Hi Ragwolfe
My second mechanical keyboard is Cherry G80-3000 with cherry MX blues
Though it is huge and you may think it looks old
It is a very good board that has excellent typing experience and the switches are easy to mod
Can very much be a benchmark of typing experience

I have been using this for quite a long time and i dont think i will ever resell it or so
I got it at a price of $77 during a GB but i guess it will only be a bit more expensive normally
should still be within your price range
If u dont need flashy appearance, it may be a good board to start off!