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Rich,
   My approach would be to remove the top and rework the rim to provide a better angle at the neck block end. When i lay a straight edge on that section of the top where the fingerboard tongue will be and stretch it toward the bridge area, I like to see about 1/16" under the straight edge at the point where the saddle will end up. That's right on the top with no fongerboard or bridge in place.

Let me know how you make out,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega Guitars

larry, i guess that one is for those who want their notes prebent!!!

Just an update for all those who contributed. I am making progress. Ended up setting the neck angle as much as possible and the tapered the fingerboard to fill the gap which then caused me to have to play with the neck angle a little more. All in all, the level fretboard is dead on the bridge with a straight edge and just the right amount of fall off at the 14th fret to the 20th.

Will post some pics when I am done doing some finish sanding and such but it looks like it is going to work out. Only noticble "design enhancement" is that the fingerboard tapers toward the soundhole but actually looks pretty cool.

I am not an expert (yet?), but it looks to me like you have some kind of exagerated hump centered around the front soundhole edge. Since you can rout to a certain depth for the rosette, it seems it would be okay to take a similar amount out of that hump, perhaps by using a small routing jig, or delicately chiseling out a kind of marketry slot the old fashioned way. Then after gluing that slightly sunken part of the fret board you'd have a stong lamination that doesn't weaken your top in that area. This and doing a little bit of tapering under the fretboard might solve your problem. There may however be a slight unsightly wave at your fretboard edge where it's inset, and a possible hazard for future neck removal. If not too deep though the inlayed slot should look acceptable after lighly taking down that visible curve to make it not too obvious. You'd have to lower or raise the bridge slighty too (depending on rout depth). I hope this makes sense and is not too off mark.nickton38812.1687615741

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