I suffer from GAS. "Guitar acquisition syndrome". My wife suffers from NYABASG fatigue. "No you aint buying another sodding guitar". As one who obsessively loiters in guitar shops I can say that these Canadian guitars - Norman, Seagull, and Simon & Patrick are the best in years so far as consistent quality and price are concerned. No, my S&P is not as good as my Martin HD28 or my 1977 Rob Armstrong but as a carry-about, jobbing, easily insured treasure of a guitar it comes close for session and club work. And at £250 as opposed to £2500 for my Martin I cannot honestly say that the HD28 is ten times better even if I do love it to bits.

Frustrated Guitar maker? The trouble is no-one can guarantee or predict the tone, volume, character of an unmade guitar. Makers with reputations have waiting lists of months or years, have prices that take you into top range production models, and at the end of the day may turn out something that just doesn't speak to the buyer. Try giving away ten guitars to ten top players. If you can persuade them to play your wares in public your order book will fill overnight.

The really great makers I have known don't get frustrated. They don't make guitars primarily to sell. They make them because they love making them. Maybe that's the secret.