This is kind of a philosophical question. I'm a 58 year old guy who's been “playing” guitar since I was 18. The quotes are because I've never actually been able to really PLAY the guitar. I would say I learned some tricks that allow me to perform some cool solos (if it's not very fast) and make chords without buzzing the strings. I don't really consider it playing. I've had several guitar ups and downs throughout my life, and because I like doing a lot of different things, sometimes my guitars can hang on the wall for several months just collecting dust. Also, I don't play with other people, I mostly record my own songs and, believe it or not, I can do it reasonably well given my limitations as a guitarist.
Anyway, being a terrible player and, above all, a poor man, my guitars are all Chinese instruments that passed through the hands of a good luthier, which means they sound and play well (by my standards). That's why I never thought about the possibility of investing a lot of money in good guitars. I'm from Brazil, and here guitars with logos like "Gibson" or "Fender" are VERY expensive for us. Some time ago, however, my financial condition improved a little and nowadays I could buy such an expensive/good guitar if I wish.
But my question is: would it be worth the investment? I played a few Gibson and Fender guitars in the range that I can afford (basic models I believe) and honestly felt a little disappointed as they seemed to play and sound exactly like my Chinese axes. Maybe I'm such an amateur that I don't have the ability to notice the differences, I really don't know. So I'll ask again: would it be worth investing a lot of money (for me) in a guitar that won't make a difference to the results I already have? Or am I getting the wrong perception and in the long run they will pay you back?
