This design has everything that I value in an acoustic guitar. The nitrocellulose finish, x bracing, animal glue/set neck, all solid wood construction and non-cut version is what an acoustic should be. The pickup is properly paced without interfering with the guitar's integrity. I've heard about anther brand sounding better, and had that opinion myself until I compared them side by side. As far as new finishes and neck designs go, it is only a matter of time that people will return to the traditional way of building quality acoustics. It is going to be a lot like the transistor amp craze...it looks good on paper. My grandfather's 70 year old Gibson is crack free and sounds amazing. Some of the "other" brands are showing up with cracks in less than a year. Too dry, not properly humidified...BS! Grandpa's guitar was never handed with white gloves. The new and improved simply doesn't measure up. Gibson is doing what matters the traditional way. Expensive? yes, but some things are worth paying for.