I love my Martin 00-16 DB, which I bought from its first owner in 2007 after some 30 years of trying steel-strung guitars (usually Dreadnoughts, the most popular type in eastern Canada) and finding them awkward to play. It has a fine, well-integrated sound and is surprisingly loud for its size -- the spruce top, I presume.

My guitar was built in 1992, and I don't know if that counts as old. It is one of the Women In Music series. If you ever have a chance to play one, try it -- especially if you are short in the torso and have small hands.

All the advice about trying all the guitars until you find the right one is valid. It doesn't cost anything but time to work your way through a rack of instruments to see how they differ, and don't. Also important is understanding what kind of guitar player you are; for example, if you're a jazz guy who likes to solo, look at arch-top types, or if you favour bluegrass or country styles, sit down with a Gibson -- or a guitar by one of the multitude of makers that copy Gibson designs.