Videos by chesshouse, showing off and comparing the Drueke and JLP Woodworking chess boards as well as the JLP chess table...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pCwuj49qAs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0fJDDbM0MI
http://www.chesshouse.com/JLP_Woodworking_Hardwood_USA_Products_s/458.htm
Looking at the photos of that board you bought on eBay, it appears that it might be a solid-block constructed board, like the Drueke boards.
My purpleheart/maple solid-block board is MUCH nicer than my Drueke, the Drueke having been my main board for over 10 years now. The Drueke has 2.25" squares, while the Purpleheart board has 2.5" squares... the main reason I decided to have it made. Some of my larger chessmen sets seemed a bit "cramped" on the Drueke, yet look perfect on the Purpleheart board's larger squares.
Something about the purple color of the Purpleheart board is just really pleasing... I'll take it any day over the Walnut coloration of the Drueke!
My advice would be to wait for your eBay board to arrive, and see if you like it before making any decision about possibly trading it in on a Drueke or other board. If it turns out to be solid-block constructed, it might end up being one of the best boards you ever buy! 
Side to side, it is a square measurement.
and don't worry about asking questions, everyone needs to start somehwere.
Chess board squares are measured across (the length of any side), not diagonally like TVs are.
Ask the seller if the board is solid-block construction, or veneer/inlaid. Solid block is HUGELY preferable, it won't peel or crack over time like veneers have an annoying tendency to do. I will personally NEVER buy another veneer or inlaid board... solid-block is that much better!
Chess board squares are measured across (the length of any side), not diagonally like TVs are.
Ask the seller if the board is solid-block construction, or veneer/inlaid. Solid block is HUGELY preferable, it won't peel or crack over time like veneers have an annoying tendency to do. I will personally NEVER buy another veneer or inlaid board... solid-block is that much better!
Agree. Solid wood. Good advice!
I just posted the following comment (in response to JWBogo, and which is relevant to this thread as well) on the following thread:
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/jlp-woodworking-chess-boards
"...I went to the Official Staunton site, and as a test, went through the steps of ordering The Paul Morphy 3.5 inch King pieces (but did not complete the order). Just to figure out the total price with discount and shipping. On the checkout page I entered the discount code "MorphySale". It responded that it did not recognize this discount code. Also the shipping charge (to California, USA) was given as $32.68. So if the discounted sale price is no longer in effect, the set is overpriced at $181.69 + $32.68 = $214.37USD.
On the other hand, if the 55% discount were to be in effect the sale price, with shipping, should have been $81.76 + $32.68 = $114.44 which is roughly comparable to the price of the Fierce Knight and Exclusive Staunton, 3.5 inch King sets from The Chess Store, as well as The Players Series, 3.75 inch King set from HOS (with 15% discount code applied). Even at comparable prices, I prefer the looks of the (3.5 inch) Fierce Knight/Exclusive Staunton, and the (3.75 inch) Players Series, pieces better than the (3.5 inch) Paul Morphy set."
We should also include this set in the conversation...just for completness...
The Parker Staunton series....3.75 inch King height, 1.5 inch King base diameter (the sweet spot for a board with 2 inch squares)...ebonized boxwood.....$120USD (with free shipping)....from The Chess Store...
https://thechessstore.com/parker-staunton-chess-set-in-ebonized-boxwood-boxwood-3-75-king/
Finally, to answer your question, Carl is apparently "GM4U" (Chess.com ID).
I agree with Russbell on this one. I have a Rosewood "Fierce Knight" set... it is really nice.
Linkys:
Sheesham ("Golden Rosewood"):
https://thechessstore.com/fierce-knight-staunton-chess-set-in-golden-rosewood-boxwood-3-5-king/
Rosewood:
https://thechessstore.com/fierce-knight-staunton-chess-set-in-rosewood-boxwood-3-king/
Yeah... and when I was in high school, we had to walk to school, over hot coals, for 2 miles. And we didn't even have any legs!
What's your point?
Point being that some of us enjoy spending some money to get a nice chess set (or 10) that we enjoy playing the game with. Since this is a thread started by, and replied to by such people, I fail to see how your pencil and paper comments contribute to the discussion in any meaningful or helpful manner.
P.S. I would bet that EVERYONE here knows that you don't need to spend money to enjoy chess... just saying.
Like you "ignored" our discussion about boards and pieces?
Pot... meet kettle.
I agree with Russbell on this one. I have a Rosewood "Fierce Knight" set... it is really nice.
