God, I know that one, although minus the grandkids. I have an affinity for collecting instruments that get neglected. My go-to, everyday guitar is an Epiphone acoustic that never goes out of tune, but I have a Yamaha classical that goes on the road with me - size matters in the RV. A day without a guitar is like a day without sunshine. My pride, though, is the 1950's Harmony. It's both pretty and has an incredible sound. They literally don't make them like they used to. My wife doesn't understand why I have so many - electric, acoustic, classical, 12-string, ukes... But they all sound and play differently. It's like asking which kid you like better...
Harmony were factory stamped guitars, never crafted, rarely sounded beyond mediocre. Pre Gibson Epiphones were better than the Gibsons of their day. If your Epiphone manages to stay in tune, you or someone else changed the heads, as I did with my Guild 212, or it is a relatively recent Epiphone. More modern heads make the difference. One of my long time college friends scored an Epiphone J45 which was beat up when he got it at Manny's in 1966. He still plays it and the tone is magnificent. It was made in 1938. Very rare even then. He paid $140 for it. Today it is valued at greater than $80k. Gibson's J45 is a design taken from Epiphone.
I have two of luthier Eli LaCosta's guitars, a close friend, gifted to me from him. One for classical, one for jazz. I'm afraid to touch them. 89 year old Eli currently is the chief luthier at Lincoln Center, teaching and repairing, making the occasional string instrument. When we met, he had just opened his shop in Corona Queens, after having fled Franco's Spain. I wandered in, and my mouth fell open when he told me his guitars started at $10k. I had been buying guitars in pawn shops, rarely paying more than a $150. I told him that, and he said "we can still be friends." He allowed me to play one of his guitars, and then said "maybe not friends." We have been friends ever since. He has made guitars for Montoya, Segovia, De Lucia, McLaughlin, among many privileged others during his career, one of his first for Django Reinhardt. One of his violas crafted more than 30 years ago, sold for $250k at an estate auction last year, a bargain. The last guitar he built, a custom order, sold for $120k to John Pizzarelli. A guitar for his own pleasure, not to be endangered when performing. Eli had been apprenticed to Paulino Bernabe sr. Paulino Bernabe jr. is now one of the world's best living luthiers. He and Eli are as close as geography and time allow. Eli made my niece's viola and violin for her when she turned 14 5 years ago. When her teachers heard her play them, they were stunned. Both by the instruments and her, more so by the instruments. She visits him, plays for him for hours while he works. He tells her she makes him forget about time and the pains of age.
Yes, each guitar sounds unique, some from the worst sources sounding better than the best from the best sources, and some from the best sources sounding worse than than the worst from the worst sources. I've played Martins that sucked and Stella's that had marvelous tone. It is always also a question of the ear. A guitar will sound different between any two people, sounding excellent to one, mediocre to the other. When I first approach an acoustic, I stick my nose in the sound hole. Better guitars have a noticeable aromatic appeal for me. A starting point for evaluation. We adults are so passionate about our toys.
I am quite well aware of my prejudices... but it's always easier to point out others'.
