You can't beat a cheap mini rig that just sounds good. To this day, one of the best sounding rigs I have ever heard is an SWR Workingman combo, and it was just a little 4x10. A lot of it was the fingers playing the bass, though. A good musician can make nearly anything sound good.
I have a nice acoustic now, but I recently played a Martin acoustic that I nearly melted with because it felt so perfect. I think I will stick with the Takamine for the rest of this year, and pick up the Martin next year.
Lastly, you're right. He has been one of my main inspirations for many years. Not so much the playing style (hard for me to mimic), but rather his contribution to the community. If you have never had a chance to read the book about him written by Bill Milkowski, then I HIGHLY recommend it.
That is a Peavey Cirrus 4 NT in claro walnut. Plays like buttah!