You're just expection "more". I'd not pay any extra to have my metal glassed into a pattern to save a bit of work. I take it that is what you did, Butch. I downloaded your pic, as I wanted a closer look. The dark spot is the outside of the blank, and it'll go away while shaping. The cheek piecs is too big, as many duplicated pieces are, and the "fade away" angle isn't where I'd go with it, but it's like it is so the maker has some choices. It'd not take 10 minutes to rough it out with a gouge. And I can about guarantee that's how J.K. did it. How do you suppose the cheek piece is established when working with a blank? With a good sized, sharp gouge and a mallet. You were expecting a stock with a more finished appearance. He left you enough 'extra' to work with. You didn't show us what the inletting looked like, that's the really important part. That outside would come into shape with a sharp gouge and #49 patternmaker in an hour or less. Ed Shulin used to turn out a pre-inlet with a more 'finished' look with a bit of 'extra' for the makers own ideas, but he's not with us anymore. I guess you're expecting Boyds outside but without the inletting gaps they're famous for. I guess there are stockmakers and then there are those who think it should be 'easier' than it is. Regardless, $450 was too much.
