This may not be the route in which you're looking, but it wasn't for me either.
I have a wide-margin Scofield that was originally bonded leather whatever... Needless to say, the cover was deteriorating quickly. Before the binding went bad, I took it to a local book bindery and had a "top shelf" goatskin cover put on. It's now (hopefully
) good for life, but it did cost me about $125. I will never complain of the cost - I love the thing.
My advise is spend whatever money now, it's worth it down the road.