Andy wrote:
An MC21SE is your best all-round bet. If looked after, the way things are going, it's never going to lose you [much!] money, and is easily tuned and maintained.

A word of warning and it sounds like you already know....there is no such thing as saving/making money. They seem to be bottomless money pits as you chase one niggly thing or another

Well worth the investment if you think it is for more than just monetary purposes.