While typing this, I'm on the line with CSM (on hold) to cancel the order.
I have held in hand one production gun and all three or four prototypes. The prototypes looked fine in terms of fit and finish. The one production gun had the obvious malfunction of the checkering machine and had been gone over again. The engraving was buffed over and rounded/washed.
Two customers had ordered "Turkish exhibition". Neither had any black marbling and frankly, looked more like a nice upper-mid grade fiddleback Claro with golds and reds. Not bad, but not what I expected when I ordered and paid $700 for. I did see and photographed at least two Turkish stocks in process for the RBL that I would have been happy with.
But what final issue that caused me to cancel was more the answer that Lou gave one of the customers when he inquired about the wood. This combined with the quality issues, led me to believe that I was going to get whatever they decided I should get, as opposed to what I believe I was led to expect. The risk of waiting another 6 months or more (deposit only 9/29/05) for something that bothered me just didn't seem worth it. I know, a $1k deposit...why not just wait and see what you get? Too much emotional apprehension for me to sustain for that long and with too much risk of being very disappointed. If I knew the gun was within weeks of delivery, I might have waited for what Forest Gump said "...like a box of chocolates...you never know what you're gonna get." I needed to move on.
I hope those that recieved their guns and those that will recieve them in the future are happy with them and they have no issues.
BTW, I completed the phone call to cancel my order.
