How Much Do Construction Methods Influence Your Buying Choice

[Queequeg]

I wouldn't be able to tell anyone how a guitar was made based on playing it.  Someone might play a Taylor and say, "Oh yeah, all this because of the bolt-on design..." or when playing a Gibson, "It's the dovetail that makes the difference for sure..."  I'm honestly suspicious of all such talk.   I've also never heard great musicians talk about such things. They just play music on the guitar that feels good in their hands.  That's what I'm striving for.  YMMV. 

Yeah, same here, SD. 
I can't say what others may/may not hear but I know the limitations of my own listening and hearing capabilities.

However, I recently paid for a neck reset on an old CFM dovetail.
And I can still hear the sound of my bank account draining.

[Gill]

Dovetail neck joints look good and are very traditional but the first time you have to pony up for a neck reset you might wish it was a mortise & tenon joint or a bolt on which are much easier and quicker (read: cheaper) to  repair.
Multi-piece necks are probably less likely to warp and possibly stronger.
What does it all mean?
I like tradition and I respect it.
I like innovation, and inspired advances in technology too.
Edited to add I have a couple carbon fiber guitars which I know are cringe-worthy to many of you.

Don't fret ( no pun intended) Carbon fibre guitars are not cringe worthy to me my friend,I own an Emerald X-30 CF guitar,I'd put it up against a J-200 any day of the week.

[Pilgrim]

If a guitar doesn't sound, feel, and look right to me, consideration comes to a halt.  Next up is durability.  If a guitar has a propensity to need repairs or special care, it's desirability (for me) for suffers considerably.  No-glue neck joints are an advantage here, binding problems a big disadvantage.  Finish is a somewhat minor issue, but I do prefer more durable finishes (so nitro lacquer is a negative for me).  Balance and weight are also important to me, but unless it's extreme, they aren't deal breakers.

[B0WIE]

Finish is a somewhat minor issue, but I do prefer more durable finishes (so nitro lacquer is a negative for me).

Funny, I actually prefer nitro and shellac for longevity. Rather, the fact that they can be repaired/melted into themselves. One stance isn't right or wrong though. It's just a debate between initial toughness and repairability.

[Silence Dogood]

Don't fret ( no pun intended) Carbon fibre guitars are not cringe worthy to me my friend,I own an Emerald X-30 CF guitar,I'd put it up against a J-200 any day of the week.

Years ago I played a CA carbon fiber guitar in a shop that was just killer.  Another time I played an Adamas 12-string that sounded like a thunderstorm -- just absolutely insane tone and volume.   I was impressed on both accounts.  I'm not sure if either of these makers are even still around.  This was probably over 20 years ago. 

All the while I have to admit I'm a Luddite and a stick-in-the-mud in general.  I like old traditional stuff, simple stuff.  It's a flaw on my part that has held me up in many parts of life.  But I'm pretty sure I'd never get used to playing a carbon fiber guitar because of the way I am.
  

[Queequeg]

Years ago I played a CA carbon fiber guitar in a shop that was just killer.  Another time I played an Adamas 12-string that sounded like a thunderstorm -- just absolutely insane tone and volume.   I was impressed on both accounts.  I'm not sure if either of these makers are even still around.  This was probably over 20 years ago. 

All the while I have to admit I'm a Luddite and a stick-in-the-mud in general.  I like old traditional stuff, simple stuff.  It's a flaw on my part that has held me up in many parts of life.  But I'm pretty sure I'd never get used to playing a carbon fiber guitar because of the way I am.
  

I bought a "CA" (stands for Composite Acoustic) back in 2011. They are carbon fiber.
Reason was I live in Michigan and I wanted a guitar I could leave home with, put it in the car on a cold winter day and arrive at a gig and take it out of the case. Also don't have to keep a humidifier for it in the winter time.
I still have it, still play it several times a week. It is very comfortable ergonomically speaking.
I love my beautiful old school traditional guitars and I have a few non-traditional guitars with contemporary innovations that I consider to be the right tool for the job.

[John in Charm City]

I absolutely love my all carbon Emerald.  I also really enjoy not tuning it! 

[John in Charm City]

And I also agree on the earlier Nitro finish comment. I now avoid Nitro just because of the longevity issues.  it is probably the better finish from a sound perspective but just not practical.  I'll know in 15 years if I'm right!

[John Lee Pettimore]

Resurrecting this old thread because I think it's an interesting topic.  The responses exhibit the diversity of thought and "music" here. 

I'm very detail oriented about the build of everything I've been involved with building from houses, to restaurants, to golf courses and clubhouses, to alternative residential and commercial building technologies.   

I can appreciate the idea of carbon fiber guitars.  Though the only one I've heard doesn't motivate me to own one.  So, I am very much attuned to build materials, quality and quality control, as well as the artistry demonstrated both aesthetically and audibly. 

I am a bit of a materials traditionalist with regard to guitars though. I am sold on guitars that fulfill my paradigm which I think is a high bar for performance and reliable longevity. 

[William2]

I think some of my opinions have changes in the last 3 years. I now accept bolt-on necks as a different method of construction, and it just gives the instrument a somewhat different sound. I am fascinated by the work of some individual luthiers and their instruments like Dale Fairbanks. And I appreciate some of the innovations by Taylor Guitars with their new neck setup. I also like the sound of their instruments with the incorporation of fan bracing added to their V class bracing. The instruments now have a much warmer sound. So, I guess a good guitar is a good guitar.

[BlueBowman]

I've played several CF guitars that sounded quite nice, a McPherson being one of my favorites. I also remember playing a particular Rainsong that had the most thunderous bass.

As for details in the construction of a guitar, yeah, I'm a rabbit-hole-nerd on that front. I just wanna understand all the HOW'S and WHY'S. I often end up with the wrong answer, but I still enjoy learning about all the acoustic guitar minutiae. As for which guitar to buy, I think it's best to forget all the technical questions and just find the one that connects with you the most.

So, I guess a good guitar is a good guitar.

Yes, it is.