Linkys:
Sheesham ("Golden Rosewood"):
https://thechessstore.com/fierce-knight-staunton-chess-set-in-golden-rosewood-boxwood-3-5-king/
Rosewood:
https://thechessstore.com/fierce-knight-staunton-chess-set-in-rosewood-boxwood-3-king/
In fact, and coincidentally, I had ordered the "Golden Rosewood" Fierce Knight pieces from The Chess Store about 6 months ago, on the basis of the nice photos on their website. But on receiving the set, I was shocked that the dark pieces look neither golden nor rosewood, nor any combination of the two as was so beautifully rendered in the website photos, but instead looked more like the color of a Hershey's Milk Chocolate bar. I immediately arranged to return the pieces in exchange for the same set in ebonized boxwood, which I am now extremely pleased with.
Russbell,
That is why, in general, I prefer buying Rosewood or Bud/Blood Rosewood pieces over Sheesham ("Golden Rosewood"). There is just so much variation in color with the Sheesham. When you get a good set, a deep, rich chocolatey brown, it is really nice. However, the "Hershey" milk chocolate look really doesn't do it for me... I've returned 2 sets because of that. Any more, I just prefer buying Bud Rosewood (Padouk) pieces... very consistent medium to dark reddish brown. Always attractive, if a bit pricey.
Dizzoballs,
I personally think that everyone who enjoys playing chess should have at least one nice set.
When I was young and somewhat clueless, one of the few really nice things I owned after leaving home was a chess set that I payed around $200 for (back when that was a pretty substantial chunk of cash... roughly equivalent to a month's rent!). I thought at the time that it was an extravagent purchase, and had buyer's remorse for a few weeks. However, during the following 15 years, I played so many games over that board surface and it gave me so much joy, it eventually seemed like a completely good deal to me! Money well spent. I later sold that set to a chess addict friend for half what I paid for it, so all told I spent probably $7 per year for all the entertainment that chunk of gear represented. One of the best bargains of my life!
Dizzoballs,
I personally think that everyone who enjoys playing chess should have at least one nice set.
When I was young and somewhat clueless, one of the few really nice things I owned after leaving home was a chess set that I payed around $200 for (back when that was a pretty substantial chunk of cash... roughly equivalent to a month's rent!). I thought at the time that it was an extravagent purchase, and had buyer's remorse for a few weeks. However, during the following 15 years, I played so many games over that board surface and it gave me so much joy, it eventually seemed like a completely good deal to me! Money well spent. I later sold that set to a chess addict friend for half what I paid for it, so all told I spent probably $7 per year for all the entertainment that chunk of gear represented. One of the best bargains of my life!
You hit the nail on the head. That is the whole point of this thread. To help other chess players achieve their dream of the pleasure derived from playing on a nice chess set...and to perhaps pass that set on someday to someone who will, hopefully, experience the same pleasure!
By-the-way. Best to ignore people like Mr. Smith. They exist just to defecate their nonsense and negativity on the internet. That is the only they can get anyone to pay attention to them. It empowers their otherwise hollow existence.
Russbell,
That is why, in general, I prefer buying Rosewood or Bud/Blood Rosewood pieces over Sheesham ("Golden Rosewood"). There is just so much variation in color with the Sheesham. When you get a good set, a deep, rich chocolatey brown, it is really nice. However, the "Hershey" milk chocolate look really doesn't do it for me... I've returned 2 sets because of that. Any more, I just prefer buying Bud Rosewood (Padouk) pieces... very consistent medium to dark reddish brown. Always attractive, if a bit pricey.
Guys, look at the board he has ordered to match the set's wood with.
I personally have most of my sets in standard Rosewood. It is a nice dark color with that deep reddish cast to it, especially after a few years.
The Sheesham or Golden Rosewood is a lighter brown color and I don't think it would look as good on that board.
The black would look very nice as well as the regular Rosewood, in my opinion.
Remember also that he started off with a complete budget of $200.
And now he has bought a board that very well might have 2.0" squares.
I agree that paying over $200 shipped for that OS Morphy set seems too high, especially when it was on sale at 55% off just a week ago.
However, that set is really, really nice in its size category. Looking around at what else is available in that lower price range doesn't give any kind of comparable quality. I understand you are very happy with The Chess Store set. However, I have seen a very similar sets from The Chess Store and a couple of other places in that price range. The quality of finish of those sets is not as good as this set.
In the 3.75" King and even 4.0" King category, the Players Series set is heads and shoulders better than all the others like this OS Morphy set in its 3.5" and 1.5" base size category. And I'm not the only one saying this. I know of another that doesn't come here and he also has one of these sets where he only owns 3 nice sets. One is the HoS Marshall 4.0" which was in the $400 + range, and the other is a Noj Dubrovnik II set which cost him over $500. And look at how the people on this forum that bought one all say it is really nice.
So, in my opinion if that board has 2.0" squares I would look to get the Ebonized version of the OS Morphy set or look at the HoS Collector 3.0" in regular Rosewood that I linked to earlier.
And if it is a 2.25" square I would look long and hard and then just tell him to order the HoS Players Series Rosewood set.
Heck, he just spent $300 on the board. That deserves a really nice set.
Current coupon codes for HOS....enter at checkout....