New guitar

I absolutely adore my Taylor (710CE) acoustic-electric. Brand new Taylors are pricey though, up to $800 you'll be in the 100 series and unfortunately I don't know too much about it. There's a Taylor 200 series that I played that I (and a lot of people) love - if you go used you might be able to find a Taylor 214ce Grand Auditorium (not the Koa one) for under $1000 (brand new it's $999).

We wrote up a guide on 4 good acoustic guitars under $500 but unfortunately they didn't take me on that outing (sigh) so I can't really elaborate further. That LX1E Little Martin seems really cool though.

I always read great things about Seagull acoustic guitars from a value and quality perspective. Seagull Maritime SWS to get your search started.

Sub $1000 Breedlove makes some beautiful guitars as well.

if you are going used look for a 70s or 80s Takamine or Yamaha if you don't want a new seagull

because, really, in new guitars the seagulls are the best VALUE going

Ovation Celebrity if you have small hands.

also, if possible play a couple examples of every model to find the one that sounds the ebst to you... they may all play the same, but there's more variation in sound from acoustics than electrics as the wood plays a big role

When I bought my acoustic I closed my eyes and had guitar clerk and wife pass me several guitars... so all I went on was feel and tone. Walked away with an Epiphone and love it. However, I bought the daughter a cheap guitar from an Australian online store Artist guitars, the Blue burst pictured here https://www.artistguitars.com.au/buy/artist-lsps-beginner-acoustic-guitar-pack-with-sma/70001 and I want to record with it over and over. I have fallen in love with this little guitar and I play it daily... Oh, that's AUD$ also. Point to my argument is... Buy the tone you like, not the name on the headstock.

When I bought my acoustic I closed my eyes and had guitar clerk and wife pass me several guitars... so all I went on was feel and tone.

That's very cool... I'd find it so tough not to look! What was your budget at that time?

Was a milestone birthday, there was no budget. Brief was: needed to be cutaway, with pickup, but NO onboard EQ or volume... wanted the guitar to sound the same every time. The best part was, I got handed one guitar and pushed it back after a strum and said "you've already given me that one!" Wife and clerk laughed out loud and called me a freak for being able to tell with my eyes shut. (the thing had a neck like a body builder!!!) The Epi is the red one on my Gear Porn pic and cost $399 AUD.

Was a milestone birthday, there was no budget. Brief was: needed to be cutaway, with pickup, but NO onboard EQ or volume... wanted the guitar to sound the same every time. The best part was, I got handed one guitar and pushed it back after a strum and said "you've already given me that one!" Wife and clerk laughed out loud and called me a freak for being able to tell with my eyes shut. (the thing had a neck like a body builder!!!) The Epi is the red one on my Gear Porn pic and cost $399 AUD.

stage guitars, recording guitars, writing guitars, etc... different guitars are good for different players for different purposes.... I love my beatup old epi for playing with friends and writing, even demoing... but its never made the cut on a professional recording, even versus supposedly inferior isntruments that just had more character and suited the mix better.... and as a stage guitar its not my 1st pik even with a good LR Baggs soundhole pickup and feedback blocker.... great guitar that gets better with age, but not an allarounder so the OP should consider what he wants to do with the new guitar and focus on getting the best guitar for doing that job the way he wants to hear it done... I like your blindfold test, it'll focus him on playability and sound quality, though in his price range he should consider resale and brand name recognition will play a role in the return eh can get on his investment in a financial crisis or if he tires of the instrument in a few years