What should I replace my Martin DR with?

Question:

What should I replace my Martin DR with?

My son is in college and has a lot of expenses as you can imagine. He needed money...hundreds of dollars...and I had no money at the time to give him, so I liquidated some of my music equipment...I sold my Martin DR acoustic guitar.
At some point, I'd like to get another acoustic guitar....but maybe not one as expensive this time. Do you think an Epiphone acoustic, like a Hummingbird, would be good? It costs much less than a Martin but looks great. Anyone have any experience with them?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: It's good for the price - it's got a solid top but it's got real heavy bracing so the sound doesn't project like on a Martin. It sounds somewhat muted to me. Alvarez Artist Series are really good (more $$ though) as is the Takamine EG series.
Play a Washburn D10S or D30S and compare them to the Epiphone - The Washburns are rated higher in Acoustic Guitar Magazine. They're not as pretty, but they sound better to me. You can get a D10S with a case for $270. Here's the best advice I can give you.

Go to the music store and take along a guitar player friend if you have one. Take in hand all of the acoustics you think you'd like and play them. Note which ones FEEL good, and then note if they have the sound you want based on your first impression.

If there's more than one model of a type that feels good, play each one. Among acoustics, there's some variability in manufacture--some guitars get luckier wood than others. So one Epiphone will sound a teensy better than another identical Epiphone.

When you've got a few guitars that feel and sound good, get your friend (or the sales clerk if no friend) to play the same tunes on each guitar while you sit with your back turned listening just to the sound. (Identify the guitars by number). The one that sounds best to you when you're not looking at it will be the one you want to buy.

Of course, don't look at anything outside your price range.

I'm an Ovation lover myself, and since they're part plastic there's less variability--you can find cheap ones on ebay! damn.

Well, it is what it is.

I say get an alvarez. Good quality for the price. But, if you are thinking between those two - I'd say give the hummingbird a try!