I realize this is out of the OPs price range -- although it probably is not if he gives up his foolish (IMO) plan to buy a cheap bike now and a good bike later -- but I believe the
Ebisu All-Purpose is a nearly perfect LD frame and an outrageous deal for a hand-built best-quality lugged steel frameset. It's also a frame that gives up little to the exotic racing bikes and is markedly better than things like the Co-Motion, Surly, etc.