I think you're spot on there, Sam. Usually, I love hanging around luthiers as well, and once you've made them start talking, I don't find them to be particularly mindful of what craft secrets they may share with you. But Adrian, it seems, don't have that many to hang around with... I think you're right, though, Adrian, that building an instrument is probably better than diving head first into restoring old gems. IF a luthier may not be willing to share everything with you, it is probably mostly with the fear of this in mind.
And, actually, I believe one of our finest bass makers of today—Peter Elias—is an autodidact.