The wood shipped yesterday and will likely show up on my doorstep in the next two months and I'm already wondering which back piece to select first.
In the meantime, I'm making a 5 string violin for a full time musician, and using 30 - 40 year old wood I acquired from a famous player earlier this summer. It looks like I might get that one finished while the weather this fall is still suitable for varnishing.
It bears mentioning that on a number of occasions over two years, I've had the pleasure to receive feedback from a retired concertmaster. His support continues to be most appreciated and it's wonderful to have a second set of ears judging the results before I share my instruments with prospective clients. Violin setup can be tricky sometimes and it's nice to make it a collaborative effort. We're getting together tomorrow after a few months hiatus and I'm really looking forward to finding out if he's hearing what I'm hearing.