Most decently made guitars are good instruments. If they have pitch, any kind of tone and an action that won't get your fingers caught in the strings, they are playable and capable of making beautiful music. I understand the idea of a beautiful instrument. I've heard some that are pristine. However, I get SO sick of listening to people talking about guitars and gear and tone. There are excellent musicians who know exactly what they are talking about and listening for who do this but my experience is that most of the people who talk about brands and tone and gear aren't usually great players. (I don't mean you Rick. You ARE a great player and you love talking about guitars. I'm sure many of the people on this thread fall into the Rick category. I haven't heard you play.) It's just that I'm sick of showing up for gigs and some guy asking me what kind of guitar I play and then telling me what kind of guitar HE has and what kind of guitar he USED to own. Not in a sentimental way either. In a way that proclaims his expertise.
A couple of weeks ago, I was at an open mike and heard a guy play a Takamine. Later, he was standing talking to my friend and I said to him, "Nice playing". I only said this because he was looking right at me and I'd had a couple of beers and I felt like I should say something. He said, "Crappy guitar. I'm amazed I could play it at all. Give me a Norman with a blah, blah, blah, pickup and blah, blah sound hole and .." went on while my eyes glazed over. The truth is, he WASN'T a great player and he took himself very seriously. The guitar sounded very nice. It had pitch and a nice tone and sang for him. It was way better than he was. It made me angry. It was like a mediocre jockey criticizing a good but inexpensive horse.

OK, I said horse but I've always felt that guitars are a lot like dogs. They don't have to have papers to be excellent and most of them are better than their owners.