Just have to chime in here... I love my C1000s. I sort of defaulted into them since I already owned a pair which I was using as drum overheads in my PA rig.
There are a number of reasons C1000s make great starter mics:
1. They're nearly indestructable and are built like tanks -- which means you can get them from pretty much anywhere. Many other inexpensive mics (like the Oktavas) have very poor build quality and quality control, which means you have to get them from a supplier who picks through the trash to get you something decent. They charge for this.
2. They come with hypercardoid adapters -- which means you get two patterns to play with from the start.
3. The capsules are internally shockmounted -- which means you save $100+ on shockmounts.
4. They take 9v batteries internally -- which means you save $50-$100+ on a battery-powered phantom power supply, and...
5. Everyone knows about #1 above, so you can probably use them for a year or two then sell them for darn near what you paid for them when you're ready to upgrade.
That said, there are lots of people who hate C1000s and love other things, and you might be one of them.
If you're interested, I'd be willing to B&P my Galactic 10/30/2003 (Austin, TX) which I recorded with my C1000s > PB224 > AD-20 > NJB3 so you can get a listen.
Chuck