Tom builds nice stuff, but there is SO much nice stuff out there. J P Weigle is a great builder, as of course Richard Sachs. I think my next bike would have to be lugged steel. w/ all the custom lugs that those guys have come up with, using modern tube dimesnions and alloys, that's much more attractive to me than a tig welded bike.
to comment on cannondales again, I had a few dales when I worked in a shop. I had a R5000-something, CAAD 7 frame, dura ace. light, like 16 lbs. then, my boss sold it (we had a demo bike program for employees) so I got another CAAD 7, I think it was a R3000 (whatever had ultegra on it). again, real light, great climber. problem was, I didn't feel comfortable riding it the way I wanted to, and it didn't quite inspire 'passion'. I'm always suspect of carbon forks. I miss my early '80s pinarello- I beat the c r a p out of that one, but she rode great, always a wonderful familiarity about her.I have a surly now, built up to be durable, 28c tires, wide gears, upright seating, something to ride when we go out as a family.