After a bit of scraping, chiseling, and yes, sanding, we now have four really well done hole surrounds.
What do these time consuming, messy surrounds actually do? The holes could be left without any surrounds, they need no support. So much time could have been saved, not to mention frustration, black lung [from the blackwood dust], and raw, bleeding fingers [from the sandpaper].
The answer is the same for both the player and the builder.
As a builder, I need to build the best I can. What I build needs to be as visually cool as I can conceive. Time and effort have no meaning to art, and art is what I attempt.
The player needs to have inspiration as well. First, to be inspired enough just to pick it up in the first place. Then, if touch and sound also inspire, the player is inspired enough to purchase. And the most important thing of all, once owned, they player needs such inspiration to pick the instrument up and play.
All that from a few little hole surrounds? Every little bit helps.