rhoads56, I get your point. And I don't know how exactly you would classify someone as a pro or not but if you're at NAMM or posting pics here of "a guitar I made for one of my clients", you surely are no amateur.
So in that respect, why would a pro want to compete in a GOTM at PG? Wouldn't there be loftier goals for those guys? I know if I was a pro, I'd surely aim higher.
On the other hand, as a hobbyist, I certainly look forward to putting my guitars up against pro guitars and and any guitar made by someone better than me, just to see where I stack up. It's the only real guage I have by which I can measure my progress.
You make a great point though, regarding guys who call themselves pros when they really aren't. Don't we see enough of them. The other side of that coin are the supremely talented amateurs that do awesome work on this forum.
Now for the record, is Ragas a pro builder? The only reason I ask is that if he/she is, wouldn't there have been better pictures of the product? In a contest like this, having great pics can help you win by emphasising (spelling?) the strengths of the execution, desing, finish, etc.
By my own timetable, my guitar will be finished by the of July. I know, I know, that'll put me at about 10 months! But I've got a day job and a family so I don't get to work on it every weekend. In any case, I may be ready for GOTM for August.
God help me.
Dave