I recently picked up a Record 060 1/2 low angle block plane and I've very impressed with it, especially after giving the blade a final honing on a 6000 grit water stone. It's a bit more expensive than the Stanley 60 1/2, but it's 'supposed' to have better steel in the blade. At least that's what I've read and been told.

The brand of plane is probably secondary to the care you take in sharpening it. If you don't own them already, get a honing guide (Veritas makes a nice one that's not too expensive) and some good water stones. If your plane is in good shape, a 1000/6000 double sided stone is sufficient and they're reasonably priced. If you need to remove a lot of material from an abused blade, a coarse or extra coarse diamond hone works great, but they're more expensive than water stones.

High quality sharpening equipment works with a variety of edged tools and is a good long-term investment. It allows you to get the most from your tools. Maybe I'm a bit odd, but I find putting a fine edge on a tool nearly as satifying as cutting wood with it.