Some fantastic points here.
Though I won't go through each of them, i do want to add a general rule of thumb.
Items you remember from Live as being interesting, will likely be more interesting in AEQ. Crushbone drops/quested items are a great example of this. Changes like this have been made throughout the world, and is most easily noticed in each city's newbie armor/weapon quests.
I'll talk with Bubbles about starting a new forum here for itemization, that can break things down by weapon/slot type. People could share pics of fun drops they have found, or note for staff that a particular item might need some attention.