I have been reviewing Folk CDs for twenty years and I am appaled at the lack of quality production that turns potentially good product into unlistenable pap. I suppose the ease, and relatively low cost, of independant production is the main cause of this epidemic of misguided ego projection. In the old days, record labels provided jurying and oversight, free from the subjective blindness of the artist. No label would have released some of the CDs I have heard. Half of them would never have been made and half would never have been released in their slipshod state. I can't help those whose recordings are beyond help but, for the rest of you, here are some ideas to consider before you invest your time, your dreams and your hard earned cash.
1. If you possably can, use a professional engineer in a real studio and let him do do the voodoo that he do so well. Think of it as taking out insurance.
2. Get a producer and make sure that he is objective. Friends and relatives are grand for celebration or solace but not so good for detatched judgement.
3. Never, and I mean NEVER be the final vote. If you can't find a real producer, ask a stranger and do what he says. He may be wrong but, at least, he will be brutally honest and, if you can't impress a stranger, how do you expect to impress a buying market?
4. Avoid "live performance" recording. Good recordings have been made outside the studio but they are expensive and tricky. It is true that a live performance has a verve and magic that can't be captured in a studio but, without expert engineering and costly eqipment, you are unlikely to reproduce that magic.
5. Understand that there is a world of difference between a performance and a recording. Without the intimacy and immediacy of performance, a recording must rely on a level of technical excellence that will withstand the rigors of repitition. Even Pete Seeger's recordings are shallow versions of his concerts and, if it's true for Pete, it's true for the rest of us.

If you guys have any specific questions, I will be glad to offer tips.
Good luck to everyone.