. Gorgeous really. It plays better than any "off the rack" Fender I've played over the last 25 years. I feel kind of bad for the guys who, for whatever reason, have to get rid of these things.
(I just noticed that the seller removed the pics of this one...I'll take some if you want to see it. It's a cream but not that yellowish pudding color. More like a beige-y cream, with a dark amber neck and a slab rosewood board and a 3 ply scratch guard).
I'm looking specifically for one more model. When I got home late tonight after work I searched ebay I thought I'd found it!! But darned if this guy Makelchea didn't swoop in again and snag another monster. I would have bought this one straight away had I'd seen it...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7304584744&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT
He must have an amazing collection.
Maybe you can just take a little more time and stash some dough away or sell some other equipment too and aim at one from around this time frame. I don't want to take anything away from the guys on the board here who are selling the latest Tokai stock. These might very well be excellent guitars...I just don't really know. I can only say that I'm extremely satistfied with what I've been fortunate to get so far.
Whatever you decide on please let us know how it works out for you.
Happy hunting
Clay