Here it goes, my top 5 cheap all-round condenser microphone shoot-out results:
1. Rode NT2a (or NT2000)
2. Studio Projects C1
3. Neumann TLM 103
4. Rode K2
5. SE Electronics Z5600A
I've used all of these for guitars (nylon, steel strung and electrics), drums (oh's), upright bass, grand piano, room mics, hammond, but most importantly all kinds of vocals, ranging from intimate whispery norah jonesy stuff to hard-headed rock'n roll singers that have redefined my idea of high SPL's. They all stand up to, or better still if you have the budget, complement mic cupboards filled with mics that are ten times the price.
Bear in mind that this is all my personal opinion. None of the A&R's, artists, producers, mix engineers or anyone else for that matter, have complained about the sounds that these things capture. They just work.
Hope someone can use this.