Thanks guys. All of you have given good information and ideas.

Bill--the guitar described sounds similar to mine except my top is not laminated and it does have a pickguard. It also looks and sounds better than "charming in a way." Wouldn't you love to know what a phrase like means when applied to an instrument? If they are asking $325 mine is probably worth getting appraised.

Bruce, I had thought about doing just that, but now my sister has found him a Fender youth guitar that she is giving him for Xmas. And it really just has never seemed right to modify the guitar like that, though I don't know why I feel that way.

Now--how does the auction work?

Janie