Am I the nightmare customer?

[Arnold Schnitzer]

The two things to play with are the soundpost and the strings. For a darker sound, the post should generally be slightly farther from the bridge and slightly toward the treble f-hole. Of course, moving the post usually requires re-fitting it as well, and this is a very demanding task (for a pro!). The post tension needs to be right also. As far as strings, what are you using? There are lots of options on the market now.

No you are not a nightmare client! But I will say that after an hour or so of tonal tweaking, both your and the luthier's ears will be shot. Then it's time to give it a rest and try again another time.