Where in MD are you located, Red? I've been playing the geetar for about 17 years so I've been to many of the MD/DC/VA music stores over the years. So, I might be able to point you in a direction to a shop that'll have something up your alley. Am I right in guessing that the "MC" in your sig is for Montgomery County? If so then there are a few bigger stores that'll be worth checking out if you haven't already (Venemans, Victor Litz, Chuck Levin, Southworth Guitars, et cetera). I'm not sure what kind of Martin's are going to be in your price range though, but these days they make so many different models it's hard to tell one from another.
If you must have an acoustic then there are other brands other than Martin that make guitars equal in quality w/o paying for the name. One fantastic example that I definitely would encourage you to look into is Seagull. They're made in Canada and the quality is top notch, but their prices are very reasonable. You'd def get a higher quality (well, at least better optioned) Seagull for your money than you'd get in a Martin. I used to own a 12 string Seagull a while back and it was fantastic, but I traded it in on something else (I think my Ovation Custom Legend, but I forget offhand). Takamine, Tacoma, and Alvarez also make some really decent acoustics in that range too. Oh, and I think Breedlove & Taylor now have lower cost lines that probably fit into your range which I'm sure are very nice.
Don't get me wrong as Martin's are fantastic guitars and sound like nothing else, but you do pay a premium for the brand name too. Granted, if you were to ever sell it it would be easier and retain a good bit of value for that reason alone. Anyway, don't be afraid to try out a whole bunch of guitars before you buy so you get the one that's right for you.
