Digital BW, The Print

Hi!  I've been perusing this forum for a while now.  I'm near the point of 
buying a photo printer.  I'd particularly like to do B&W.  I'm still 
fence-sitting on whether I'll get quadtone inks or use the color inks and 
be able to print both color and B&W.  If I go with quadtone, it will be MIS.

I've been searching the net for a while, and it's come down to, I think, 
the Epson 1160, 1270 or 1280.  A 3000 is a bit much.

A new 1280 is the maximum I'd want to spend ($499 U.S.).  But I've read 
reviews that say that 1280 prints don't really look any better than 
1270's.  And there are 1270s available on closeout, or refurbished for a 
little over $300.

Then there's the 1160, which is not available new any more.  It supposedly 
is the ne plus ultra of B&W quadtone printing.  But with the 1270/80 and 
Paul's curves, and six-cartridge sets from MIS, is there really much 
advantage to the 1160 any more.  They certainly are hard to find.  I was 
quoted a price of $470 for a refurbished one, if and when the supplier gets 
any in stock.

Advice, musings, and prognostications?

Thanks!
--Peter Klein
Seattle, WA