[QUOTE=Hesh1956]
What do you suppose that some of the reasons why d***ds are so popular among factory guitar buyers are? Availability, legendary models, and/or to the untrained ear louder sounds better? [/QUOTE]
Hesh,
I would directly attribute this to the C.F. Martin Company. When I was growing up, you could buy gibsons, harmonys, Aria's and a bunch of other brands of guitars at almost any guitar store. If you wanted the top dog in guitars, you usually had to travel a long way, place an order and then wait to get a Martin Guitar which was considered the best of the best. For most of my early life I didnt even know that Martin made anything BUT Dreads.
Because of this, most other guitar comapnies made dreads too just so they could compare apples to apples. It became the industry standard because of this. I think you will find that most serious bluegrassers wont even think about anything except a dread and if they are really serious they wont even look at anything except a Martin. This may be changing now that Taylor has become such a powerhouse in the market with excellent guitars.
Most of the folk and acoustic rock stars of the 60's and 70's played dreads also, and I am sure this helped spread the idea that a dread is the only serious guitar. CSN&Y, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Jim Crocie, Joe Cocker, Jimmy Buffet... the list goes on and on, but all are dread players.