please move this to the bike mech forum if you think it belongs there.

the situation: building myself a fixie on the cheap (negative budget); thought I'd splurge and get a $75 pre-built wheel at the LBS--basic Suzue flip-flop hub, old-school weinmann alu. rim. grabbed it on the way back to the LBS to scope the chain line for a new BB, I heard the spokes ping, and being the genius I am, said, aha, needs detensioning. Grabbed the rim the way I thought I remembered a bike mech show me, pulled up on side, down on the other. Result: instant detensioning and a beautiful S-curve sine wave all along the rim. and a little hop to boot.

Here's how I've spent my spare time the last couple of days: oil nipples, true wheel, detension spokes (gently, the right way), admire noodle-shaped rim, cry, repeat. even tried backing off all the nipples and building even tension up from there.

can somebody please suggest an end to the cycle of lameness? bad hub? bad rim? re-build? take it back to the lbs? is this normal?