Well Steve N. as far as this "trading up" and Guitar Acquisition Syndrome business it is sort of 3 pronged.

(1) The way my male midlife crisis appears to be manifesting itself. (Harmless but expensive.)

(2) I like variety in the music that I play. Sure one guitar would be sufficient, in the same way I could eat nothing but a toasted club sandwich and a coke every single day. But my moods and recording objectives change, as does my style of pickin'. For that reason I like having the option of having a guitar to play that suits my mood, and I do have a profound appreciation of a good instrument, and I'm not a bad picker.

(3) A partial goal in attaining these instruments I own, is that they are not only "players", but also with an appreciative dollar value, and I suppose that someday under the right conditions one or more of them will be parlayed into something pre-war, since these are the ultimate collectable instruments. I can have something that awes me to play or just stare at with a big toothy dumb grin, and my children will have an instrument legacy to either play themselves or sell off as part of their inheritance. I invest in what I love. It's that simple. Some people invest in the stock market, commodities, real estate, art, coins, stamps, and other artifacts. For me it happens to be older Martins. To each his own.

Since there is nothing I would rather do in my spare time that fingerpick or flat pick a guitar, I see myself as just a picker in my heart and soul. I can always find the energy to play when I don't have it for other things.