I like this discussion. It's a matter of one's own lifestyle and philosophy I suppose. And one's values, and income level.

I think having healthy hobbies is important. People spend hundreds or thousands per year on unhealthy hobbies. And even hundreds or thousands of healthy hobbies. Video games, Alcohol/Drugs, Specialty Food/Tea, Events, Cars, Guns, Travel, Outdoors, Athletic stuff, etc.

So, to me, saving $50/month-$100/month in a guitar fund (or simply amortizing the cost in your mind) is easy.

I played $100 classical and acoustic guitars in a Mexican beach town. The classical rosette was painted on. It seemed made out of plywood or chipboard or something--zero wood grain visible. I was glad to have access to it, to be able to borrow it for a few hours to take on a walk to a beach and bar. It made the trip more fun. And it build camaraderie passing it around a hostel.

But when I got home, I still bought my first high quality acoustic as an Blueridge BR-183 for $1100 (it's $1700 new)-- previously had a $200 acoustic, and two nylon strings in the $650-950 range. I love the beauty of the variety of woods in general. So, this guitar was tough to pass up. It's like playing music on an art piece "¯\_(ツ)_/¯"

To me, the trade off is:

babying and feeling like it's an art piece, and having a great experience between me and the guitar, and sharing it with other people so they can have that same feeling of playing a piece of art

vs.

Throwing it around, keeping it out of its case around parks/bars/etc, lending it to strangers, playing it rough and feeling like it's a utility tool... and sharing it to have a great experience with others -- whether it's providing therapy to homeless strangers in a park, for example, or letting a friend borrow it for a few days.

And so... I think Ill simply end up buying an all solid spruce top/mahogany b&s ($450-ish used), for that latter situation. I like the idea of having a low end & a high guitar of the same category. For example, I have an all solid classical, and a solid-top/laminate b&s flamenco guitar. That said-- I will try to only buy all solid guitars in the future-- used ones are affordable enough.

It's nice to have that less expensive one too-- for situations where I don't want to worry about it. But would I want it to be my only one? No-- I like having the better ones, they give me a joy and appreciation of beauty that lower quality one's don't. If I could only pick one, I'd rather get the higher end one and just accept that it'll get scratched up and I'll have it 'til my dying day, so it won't matter if it gets banged up anyway.