"Aside from HiFi gear, I doubt there is another industry SO full of emotional marketing, dark obscure magic and so much mis-information accepted as fact as guit

"Aside from HiFi gear, I doubt there is another industry SO full of emotional marketing, dark obscure magic and so much mis-information accepted as fact as guitars and especially guitar amps." Similar industry -- so it might not count as a separate example -- but the high end of the market for speakers and stereo equipment is nuts. There's not as much romanticism and near-mysticism as there is in the guitar market, but there's plenty of uberexpensive, tube-thingy tech from the 1950s. A buddy of mine has a setup in his living room that could reasonably pass for an ENIAC panel at first glance.