Can't help but chime in on this, especially regarding two parts of the discussion:
1. I've known Keith since the mid-80s. He's a fine builder, with lots of experience and quality work. He's also a great guy, open to conversation, and very knowledgeable about drums generally. If he's in your area, I'd recommend that you contact him directly.
2. As a boutique builder myself, I can tell you that there are dozens of nuances in the design/build process that combine to make substantial differences in tone, voice, sustain, projection, durability, tunability, etc, that to most people would fall under the category of TLC. In reality, there are reasons for these decisions, choices, and techniques, and they require a great deal more time and craftsmanship than mass-production methods can allow. Generally speaking, a good boutique builder works toward the highest quality level he can, while a mass producer works toward a target price point and builds what they can accomplish within it. I don't do a lot of modification work, but I've taken apart drums from even the "best" big brands and found plenty of skeletons in those closets. So, yes, you pay more, but the product is more as well. If a big brand went through all the steps, processes, and checks-and-balances that I use, I'd hate to think what that price tag would be. All that being said, if you can't hear or feel the difference, or appreciate the difference between a high-end musical instrument and one you can manage to play on, by all means save the money. There's no single universal solution that's right for everybody.