How much damage is too much?

Based on photos I've seen as reference on this forum I'm afraid the damage is more extreme than superficial. Supposedly it happened from one fall.  The bottom side has a hole that's been repaired and the face/soundboard has two cracks below the bridge on either side. It's a TW15H Tanglewood Ill 

Here's the story:
I'm trying to buy my husband a guitar for Christmas. He played in college but has only picked up a guitar a handful of times since we've met. He's 34 now and we have a soon-to-be 2yo son who is captivated by the guitar (and another son due in 2mos). My husband has been hinting on wanting to start playing again so I thought it would be the perfect Christmas gift. 

I don't have much to spend and really don't want an all laminate plastic piece of junk. I don't know much about guitars but I recognize when I hear sound quality I love - rich, full bodied, well balanced sound that resonates with a person.  Not that tinny twang I hear from some guitars without that depth of sound. 

I was at a local music shop this morning that pointed me to a damaged TW15H Tanglewood Ill 
He told me it's solid wood construction with ebony and bone. Sounds beautiful. I believe it was a dreadnought. (Sorry if I sound naive...picture a hugely pregnant lady shopping in a guitar shop with a toddler. I assure you we look as naive as I might sound).  The problem is that the TW15H Tanglewood Ill is damaged. It's been dropped. The face is cracked in 2 places and there was a hole at the bottom. 

If I can post photos here I will. 

The owner has repaired the damage. Says it was his own guitar and he loved it but a friend dropped it soon after it's purchase and despite being repaired he gets upset whenever he sees it and no longer wants it around to remind him. The damage is quite visible but it sounds lovely. My question is how much damage is too much?  Will it hold a tuning etc? He told me it's a 3000k guitar and is asking $375 for it. I only saved $200 to buy a guitar which I realize is laughable for a decent one. I'm thinking of putting the rest on a credit card if I can find out it's worth it. Can anyone help advise me here?  The shop says he'll back the guitar for a year. 

The other option he suggested was a Sammick - Greg Bennett (which I've never heard of) for $250

I'm trying to decide if I should buy the damaged TW15H Tanglewood Ill or look for a new beginner guitar. 

Please help


Question: What does "pie" mean in the following sentence?
Answer: 
  I will go to a resturant for pie.


There is nothing wrong with this sentence. I imagine the speaker will soon be seated in a restaurant, ordering a slice of pie. 

However:


  I will go to a resturant to eat a pie.


This is the version that would make me look surprised. When you "eat a pie", that typically means you eat the whole pie. 

The same could be said for cake: "eat cake" means "eat some cake", but "eat a cake" means "eat the entire cake." 



We don't usually use the word "a" unless a person eats the whole thing as a single unit (in this context, "a" means "one"):


  I went to the restaurant and ate a sandwich.
  I went to the restaurant and ate a gyro.
  I went to the restaurant and ate a salad. 


or unless we specify the unit somehow:


  I went to the restaurant and ate a bowl of soup.
  I went to the restaurant and ate a piece of pie.
  I went to the restaurant and ate a rack of ribs.
  I went to the restaurant and drank a glass of wine. 


But no article is used when there is an unspecified amount of food (the lack of the word "a" means "some"):


  When I get to the restaurant, I'll order scrambled eggs.
  When I get to the restaurant, I'll order spaghetti.
  When I get to the restaurant, I'll order shrimp.
  When I get to the restaurant, I'll order pie for dessert.
  When I get to the restaurant, I'll get coffee.  




Here's something a bit more advanced: The word "the" can be used when referring to a particular restaurant's version of a dish. 


  What would you like today, sir?
  I'll have the veal saltimbocca.