I think the Epi "Masterbuilts" are in a different pricing ballpark than their laminate brothers...but I've read some good reports on 'em. That Godin lineup is really decent bang fer the buck...but I'm not sure even their best models are solid wood back and sides...maybe wrong on that. I tend not to like cedar topped gits as much as spruce; a bit to mellow sounding for my likes and cedars a lot softer wood so it will ding up more easily...great for finger-picking tho. But I wouldn't take a cedar git to a bluegrass jam y'know?

I assume the veneer/lam top issue was settled back th'ar last fall. Gotta agree with all who recommended a solid top for all the reasons they wrote.