LBR

In some (most, IMO) cases you wind up paying a lot more just for the name on the bow. There's a few bowyers that make bows for different companies, and the exact same bow can vary in price a good bit just because of what name is on it.

Personally, I haven't seen what I would call a "good" longbow priced as cheap as a good recurve, but you don't have to spend near $1,000 for one.

Differences depend on the bow--there's so many different styles and designs there are no specifics that will fit all. In general, longbows are slower, have more hand shock, etc. but that's not always the case.

As far as draw weight, I would start low, but how low depends on you. Again, there's no "on size fits all" answer here. I do agree that starting out heavy will lead to bad habits that are a devil to break--that's what I did, but it didn't completely ruin me. You can generally find a good used recurve at a reasonable price--use it to figure out what you like and don't like, and use that knowledge to purchase your next bow (there will be a next one).

Try to find some 3-D tournaments in your area--they probably won't start until next spring, but start looking and planning now. You get to try out a lot of different bows (larger ones have vendors, plus most folks won't mind you shooting their bow--don't be suprised if someone asks to shoot yours), and you will meet lots of folks with lots of advice to offer. In my experience, you will usually have to ask the better shooters for advice, but they are always willing to help when asked.

Good luck!

Chad