Keith,
The truth is that all the brands of radios are good. Look for one with the features that you will need for your current and future airplanes. The Hitec Flash 5 is a popular choice as it has many features and sells for less than $200. Search on it here to find out what people have said about it.
If you plane is tail heavy you should add nose weight. Trying to cure the potentially disasterous flight characteristics with a gyro is not a good idea.
For more info on Hitec radios check out:
http://www.hitecrcd.com
To check out the other brands go here:
http://www.futabarc.com
http://www.horizonhobby.com
http://www.airtronics.net
Mike.