I think you've just been given some good advice, check out tradgang.com. There are a lot of bowyers to choose from and overall most of them make great bows. There are a good many of them that you can expect nothing but pure art and perfection from. It comes down to getting your hands on a few and trying them out. Picking out a custom bow is truely a personal thing, there are so many styles out there you'll have no problem finding something you'll really like. In general trad guys are a very trusting and generous group. If you're willing to travel to a few all traditional 3-D shoots I have no doubt you will be able to borrow more than a few bows to shoot while your there.
There are some coming up in Pekin and Coleta IL, soon.