Here is the thing about low-priced guitars (accoustic, electric, or otherwise).
They vary wildly in quality and tone. A store could have 12 of what appears to be the exact same guitar and 6 could suck, 4 could be OK, and 2 could be great. If I were you I'd put brands and models out of my head and just walk into several stores and play what's there.
You could also get a better guitar for cheap if you drop the electronics. Cheap acoustic pickups sound pretty bad, so might as well get a guitar without any. No cost towards electronics means more cost towards actual guitar. Ditto for inlays and wood finishes (although the varnish actually can change the tone).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What he said. When you are into guitars that cheap, they were all made by some combination of human and machine. Quality control is the second casualty, after materials. You have to find the one that no one screwed up! It could be any brand, although I admit I don't like plastic backed guitars. The jury's still out on graphite. But I appreciate your problem. On your budget, I wouldn't look for acoustic-electric. That limits your choices severely, the pickups in most cheap AE's suck anyway. Add the pickup of your choice later, if you need it. I can't take my Taylor camping, either. Everybody needs a backup for the main stage guitar, and at least one beater.
Sit your butt down in a big guitar store, there has to be one in Kyoto, and play a bunch of cheap guitars, until you find one that was made right by accident. It'll still sound like a cheap guitar, because the tonewoods just aren't that good, but you are way ahead if the neck is straight, and intonation is good all over the neck, with reasonable action, and no major buzzes. Look for cheap the guitar that at least you can play.
Anybody can buy a good $10,000 guitar. Just walk into a guitar store and wave money. It takes savvy, and a little luck, to get an $80 acoustic that doesn't totally suck! This is my baby-
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Mitchell-MD100S-Dreadnought-Acoustic-Guitar-100261031-i1166438.gc
I picked mine up very lightly used- a demo, I think. I had a 20% off coupon. They wanted $100, the neck was perfect, bought it for $80. When I need a pickup in it, I use a lace magnetic soundhole pickup. I find a magnetic, rather than transducer or mic based pickup, can be the right choice for a cheap acoustic. I don't really need to go to a mic with cheap wood. And, I find that when I play that guitar, I play different material, especially old blues. They didn't write those songs down in the delta with a $5000 guitar.-Richie
)
