Well Spaw, You know you're right.

All I was trying to say, in my awkward way, was that a dud could be made better but probably not appreciably so. I was trying diplomacy, but my former job as a union negotiator should tip us all off that maybe I'm not too good at diplomacy. The truest evidence of my opinion and approach is my purchase of 3 handbuiltoneofakinders, all of which are superlative guitars. Now, I gots a beater that with some care became a super-beater campfire axe, but is still not world class. Now it is possible that a good axe can be disguised as a dud by a bad saddle, strings, nut and the like, but if that's what its got, it was likely a dud to start with. However, it's worth a try, given the expense of a replacement guitar.

Btw, I have one pawnshop bought Harmony flat-top that's cool and there are others like it out there that are better than mine, solid wood too. Great fun.

Peace, Mooh.