Hey Midchuck, what kind of electric did Doc play in the 50's? And did you mean to say he asked Gallagher to design a neck like a Gibson electric? A Les Paul comes to mind for some reason...
Reminds me of great deals I stupidly passed up...there was a luthier at Winnipeg Folk Fest a few years ago who was in the midst of a divorce settlement--needed quick cash to split with his ex. He had a very nice new dreadnought with a thin electric-feeling neck, and was selling it for 50% off--a mere $600 Cdn. I felt a bout of GAS coming on strong, but tragically we were too broke for even that much.
I will allow there is one brand of electric-acoustic that a lot of acoustic players tried and liked, but I never warmed up to--the Godin Acousticaster. Seems like the electronics in it go funky after awhile--one Canadian performer in particular, a good player but with a very strong attack, I've heard getting a particularly horrible sound out of it, like a bad garage band doing Black Sabbath.
So Tunesmith if you're still reading, what is this Doc Watson album that bothered you so, was it live? I've only ever been totally thrilled with the times I've seen him perform in concert. Once with Merle (classic), once with Sam Bush (satori) and once with Bill Monroe (nirvana).
And I also disagree with your suggestion that he couldn't use a microphone effectively because he can't see it. As anyone who ever met him knows, Doc is both a musical genius and a supremely sensitive--as in, he sees with his ears, and leads with his heart--human being. I met him in a crowded dressing room and he was aware of everyone there, and making a point of graciously acknowledging each of us earnest young folkies. If he wanted to mike his guitar he would listen to the monitors to position it effectively.