Just passing through. There are upward of 150 musical instruments here in the studio. Two thirds of them are acoustic. At least 25 acoustic guitars here alone!! In amongst all this stuff there is a Midi trigger drumkit, A midi fiddle and a midi guitar system. There is a lovely acoustic piano and several midi keyboards. There are several pre midi electronic keyboards. The idea that any modern instrument is a travesty of something simply does not hold up in terms of creative efforts. I'm not a very good piano player and I tend to prefer recording performances rather than absolute manipulation. (Not that there's anything wrong with that either!!) The midi guitar allows me to turn in piano performances which are beyond my keyboard skills. This is not cheating, its not wrong and above all it enables me to realise what's in my head. If the initial posters comments held any kind of truth, no music would ever have evolved. We would be chanting and banging stones together. (Actually, thats quite a nice idea. Excuse me while I step into the garden). I doubt if the vihuella virtuosos ever said this about the guitar. I bet they embraced it. Viol players certainly revised their skills on the upstart violin. I'm reminded in all this of Michael Mails cumudgeonly comments (beneath the greenwood tree) about the demise of the serpent and the increasing prevalence of of harmoniums. I would however agree with the original poster about the look of some modern instruments but not, repeat not, about their use and function.