Unless you bought a fairly high end guitar many years ago the quality was pretty dreadful but the quality of today's cheaper end guitars surpasses many of the older 60's-80's guitars. There were exceptions of course. I have 2 old EKO's really made very well, over engineered in some aspects but necks are still dead straight without adjustment almost 44 years after I bought them. I have a Gibson which is beautiful and always admired (my playing isn't,the guitar is) My Avalon is in some respects better tonewise and stands detuning better than my Gibson. A friend recently bought a Chinese Guild...it's beautiful and another friend who has an early American Guild says it's better than his. It's such a personal matter. Some people can make a piece of elastic and a wooden crate sound good. Have fun, it certainly helps boost confidence in your playing when you have a decent guitar, no matter how cheap.