Jack,
I'm sure the hobbiest was well represented in the 1993 ads. I imagine that some of their bows were fine, but like you said, building them for a second job had to be a real pain.
The use of the word "inferior" was mine, not James'. James did say that some bows of the time were overbuilt to make sure that they didn't break, and were therefore heavier than they should have been. Of course, that's the bowyers choice, and the customers choice, on whether to have a light, nimble bow, or one that has a bit more mass.