Just a quick note to let everyone know that I am suffering from extreme indecisiveness. My latest desire is a Collings CJ but I still need to go play n price. (what a drag haha) It could be a little more time than I initially thought but I will let you know where I land. BTW, the mcpherson is not completely out of the picture but unlikely at this point.
Guitar experts
Since it sounds like you’ll be shopping… if you find a deal on a Santa Cruz RS let me know 
I’m on it!!! 
These are the types of decisions I wish to have and wish I could afford. If time is not an issue, take as much as you like to find “the one”. There are so many wonderful instruments out there, some that nearly play themselves and others who sound like angels singing. If you find one that sounds like angels singing all by themselves, buy it.
About 17 years ago, I went to purchase my first “expensive” acoustic guitar. I had saved up $2000 and thought it time to spend more than $300 on an instrument. I was particularly looking for a Martin (a life long dream). I went to this wonderful acoustic guitar store (no longer in business) and played all manner of Martin, Gibson, Collings, Santa Cruz and much more all kept in a perfect 47% humidity environment. There was this one small bodied Collings that fit my description above. Had I had two and a half times as much cash as I was holding that day, it surely would have come home with me. As it was, I came home with a particularly nice Martin M38. If you can find the one, find it, buy it and play it, you won’t be sorry… and take your time. Enjoy the ride!
As always, great advice Doc! I think I am pretty much done buying guitars unless I replace something or find “the one guitar to rule them all.” Those are so rare (and it makes sense… people snatch them up and hang on to them). I have come across only a couple acoustics that seemed to be that for me. I have often wondered if I could go back and try them months or years later would the magic still be there. In some cases, I am sure it would, but in others I suspect not. I have found that going home and sleeping on it sometimes has a profound dampening effect on the way I perceive the tone (and thus my enthusiasm to part with my money). If it still sounds as sweet the next day, then that’s a pretty good sign. Another thing I like to do is bring one of my own to compare. It helps me to have a known reference.
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I tried two or three McPhersons at Wilcutt Guitars in Kentucky about three years ago
J.W.
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I just went back and re-read the recent posts… I need to get back to Wilcutts one of these days. I’d like to see what it has become. I used to go there pretty regularly back when it seemed like a small room stuffed with all sorts of musical items. If I remember correctly I bought our first large mixing board there after we found it in it’s case under a pile of lights or something. I do remember the first time I saw Ben Lacy. The guy was (and still is) one of the best guitarists I have ever been around. He was standing out front in the little traffic divide in front of Wilcutts playing for the traffic with a sign trying to get people to come in for lessons. He just stood there smiling, waving and shredding, presumably for hours. I probably haven’t been to Wilcutts in about 25 years. I suspect Bob wouldn’t remember me, but that’s ok… for some reason I always got the impression he didn’t particularly like me
Sorry for my reminiscing… back to the regularly scheduled program.
Sorry John. With all my reminiscing I couldn’t resist a further highjack…
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulC9TUqIjtg[/video]
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I need to get back to Wilcutts one of these days. I’d like to see what it has become.
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I wish I could tell you what it has become, but the first time I was ever there was what I mentioned earlier. I’ve only been there twice.
They have a good inventory of high end instruments, and I was treated extremely well. They were very hospitable. I met Bob the second trip. If he’s who I’m thinking of, he spends most of his time in the repair shop and really seems to know what he’s doing. They have a second building across the street with more instruments (most in cases) for online purchases to be shipped out. They were nice enough to let me try some of those guitars as well. That’s where I played the Collings CW.
Then there’s a third building which is where the repair shop is and a nice display of classic and historic instruments.
So if there was only one building when you used to go, seems that Bob has done quite well.
I’d never heard of Ben Lacy, glad you brought that to our attention. The girl looks like Muriel Anderson. Do you know who the rest of the musicians are? Good stuff!
J.W.
Correct, that is Muriel. I’d have to go look again, but I think Phil Keaggy is next to her. As for the others, I don’t know, but I suspect they are all studly guitarists. We can leave it out there for others to fill in the missing blanks.
no hijacking goin on. This is excellent stuff and it all pertains. Just wish I could see the video. All I got is a black screen???
John, I have no idea if a direct link instead of an embedded video would make any difference, but I figured it’s worth a try. Here’s a link to the video that was a few posts back.
youtube.com/watch?v=ulC9TUqIjtg
Ben Lacy… nothing short of truly amazing!!! (might be burning all my stuff)
Been having a rough time deciding but I think I’m just going for one of these
store.drumbum.com/skuMGMSC-371.html
It’s a lot less money. I could play it all day. and I know I could play it as good as anybody!!! 
John
John, I don’t know about that one. It looks like it is braced like a tank. I bet it sounds like crap
…sorry 
In all seriousness, my drummer has an electric guitar he wants me to fix up. He says it is “made from a big solid wood toilet seat and weighs about 20 pounds.” I can’t wait to get that and fire it up.