dreadnut said:
Spending $1,000 or more on a guitar isn't really in the cards for me...But you can still get nice used vintage Guilds, or new GADS, in my price range, you choose
I'm in the same boat. A +$1k is outta my league. Unfortunately.
Something I've noticed around here is the price comparison between a new GAD & a used American-built Guild. While I can see that comparison for people shopping new, I don't really think it's a fair comparison in that it ignores the used GAD market.
Heck, I paid $425 + $50 shipping for a used GAD-50. That included the original case. I don't think there's a better buy out there than a used GAD - if you can find one.
And w/ regard to resale on the GADs:
On Ebay, I see alot of blems stamped "used" that sell for more than what I paid for my used one. I see used GADs going for not much less than what a new one fetches from an online retailer. I think that maybe the idea that GADs suffer badly on resale might be incorrect. If you buy a new guitar for $674 and sell it a few years later for a $175 loss, did you get hosed?
Doesn't seem like it to me. $175 is just a hair over three tanks of gas in my truck. If I get a couple of years of enjoyment out of something and only lose that much, I'm in good shape.