I agree with Mr. Hall - the fiber and wood purflings, as well as solid (versus laminated or veneer on plastic) shell always looks better. The vinyl junk that Martin has used is just that - terrible to look at and to glue.
Keep in mind that milling binding channels at the net thickness of modern 0.063 binding means that final scrape and prep for filling, etc. removes both binding and side wood... it's easier to mill the channels for grained celluloid at 0.060, then scrape the 0.0025 worth of plastic off down to the sides (which were already blocked and should be true prior to milling the binding and purfling channels). All that old celluloid has shrunk up by a few thousandths anyway, with the 1934 000-18 shade top binding I was measuring yesterday running well shy of 0.060. This guitar is really not an exemplar of mid-to-late 1930's 000's as it was really the tag end of the OM production (long scale, bar frets, ebony fretboard and bridge, but with celluloid binding that was introduced in 1934!)... Martin would change scale length, fret config, materials, etc. not long after this 55xxx serial was built.
On kits: we saw a variety of kits and kit builders at Greenridge... usually to fix problems with poorly-bent sides, incompatible components, or just to cheer-lead a bit through the tougher parts. The materials varied from what we would have used to whatever was available and cheapest off Alibaba. While a pre-milled set of rosette channels more or less locks you into whatever the kit provider sent along, you always have the option to upgrade provided the materials will fit. Same with binding. As your parents likely requested, just make good choices.
