I can't even pretend to be a guitar expert (I don't think I've ever even heard of Seagull guitars).

My mom bought me a bottom-of-the-line Alvarez at a pawnshop as a gradutation/19th birthday gift. It's about as boring-looking as a guitar can be, but it sounds good and has nice action (I think so and the people I've let borrow it think so, too). I think we paid $200 [US], which was probably quite high considering it was used (but in new condition) and had no case.

I don't know what the reputation of these guitars is long-term, but I've had mine for four years and it's traveled a lot and been kicked around some, but I've had no "soundness" problems.