Colvon, I try to avoid music shops and trade shows as I always come out in a bad mood cos I cant have something or other! I walked into a shop in Swansea a few years back and a guitar caught my eye. I played it for a few minutes (half an hour apparently) and went back a few days later (after dreaming about it) and bought it, I was younger then! Same thing happened when on a day trip to Western Super Mare, got off the bus, saw a music shop saw a guitar played it, the wife said buy it if you want...so I did. But that was the end of my collecting. I even get my strings on line rather than go to a music shop in case I get itchy fingers!
Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.