Hi johnv31552,

Honestly, just about any acoustic guitar would be great for fingerpicking. I think Anders once said that 90 percent of the sound comes from the player, and the rest is from the actual guitar. This is especially true for fingerpicking.

If your budget is $1000, you've got quite a bit to work with and your best bet is to go into your local shop and play with some until you find one that first, FEELs good and sounds great.

You can't really go wrong with a Martin, but if you can find a Taylor or a Breedlove for the price range, you'll be good. A lot of acoustic Epiphones are also great. And getting a guitar with a cutaway is completely up to you, if you want to play at those higher frets.

Best,

Billy