Great ideas! Maybe Bill is right and I am approaching it wrong and I should focus on music.
That's up to you, (and your budget), but no reason you can't do both.
I'm certainly not an expert on getting a custom, but do have a Kinnard concert, so will share my approach, which may or may not work for you.
I listened to lots and lots of sound samples. (Still do. I enjoy that, even though it can lead to UAS flaring up.) Vimeo, Youtube, HMS, Ukulele Friend, and where ever I ran across sound samples, including here on UU.
While it's not the sound for everyone, there was one sound I kept coming back to, which was Kinnard. I read what I could find here on UU about Kinnard and googled it, (UU was the best source of information, though), and decided to give it a try.
I finally bought what I could find at the time, (tenor and then soprano), and discovered that neither size worked for me, but Kinnard was extremely well made, and I really did love the sound. I sold both of those here on UU, which makes taking a chance on ukes like these less of a risk. If it's a good ukulele, and it's in good condition, you should be able to resell it.
I talked with Kevin at Kinnard Ukes, and got myself on the build list for a Kinnard concert. Kevin talked with me about what type of music I play, style of playing, and so on, and gave me some recommendations for woods. He sent various sound samples, (I still listen to those regularly - did I mention that I love the sound of Kinnards? LOL), and choices were made from there.
I think I'm overall a patient person, but discovered that the wait wasn't easy. In the end, though, it was well worth it. This ukulele is a keeper, and for me, is a dream to play. I've been fortunate enough to play some very nice stock ukuleles, but this ukulele - for me, anyway - is in a very different league. Amazing.
Do I need a custom? I'm not the greatest player, and never will be. But, this ukulele inspires me to play every day, (I do play others, too), and makes the hobby so much more enjoyable. And, that's what this hobby is about - enjoyment. This ukulele gives me that every day, so for me, it's worth it.
If you can narrow down some of the options, (size or nut width, for example), that might give you a more focused group of ukuleles to look into. If those don't matter to you, then it's probably just your budget that will rein you in.
Keep an eye on the UU marketplace, (and Flea market), and you might find a gently used ukulele on your wish list. That might be a good entry point, unless you have something very specific you want, (woods, inlay, or something unique.)
I used to fuss more about the difference in woods than I might now. I am convinced that you could hand me any Kinnard concert, no matter what the woods, and I'd be happy. The builder has more to do with it than the woods, I think. But, if you're going to get on a build list, you might as well try to figure out which woods appeal to you the most, whether it's visually, sound, or whatever. The builder should be able to help guide you on that, if you're not sure.
Some people don't like buying used ukuleles, so I'll also mention that builders may have ukuleles for sale on their websites that are ready to ship, too. Kinnard, for example, has a tenor listed right now, with photos and sound sample, so someone who wants a new Kinnard tenor doesn't need to get on the build list if that one checks the boxes for them. Check whatever other builders you might be interested in, and see what they might have, if you don't want the wait.
Just in case this comes in handy, someone had posted this Google custom search link for UU:
https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=006086160372685481724:y43bmh-bwgc
It definitely helps to find posts here on UU, so if you're researching a particular builder, for example, you might find the link handy.
Enjoy the journey, wherever it may lead.