We're digressing now, but it's your thread and if you don't mind?

Here's what I've learned from the experience over the past three years this time in 2017 when I bought that initial instrument after such a lengthy hiatus. Since, I've been fortunate to have buckets of time and resources available to me, but most importantly persistent unflagging motivation derived of everyday enjoyment picking up the instrument.

A decent playing and sounding instrument can be had for not a lot of money these days.

Ultimately, once that base criteria is met, how any instrument sounds musically comes down to two primary factors IMV, individual tonal preference/bias subjectivity notwithstanding. The skill/capababilty of the person playing it, but importantly, much more so that what tonewood it's constructed from, [u]the ergonomic fit of the instrument to the person playing it[/u] which facilitates and enhances the former. If an instrument doesn't fit right, it doesn't matter what illustrious name graces the headstock or exotic tonewood it's made of, the player's performance will lack that je ne sais quoi that is self-evident when playing an instrument which does.

So first most for me, I'll pick an instrument which feels good in the fretting hand and to the body English to play. I genuinely don't care whose name is on the headstock. I will care about build quality, finish and to a reasoning degree in how performance will be affected, its construction/components. But I'm a realist in that I'm fully aware neither tonewood nor price amenability without spending on a Taylor or Martin will present as limiting or displeasing factors to my demonstrated performance from any instrument for some time I expect. I think (have observed) this holds true for most of us who've been playing less than a decade, or who aren't professional performing musicians.[br][br]In an acoustic, you'll know it when you experience the right combination for you of scale length, neck profile, fingerboard radius, fret size, nut width, string tension (scooped bridges) and action when all are adjusted. Marry that with the overall right body shape, size, width and overall guitar length for you, and that's a guitar you'll love to play [u]every day[/u]. Then be concerned about what it sounds like to you, if you find its tone pleasing and what you're wanting prioritised over the spec. spin. [br][br]I know I labour the point, but ergonomic fit is so much more than just an aesthetic which screams lust at you or a hypothetical tech spec. which speaks to mind and ego. Owning and playing an instrument which is the right ergonomic fit [u]with you[/u] is like being with your soul mate every day vs spending time with the sexiest most beautiful or richest person on the planet who can provide you with anything material beyond your wildest expectation, but with whom you have little else in common for want of a more apt analogy.