Baz's review was three years too late,
I take your other points Bill, but I wouldn't say the review was 'late' in any way. I reviewed it at the time I received it, and that's it. If all instruments can only be reviewed at the date they were launched it would make the vast majority of reviews (not just mine) invalid too. For example, I have recently acquired a Kiwaya KTS-5. I will be reviewing it. They have been around for years. Doesn't make my views on it in 2017 any less valid or late.
In short, I don't consider my reviews to be 'hot of the press' stuff that accompanies the launch of new models. They are just reviews of models as I come across them. I leave the 'launch reviews' of stuff to the stores and big magazines who have a vested interest. Of course, channels that review things with a vested interest don't (I don't think) carry the same impartiality. But they still serve a purpose I guess. For me though, I kind of want my reviews to come across rather like hearing from a friend telling you about 'this uke I just bought'...