Gary, that tortoise binding on the BTO is absolutely amazing!!! Does it go around the body in addition to the neck?
Wow, just wow!

-K
Thanks for the nice comment, Josh, too.
Yes, the tortoise is the body binding too, but it it more understated than the neck binding. When the sunlight doesn't highlight the gold flecks in the body binding it looks more like ebony like it does in the first picture. But, that neck binding is really nice for me to see when I'im playing.,
BTW, I found the BTO guys at Taylor, and my regional rep Aaron Dablow, to be really helpful in guiding me through the many BTO options. Buying a guitar that one has never played, much less one you've never ever seen a picture of, can be nerve wracking. However, the results were beyond my highest expectations and the sound of this guitar is just heavenly.
Kudos to the guys at Taylor....
Gary