Thank you for the help and suggestions! It looks as if the endpin thing is fairly common - apparently the makers put them in an envelope in the packing but this instrument was on display where it hung on a rack so the pin and packing were not there.

Anyway on Monday I am assured that the pin will be found in the back or somewhere they unpack display stuff. It seems that if you find a good sounding guitar in the display area then there may be things not there that would be if it was in another part of the store. I hope this is not confusing...

About different instruments by the same maker; often I find that several models will sound ummm fair to impressive but occasionaly on trying one - does not have to be a new one! - it will sound outstanding.

Well this one is such a box. In fact many a time I would try boxes in the stores and cringe because I could not buy it. A great example I recall was an 'Everett' - hope I spelled that right.

Other thing for me at least is that I used dread Martins in the hands of learners near to me in jams since they would drown me out with bad playing. Now I have to learn to play lightly all the time so as not to be a pain in the neck for others at jams.

This box is very very loud- my mussus, also plays things, says it sounds like it has an amplifier inside of it.