[slewis]

My thought is that, at this price range, you'll have a lot of choices, many of which might fall into anyone's "better" and "best value" category. I personally don't think that anyone else can tell you what will be better for you in such a target-rich environment. I'm a big Larrivee fan but yes, you'll find Martins and Breedloves and Taylors and others that all merit your attention, and no two guitars are the same. Bottom line, yes, you want to be happy with this purchase, so play as many of all these as you can and let your ears and hands (and eyes) be your guide.