Actually plastic gutars have been around quite awhile...Macaferri (sp) being one their pioneers. From what I've read, when well made they're actually supposed to play and sound quite well...it's just they have a stigma about them. I recall reading a story that Segovia was given one (a plastic one) from Macaferri (sp)and he actually was quite impressed with it, but then disappointed Macaferri (sp) by not agreeing to play it in public as he thought it would possibly be perceived as a toy instrument. That was probably 50 years ago. Since then, synthetics and perceptions of synthetics has changed...the leader being Rainsong guitars with their graphite bodies. It's interesting, though, that many early 60's Fenders had Gibson SG's had super high gloss finishes that when sitting on music store walls almost gave the impression of being plastic coated (not that they were.) Those sure took off...