I've got a 1977 D-35L and a 1985 Custom Shop D-45L with narrow scalloped braces and vintage bracing pattern. Because both mine are lefty's I had to order them and take what came in the box. I wasn't disappointed by either guitar. Being in LA you should be able to find plenty of Martins to play and figure out what sounds the best to you. Whatever you end up with try Elixer nanowebs. They come to tune quicker and keep their tune longer than any other strings and I have tried them all over the years. If you plan on having pickups installed check out Trance Audio and have them do the install, or find somebody in LA that is experienced with them. Both my Martins have FRAP 3D piezos and preamps, the forerunners to what Trance is doing now.
The D-35 is my main guitar. I play it just about every day. It has a balanced tone, not too boomy or treble-y. I use .13-.56 Elixer nanowebs on it and it is a great fingerstyle and flatpicking guitar. I keep it tuned a half-step low. It records well with my LD condensers, and I would really love to put a KM-84 cardioid in front of it.
The 45 is essentially a hot-rodded D-28, and is more of a cannon than the 35, with deeper bass and brighter treble. I've kept it detuned a whole-step for probably the last 10 years or more. Even with light-gauge strings the top bellied very slightly within the first 3 or 4 years I had it.
Neither of my Martins sit back when recorded. They are out front and proud no matter how I mic them. Very articulate and distinctive. They project EVERYTHING. What I mean is they broadcast everything you do. If your picking technique is sloppy that big box will amplify it. If you happen to tap your fingernails on the top while you are playing (a bad habit I am trying to break) it's gonna come through, especially when recording. The dynamic range from soft fingerpicking to hard-driving flatpicking is amazing. They maintain their articulate tone no matter how I play them.
If you play bluegrass and go to jams and festivals an HD-28 is probably the all-time gold standard.
If your main goal is a recording instrument I would also look into an OM-28 or even a OO-28. The OM was Martin's first flat-top steel string guitar and was designed to replace banjos in small orchestras back in the early 30's, so they have a big sound for a smaller body guitar, but more balanced and less boomy than the dreadnaughts.
Whatever you do, good luck. Play as many as you can find.