Whiskey wrote:
My $.02 is: be patient and wait for the vintage R80. I entertained the RX-80 and even got close making an offer on one of the B-stock ones out there. I didn't because of the reasons stated;
1) The value would drop so if I wasn't happy I'd be stuck (I don't see any used RX's out there yet). If for whatever reason I wasn't happy with the vintage axe, I could easily resell it without losing my shirt so long as the price I paid was reasonably fair.
2) Like you, I could only get one, the RX-80 wasn't what I really wanted, so why settle?
Just my opinions, of course
At this point I'm wondering if I can even afford an R80. The guy with the guitar in Japan (the one that had been listed on ebay) won't come down to the price I can pay (we're close, but I'm throwing it all on the table, but it's not good enough for him). If that guitar were in better shape I wouldn't mind spending the $800 on it, but the back is fairly chipped and has a lot of buckle rash, and the machine heads are pretty badly corroded. And I really can't be 100% certain that the thing doesn't have other issues. The seller is just saying, "No problems," with the guitar. That's pretty vague.
That's the kind of thing that scares me about buying a vintage model. If it is screwed up (warped neck or something like that) I can't sell it for $800 and I'd likely be out a couple hundred dollars. On the other hand, if I buy a brand new RX80 (which would include a hardshell case) I'm pretty darned sure it's going to be a rather nice guitar and I know it will be in perfect condition, so even though it goes down in value for several years I'd still have a great guitar to play.
I just need another $800 so I don't have to make this decision.
Anyone want to buy an old comic book collection for $800? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
Seriously, though, I'm REALLY torn on this one. I don't know what to do. With my timing I'd buy the RX80 and a vintage R80 would show up at $700. Then again, I could hold out and have no affordable R80's show up and the guy with the new RX80's would sell out of them and then I'd be SOL. All things being equal I'd rather have a vintage Matsumoku made R80 in good shape (not perfect, but straight neck with the fretboard and frets i good shape and no fret buzz) than a pristine new RX80, but am I going to find a vintage R80 in that kind of condition for $750 or so?
It just kind of feels like whatever I do it's going to be the wrong decision.