Re: epiphone acoustic or something else?
it's not a cutaway but at the top of your price range you could get an inspired by 1964 texan in vintage cherryburst. I prefer non cutaway acoustics because they have a bigger tone to them since all the wood surface remains intact and I rarely go above the 14th fret playing acoustic.
I own one and it's a fantastic a/e. Solid Sitka Spruce top with solid mahogany back (the sides may be laminate mahogany). But with a bone nut and bone saddle you'll have a very very nice sounding acoustic/electric without dropping a huge chunk of $$$
I should mention I own 3 Epiphone acoustics I think very highly of them and I want more of them all the time.
I have an EJ200 in vintage sunburst added an undersaddle pickup+bone nut/saddle, Masterbilt AJ500R natural added an undersaddle pickup,st and the Ins by 64 Texan in cherryburst added bone nut/saddle.