I'm pretty sure that non-players rarely take note of the name on an instrument, and if they notice anything striking about the sound (good or bad), they're more likely to chalk it up to the player's talent, not to the quality of the intrument.

What they *will* notice is anything remarkable about the guitar's appearance -- quirky off-center soundholes, extra mother-of-pearl, fancy pickguards like on Gibson Doves and Hummingbirds, etc.