Okay, here are my suggestions:
The
Yamaha Gigmaker is a good basic starter pack for $160 (natural) to $170 (sunburst). Nothing outstanding but Yamahas are usually good out of the box. You probably won't have any problems with this guitar. This one is an all-laminate guitar.
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-GigMaker-Acoustic-Guitar-Pack?sku=519040
The
Yamaha Gigmaker Deluxe offers a solid-top guitar for $200. I would go with this if you're willing to spend the extra cash.
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-GigMaker-Deluxe-Acoustic-Guitar-Pack?sku=519041
There are other "Value Packages" out there but I have no experience with them. IMHO, Yamaha has the best quality control among the budget acoustic guitars.
You missed a really good deal on the
Recording King ROS-06. This is a wide-nut 12-fretter with a solid-top and a bluesy punch. If you think your father might be more of a fingerpicker than a strummer, this would be an outstanding starter instrument. It was on sale for $191 up until yesterday. It's now back up to $248. You could try calling Musicians Friend or Music123 and ask if they might still be able to give you $191 price. Explain that you just heard about the sale but you missed it by a day. If you find a sympathetic rep, he/she might give you a break.
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...-Fret-OOO-SolidTop-Acoustic-Guitar?sku=423803