DrewPeterson7
Sage of the Order
My bandmate got hisself a lower level Martin - can't remember the model number - mahogany...
In under a year the finish is wearing off the back and he's very careful with what shirt he wears - weird. Sort of put me off them a bit.
I own a Martin MC series, which sounds an awful lot like your buddy's guitar. I've owned it seven or so years now, and I bought it used. The worst thing that's happened to the finish in this amount of time is in a couple places the matte finish has gradually glossed up a little from contact. I think your bandmate's is a fluke, and definitely not the norm.
On the cheap, I like Alvarez and Seagull. You're looking to spend a fair amount of money, but it wouldn't hurt to play a few of their nicer ones just in case.
Personally, I'm a Martin owner - initially, mine sounded a little restrained compared to the Taylors on the wall next to it, but as I kept playing, "restrained" gradually tuned into "balanced," and the Taylors sounded kind of hyped by comparison. That said, the nicest acoustics I've ever played have almost all been older Gibsons - my dad has a parlor sized B-25 from the early 60s, and an ex of mine's dad owned a gorgeous 70's Jumbo. If I had that kind of cash, a Martin D-series or a Gibson would be where I'd begin my search. Not necessarily where it'd end, but at least the starting point...