I may be losing out on a trade, but its a unicorn, I'm anxious and excited at the same time???

You should give this some time and thought. I can hear in your post that you are hesitant to let your Daphne blue tele go ..... And frankly I don't blame you for that. It is awfully pretty. No one can tell you how much you do or do not want that Korean made guitar only only you could do that. Normally I would tell you my opinion was just to keep the telecaster, but you seem to really want this " unicorn ". Like I said, just give it some thought for a while. Perhaps your trepidation will help the trader on the other end give you an even better deal.

 

Unless you have played the other guitar and really love how it plays and sounds I would say no. Sounds like you have a great guitar. Trading something you really like for something you could possibly like is not a good deal. There will be other guitars.

 

The Japan tele's are plentiful, I would play the epi first and if it played well I would trade for it. The tele is probably a nicer finished guitar but again they are plentiful and easy to come by and it seems you really want that ES.

Or you could just save up and take a flight to Japan where they probably have a decent selection of both along with many more to tempt you.

In your search I would be looking on ebay US and messaging sellers if they don't have international shipping listed. Many times sellers agree to get a quote and ship to AU when I have enquired about stuff. A lot of gear doesn't show up on ebay AU and there would be many more of that model epi in the states and Japan than in Australia.

 

I am going to say go for it. The ES-295 will give you something new in your arsenal. I have an ES-295 and I love it!

 

A guitar you absolutely love for a guitar you've never seen? Absolutely no.

 

Trading a guitar you know you love - your MIJ Fender Telecaster for a Guitar you fancy but haven’t actually played is dangerous.

The MIJ Custom Tele will have a much better resale value than the MIK Epiphone. At least in the US they do, perhaps different in Oz?

and I’m sorry - your Daphne Blue Tele is downright gorgeous! I would NOT make that trade (but who am I to speak for you?)

 

I've traded a guitar that I really loved for a guitar that I'd always wanted but never had the chance to play beforehand....


Didn't work out for me! I regretted selling off my killer guitar, and the one I got in its place was cool, but nowhere near as playable or awesome.


I also wouldn't trade a Daphne Blue Strat with both sides bound for *anything* MIK Epiphone- although that may possibly be one of the coolest MIKs I've seen!

I guess if I were in your shoes, I'd try and figure out how easy/how much $ the Epiphone could clear locally *if* it doesn't end up being "the one". If you could sell it very very quickly and not be out any $ (or even clear a couple) then maybe I'd seriously consider it? Because I know how it goes when you lust after a particular guitar for a long time and then you have the chance to pounce on one.

Either way, good luck! I'll be interested to hear how it works out.

 

tough call... it sucks to let something go and regret it afterwards...

good luck with your decision...

 

I had a Korean Sheraton from the same era - the fit and finish were a work of art and it played like a dream, better than my Gibson LP Studio. Had microphonic pickups though. If it'll make you happy you should do it.

 

keep what you got

 

No, not a chance do I trade something I like that much for some unknown. And that you would need to sell more stuff too? No way. YMMV

 

Those two teles are absolutely gorgeous. I can understand wanting something different though. I only have three electrics, all pretty different.

 

ES-295

 

Nope. I wouldn’t go anywhere near that trade.

Epi 295s have been made for a long time, never with truly great quality, and there are numerous examples out there...not to mention that they are nowhere near as well-built as Fender Japan reissues...not to mention all the effort you put in to selecting that exact guitar and getting it set up exactly like you want it. You have a better guitar, a rarer guitar (in the long term), and you have hand selected it and set it up to taste. Don’t ever let it go...especially not for a guitar that doesn’t even rate in comparison, on paper...which you have not even played! You’re just in lust. Don’t fall for it. Don’t be a dummy.

A 295 will come along some day. You’ll grab it. You’ll realize it’s not all that it was cracked up to be in your mind. And you’ll thank yourself for listening to good advice like that contained in this post. A well equipped and set up older Japanese Tele is a thing of beauty – about as fine a mass produced Tele as one could hope for at that price point...and you have a cool color, with binding, with a dark board, with outstanding pickups, and a killer setup. 30 years down the road, it’s going to be the more sought after guitar.

I have owned many Japanese Fenders ranging from the ‘80s through the ‘00s, and I have also owned many Epiphones covering roughly the same period (and one 2019 Epi). In terms of sheer craftsmanship, the only Epiphone that has ever come close to any of my MIJ Fenders was [drumroll] a made in Japan Epiphone ‘61 reissue SG with the Gibson open book headstock, made in [another drumroll] the same factory that made many of those excellent MIJ Fenders. This Epi was built better than any Gibson I’ve ever played (and I own some old ones). Nobody could mass produce guitars to that level of craftsmanship like Fuji-Gen could. They skimped on electronics quality, but put everything they had into raw craftsmanship.

 

Life is chances and choices.

If you love ES 295s as much as I do then that is the one to get. Other people just don't get them or there would be more ES 295s, right?

A useful question - that you have already answered - is, "when did I last see another?"

On paper, both are modern Oriental remakes of '50s classics. Additionally, any part you don't like can be upgraded or vintage-fied. And while daphne blue is nice so is GOLD!!!

What do you think they'd advise over on an Epiphone board, or a Scotty Moore board, or a jazz-guitar board?