Thanks for the feeback so far guys, did some more research today and
came back around to meade which i had been considering for some time.
this is the scope/mount im thinking about getting.

http://www.buytelescopes.com/product...10&pid=7281&m=

for 1300 i can get go to, lpi, and a second round redesigned mount
in the ldx75. i have read about the ldx55 mount problems, but seems
like most of these issues were addressed in the redesign (but also
reading some folks are having problems with new mounts also. Plus
meade has a bazillion adders. Also, im not afraid to lug the thing
around, im used to lugging my 30 lb computer and 60 lb monitor to lan
parties so im all beefed up, heh.

Yes, my old scope was a tasco 11T-R. It actually has spring loaded
collimation and was pretty easy to tear apart and reassemble
(excellent learning experience for me with not much to lose)
I was going to upgrade some things on it, but then i came out of my
psychogenic fugue and realized why put any money into this scope when
I can put it towards something better (the wife played a piviotal role
in breaking this fugue). Ive actually got some decent usability out
of the old tasco recently by cleaning all mirrors, center marking the
primary, and doing some visual collimation, but still the optics just
arent that good, especially the lenses. I May some day buy a couple
new lenses