You need to be more specific. Do you want amateur or professional work? The difference to a layman might be indiscernible, but to those of us who build, pro work is the lightning and amateur work is the lightning bug. You won't see the dished relief behind a scroll on a pro's work. You won't see gaps. You won't see questionable architecture, funky wrists, fat fore ends, and engraving that looks as if done by a Mongolian herdsman (no offense). Not that all amateur work is bad; mine's quite good. But I can tell the difference between the common and the crisp.
Guys, we are in the same dilemma as a school teacher. We can "clap for $#@*," stroke egos, and make people feel good, or we can tell it as it really is, point out the flaws, offend people perhaps in the process, and end up with better rifles. I learned by being criticized, not stroked, and I am still not where I wish to be.
If I wanted a gun right now, I'd build one myself, yes, but, if momma said "Go ye forth and splurge," I think I'd commission Wheland, Martin or Shipman, depending on what I chose to buy. And the wondrous thing is I can be in any of those shops in about an hour and a half. There are more expensive builders, but nix besser! Wayne
