Mom's Credit Card

So who makes the best guitar? Who's guitars always have tone (tone monster) mojo? Come on... gotta be one... right? Fender... Gibson, Linhof, Nash, GVCG, PRS...how about those 1980's '57 reissues I was talking about. I have bought and owned and sold scores of guitars... and even guitars by the same masterbuilder do NOT guarantee tone. I have owned two guitars, built by the same masterbuilder. One was 'nice'. I took it for a set up, and picked it up, without any comment from the luthier. The OTHER, I went down to get, and the luthier WAS PLAYING IT when I came in. Likewise, when they built all those limited edition Gibson Doubleneck SG's for Jimmy Page, he hand chose a select group out of many that he liked the sound of. I am sure all the guitars he was handed had equally good wood and workmanship... and identical electronics etc. But even Jimmy knew... some sounded great... some sounded good... and some were meant to go on a wall for display. I have bought Nash guitars... some sounded amazing, some sounded good... but so far, none sounded bad. I have bought and sold 6 Nash guitars to date... each one went to a happy home. I like what a recent rock musician said in VGM (Vintage Guitar Magazine)... I look for guitars that sound good... if they don't then I don't want them. That doesn't mean I don't pass along some winners... most of the Nash Guitars I have sold were really great sounding guitars, and one I really should have kept (but as I say, I have enough great sounding guitars). Have I had any dogs? Yes. But not in the past year... I am developing a tried-and-true process of guitar aquisition, that will not allow me to get involved with dogs. Last dog I had was about 2 years ago... let's call it 'Brand X'... I kept it for less than one day, and called up the store to return it. The guy there was angry...he actually accused me of being 15... that I had wasted his time, and was now banned from ever shopping with him again. Why? Because I am sure I was the third or fourth guy to return that guitar to him, and he knew he was now stuck with it... the guitar maker is still making guitars, so I don't want to ruin his life... but if you ever get a dog, call up the store immediately, and ask them to return it... even if they accuse you of using your Mom's credit card...