Alliekatt said: "Modern acoustics nowadays are laminated, but since most of them have tinny internal pickups, it doesn't really matter when they're plugged in."

Alliekatt, what makes you think that modern acoustic guitars are laminated? Any guitar that costs more than about $800 will be made of solid wood. Taylor, Martin, Goodall, Lowden, Collings, Everett, Froggy Bottom, Larivee, and Santa Cruz, to name a few, are primarily solid wood instruments. I agree that any guitar with a piezo style pickup inside sounds more like the pickup than like the guitar, but not that most guitars have them.

The quality of the instrument definitely makes a difference, both in what it is possible to play and in how good it will sound. Yes, a good player will make that $300 Yamaha -- or the $25 Silvertone -- sound as good as it can, but the fact is that a $2800 Goodall will offer a much wider and richer palette of sounds for the guitarist to work with. And there will be a range of techniques that can be played on the good guitar that are not possible on the cheapie.

The REALLY bad guitars can cause a new player to not want to practice enough, and to not get enough out of the time they spend practicing. I often find myself in the position of advising people about their first guitar purchase. I always tell them to get a good sounding and good playing inexpensive guitar (Simon and Patricks or Seagulls are really good for this). If they don't play a lot and don't really push the skills, they will never need to buy another guitar. If they practice every day and start getting to be a good player, they will know when they have outgrown the beginner instrument. And they will have acquired, through experience, a very clear idea of what they are seeking in a nice guitar, both for feel and for sound.

John