snipped: MMEison@aol.com wrote: e-RICHIE "Maybe I mispoke in my original question. Who are the Boutique builders? I don't hear of any builders like Glen Erickson, Peter Mooney, and yourself of course, in conjuntion with Europe. Are there any one man shops still running that have the same cache, or is this purely a North American idea?"
i would consider the lugged frames (if that's where
you're going with this...) from dario p, grandis,
a masi, tommasinni, nagasawa, and many others as
peers to the work you are looking for. just because
they are quite commercial does not mean the best
"hand-work" from these guys is not on the same level as
the guys you've mentioned. and since the frame is also
its design and quality of manufacture, and not just
the lug edges, i'd suggest these offshore marques
are as good as any to be found anywhere.
e-RICHIE
chester, ct