I had a custom S3 frame built by Curtlo, it arrived two weeks ago, but I haven't gotten it all built-up yet. I haven't actually ridden my frame yet, but I visited him in shop and since we are both of similar height and build he let me take his personal ride for a spin. I spent probably 30 mins crusing around the outskirts of Winthrope, WA on his sweet baby blue road machine. It was a very nice bike and I was sold on buying a very similar configuration.
I did alot of research and comparison on quality, price and experience and I don't think you can get a better bike for cheaper anywhere. I spent an hour and a half to two hours with Doug adjusting the seat post and stem to nail down the perfect fit. The only downside was the wait for the frame to be finished, it took him a while to get the S3 tubes in so I had to wait for my frame.
As for the appearence of the bike, I couldn't be happier. I too had misgivings about the finish based on the website that is a little out of date, but I was lucky enough to see some of his frames in person at the seattle bike expo over the past few years and that put my mind at ease. The welds are very clean and the colors he has on his website are just the tip of the iceburg. He had many more samples in the shop and I suspect he has quite alot of latitude in what he can do. My suggestion would be to call him, the phone number is on his website and he will get back although it may take a few days. My endorsement is unqualified, if you have more specific questions feel free to ask.
