Inlay and logo materials do not affect playability or tone. They are purely cosmetic. I'm all for a less-expensive material that can #1: do the same thing as the more-expensive material and #2: reduce the selling price of the instrument without sacrificing the more important wood, frets, paint, and finalization (and to some extent, the electronics, though I have the ability to change those myself).
Expensive does not always equal better. Maple is tonally similar (almost identical) to ebony. Paying more for ebony for the simple reason to have ebony is like buying Evian water just because it comes out of a sink faucet in someone's kitchen in France.
As for a USA SL-1 for $1350 - you do have to shop around to find a dealer who is not asking the full MSRP/List price (such as MF). Of course that is directly comparing identical models. The NASL in question was solid black, not Trans Black. I've previously seen SL-1s in Black (not Trans or Graphics) priced new for around $1200-$1400.
Expensive does not always equal better. Maple is tonally similar (almost identical) to ebony. Paying more for ebony for the simple reason to have ebony is like buying Evian water just because it comes out of a sink faucet in someone's kitchen in France.
As for a USA SL-1 for $1350 - you do have to shop around to find a dealer who is not asking the full MSRP/List price (such as MF). Of course that is directly comparing identical models. The NASL in question was solid black, not Trans Black. I've previously seen SL-1s in Black (not Trans or Graphics) priced new for around $1200-$1400.
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