re: #12 makeitstop
I bought a ‘travel guitar’ (actually a 7/8 size acoustic and not one of those sawn-off looking ones) from a company called Walden Guitars.
American company, guitars are built in China, but built well, with real spruce and mahogany and good bracing and quality tuners, and reasonably priced. Also worth a look.
Know anything about Carvin? Their plant & showroom is next to my new job.