Outside Package. It`s whats inside that counts.

Oh yeah ... big time from my Dad!

He's 78 and I guess that entitles him to comment on whatever he wishes. I love him greatly, but he has quirks like the rest of us. He has to comment regularly on my guitars (4), and moreso about the fishing rods (8). There are three analogies which relate to him that I've had somewhat moderate success with:

Golf Clubs - a #1 wood is great for teeing off, but there are different situations throughout the game where different clubs are required. Like that, music has different styles that are played in different ways.

Tools - a hammer is great for pounding in nails, but a carpenter needs many other tools to build a piece of furniture. Like that, fishing in different conditions for different species requires different tools.

Cooking -  a fryingpan is great for making bacon & eggs, but if one wishes to bake cookies or make a fish chowder, a different cooking pot is needed.

The quality issue is quite another. Some folks have bought into the "It's only a deal if it's cheaper!" mentality, but there are very few situations in life where this holds true! If something is only for temporary or occasional use, quality probably isn't a priority. But if a person intends to keep something and use it regularly over the long-term, the best deal is usually to buy the best one that can be afforded. Many people are just too lazy to bother learning about the item they're going to buy, apart from price shopping on Amazon.

We know that foreign VS domestic manufacturing affects that logic a lot, but a discerning buyer learns to look way beyond the price tag. A guy I know is in the industrial clothing business, and has this sign on the back of his office door:

"There's always someone who can make it a little worse, and sell it a little cheaper."

That's my "two-cents-worth", and even at that price it's not much of a bargain! 

Oh yeah, people say I have expensive taste. I buy what I want when I can afford it. But I try to find the best deal I can get. Buy what you want when you can afford it. It doesn't matter what, not everyone agrees on what has value. If you get happiness from what you have that's all that matters. In many cases like your Gibson it has more monetary value than most people know. Don't worry about them, it didn't cost them a thing.
Enjoy the fruit of your labors.

  Joe

I do not worry about people like that,it is a waste of time so best too ignore the comments.To answeryour question yes I have relitives like that.

I've spent lots of money over the years on guitars, canoes, kayaks, rafts, camping and fishing gear.  If you break it down to the cost of use however, it's only pennies per hour.  A  brand-name $1500 guitar is still worth at least $1000 after 10 years (some may be worth more than you paid originally).  If you averaged playing an hour a day the actual cost would be about 11 cents an hour, not counting the years of enjoyment.  By contrast, a $100 dinner at a nice restaurant will still leave you feeling hungry 8 hours later.

DE