Well, today I finalized my decision to keep the Brunton classical guitar. I have played it quite a lot over the past several days and have done a lot of reading about classical guitars and how to choose the right one. In the process, I discovered why lattice bracing, the side port, as well as the fact that this one has a "12 hole bridge" and what that means, the differences between cedar and spruce tops, why hand made vs factory, etc, etc. But all of that stuff aside, this one is definitely "it" for me. There is just something about it overall that I really musically connect with as with no other guitar I have played. It is all paid for in cash and done, and now mine.
I hope to be making some videos with it in the near future, as well as "thinning the herd" because this is the one I have "bonded with". I don't think I ever really understood that term until now, but I certainly recognize that it has happened to me. That experience is clearly different from the usual GAS cycle of bringing home new guitars. In fact, I suspect that until that happens, we will GAS, looking for that experience. This is nothing more than a working theory right now, so time will tell.
Tony