Thanks for the compliments guys! To answer some questions:
I fixed the damaged FB by milling it off flat, and leaving a little less than 1/6" of ebony to create a black pinstripe under the new board. It wasnt what I originally wanted, but it still works. I have a manual mill in my shop that is perfect for tasks like this. Here it is when it was brand new: http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/mill.jpg
The body thickness is 1 3/4" inch thick. It started as a nice 1 piece billet. The carve makes it look slightly thinner. The weight is good...not too heavy. This was carved with hand files & sandpaper. I cant say how long it took, because I carved it over a year ago, then came back, and re-carved it deeper.
As far as the finish, I had been planning on useing Tru Oil, but now I'm leaning more toward a poly, or some sort of thin clear coat. I like the feel of Tru Oil, but I'd rather get it done quick.
The new inlay is a 2 color "inner twined" scroll. I actually had it slated for a walnut 6 string build, but decided to use it on this one. As soon as I get this CNC up and running, I will be offering pre inlaid boards with many different designs. I will also have the ability to have luthiers email me a DXF file of thier own body, or inlay designs. I can then create a 3D model (with full, or partial body carving) for smaller shops that need to turn work around quicker. The next few months will be fun in the shop.
I have had several emails & IM's about this the carve top...It's always good to talk directly with PG members. Most of the comments see this build as evil, pointy, metal, ect. That's not what I was shooting for at all. I was trying to marry up a traditional violin shape, with a modern "S" style guitar. I've never been a big fan of the pointy or metal guitar styles. But...If that's how most people see this one, that's cool. I'll do a black mirror bullet hole inlay on the next one, and call it done.