no one mentioned moon. i heard one played by mathew ord at the cecil sharp house and it was very nice--and they aren't too expensive.

really high end guitars are getting pricey. i have plaeded two sobels and they were fantastic, esspecially for the finger picker but they are pricey.i played one flyde and it was nice but a it too bright and uncomplicatd in tone--i like overons and moody sounds, even in a bright guitar--which the flyde certainly was bright

i have an old mahogony lowden jumbo, made by him, that's a greatguitar and cost me $1700. i actually prefer mahogony for his jumbos. and i have one of his japanese made factory guitars that is warmer in soud but not as loud or bright, but it survived a fire and has a lot of odd cracks etc. much water damage. its the world's best beach guitar.

being canadian i don't often get to play british made guitars. however i have heard several people rave aout chisolm recently.

if i had my choice with money no issue i'd get a sobel, but for a complex great guitar at a reasonable price i like lowdens

however being canadian i have several canadian guitars--we have alot of great builders as well. and i have a beat up fifties gibson j 45 that has the woody tone people pray for. very loud and prety well balanced. the high e string gets lost so i put an a guage string on their to give it some definition. i didn't much like gibson's untill i played this one.

if i had to go down to one guitar it would be a tight race between a lowden or a canadian made ted thompson, so go lowden, they are very versitile guitars.