There is another side of acoustic guitar buying that I seldom hear discussed. It could be called the supernatural method.
I am one of those new age types that believes the life of the wood worker is crafted into the instrument.Often you can sense the guitar even before you see it. A guitar that was crafted in darkness will carry that darkness with it!This could be good if you are a blues player. An instrument generated by the life of the creator will in turn generate life to its owner.

A factory or machine made acoustic guitar is not void of soul. Each guitar is the result of an idea that someone had. The guitar was crafted from exotic woods grown in exotic lands. How many years of sunshine and rain are stored in that dreadnought or solid body? Perhaps hundreds of men and women around the world helped to get that guitar to you? If the truth were known would more of us prefer to frequent a guitar store than a museum displaying the art of dead Van-whoever. I sometimes like to look at dead.

There was this time I was shopping for a new acoustic guitar at the local establishment.  I had about $400 in my pocket and was ready to buy a guitar. I had been looking at a particular Takamine acoustic electric. I picked it up and played it again, for the umpteenth time. I liked the looks, the sound, and the feel of this instrument but I was somehow not satisfied with it. There was this very small feeling of buyers remorse starting to set in. I left the guitar on its stand and meant to exit the store with out making a purchase. I was almost out of the store when I had a feeling that I should return to the used guitar department. I was in that area of the store a few minutes before. I noticed an electric solid body but was not interested.
On a whim I made my way to the used guitar section that I had been in earlier that evening but this time I saw the Crafter. I did not know Crafter made quality guitars. This instrument was visually appealing. This guitar and I were made for each other. I took that guitar home that night. I believe that guitar called to me.
There I said it, the guitar called to me. It may appear that I am one of those meditating chi sniffing new age sort of people.

Call it an accident if you want but I believe it was metaphysical. I am certain that music is a much deeper experience than just vibrations in the ear. Even while shopping for a fingerstyle  acoustic guitar.Happy fingerstyle guitar hunting!