snip


Along the same lines, I built something with beautiful highly figured
wood and gave it as a house warming gift to a friend and his wife.

She said, didn't you have any better wood. I explained that the
beautiful figure was highly prized and treasured. She said it would be
better if it were just plain brown.

And... when I had a custom built guitar built, I selected the wood. It was
the wood that I liked. Not what the luthier liked, or what anyone else may
have liked or not liked. It was my money, and my desires. Why do guys here
think that their preferences are ordained? It's what the customer wants.
Sheese...

And did you miss the part where he said that it was GIVEN as a GIFT?
Not as a commission, but something from his heart and hands?

A proverb comes to mind about a gift and looking into the mouth of
said gift.

just a thought