im sorry to hear that jack.. i really am.. i can understand that bond you would have with an instrument that you have had for 40 years. i still have, and play, my first guitar, my mom bought it for me in '86. it has been delegated as my 'lake' guit-fiddle, so it dont matter if it gets banged around a bit.. oh, BTW, guitars float, just in case you were curious. found that out the hard way when i let a drunk cowboy play my guitar on a moving boat.. BIG MISTAKE.. but, the guitar, and the cowboy, dried out just fine, and all is well. luckily, it had a fresh coat of polish, and the water beaded right up, and wiped of.. although i couldnt sing for a few days, being that i had my heart stuck in my throat.. scared the hell out of me.
bigjohn
