This is an intersting thread.

When you go to any of the blues clubs in Dallas, on a jam night, where several acts appear ... you will probably see 20 guitars (not counting basses) - 19 of them will be Strats. When you go to folk session in Dallas and you see 20 guitars, 15 of them will be Martins. I guess that means folkies are not as set in their ways as blues musicians!

I love to hear the discussion on fine instruments like Larrivee and Santa Cruz; yeah they're darn expensive, and affording one is very difficult on an average income ... but it is possible.

My Larrivee J10 is a most impressive instrument. It has a huge splashy piano sound with a powerful bottom and crisp highs. I walked into a club I had never played in Dallas one day last month, and as I opened my case to prepare my set, one of the other musicians said, "Oh, you're the guy with the Larrivee - I've been waiting to hear this!" I had to laugh. My guitar's reputation had preceeded me!