While I admire Rivendell and what Grant is trying to do, I'd suggest you could get equal performance and enjoyment from a multitude of 60s or 70s frames you could pick up for less than 100 bucks and refurbish good as new for a few hundred more. Look for a Reynolds frame and Campagnolo dropouts, probably English as opposed to French to avoid compatibility issues, or an Italian frame in Columbus, though they may be more "race" oriented. Get the size right, build it up with good components and you'll be in heaven!

The Rivendells are nice (and expensive), but these old frames are what they're emulating...

Nothing wrong with many of the Japanese frames either, though not my knowledge base.