Hi- I remember back in 1971 when I first started looking at "good" acoustic guitars; I thought $250 would be sufficient and my dad wouldn't kill me. My brother told me Martins were the best and I noticed Cat Stevens playing a Gibson. I never had played a decent acoustic-my Sears Silvertone was used as my frame of reference. A friend of mine got a Gibson as a birthday present- don't remember the model but it was dreadnaught shaped and made of mahogony. He let me play it in the locker room (good acoustics) and I couldn't believe the tone and action. Then I went out for my search-went in to sticker-shock at Wallach's Music City as I played Martin D-18's and Gibson J-200's priced at near a grand even back then. My quest was over-Then I noticed John Denver's Guild 12 on Poems, Prayers and Promises-never heard of Guild-I noticed a couple on the wall at The Fret House in Covina, Ca. acouple years later. I played a d-55 and a d-44m -at $490w/case. It sounded soooooo much better than the Gibsons and Martins at less than half the price. I bought the d-44 and my dad did try to kill me at the dinner table when my younger brother hug me out to dry. Guild was the poor mans Martin and Gibson in those days-that is why they were so successful.IMHO The boutique was a flawed concept from the beginning. They should build the m-20, d-25, d-44, d-55, f-30,f-50 ,212,412 and 512 and special order the 612 and sell them at below Martin,Taylor and Gibson prices. Then they will succeed again.