MIMF

Another option is to buy a better bending iron. I can vouch for the one from Luthier's Bench in the UK. While you have to order it, and have it shipped to the US, it is not crazy expensive, and it works way, way better than other commercial bending irons.

Personally, if I had cut the body out without preserving the centerline (the equivalent of your situation), I would install the neck in the neck pocket, then lay out continuation lines for both sides of the neck using straightedges flush against the sides of the neck. Draw the lines at least past wh...

I won't get into the debate of whether bridge pins (or the lack thereof) affect the sound. Smarter people than me have some opinions on that. For me as a builder and a player, I want the ball end of each string to rest its force on the bridge plate, not the bridge pin. By having it sit right up agai...