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For #7 I want to do a cut away but really haven't researched the differences in building one yet. Can any one tell me if they are significant or just a matter of bending, attaching to the neck block, and the binding/purfling changes. Thanks.

Ken Cierp has some good pix of the assembly procedure, which I used for two guitars - especially important is keeping the neck block correctly lined up and held firmly in place - the cutaway part of the rim really tries to pull the block out of position. Maybe drop Ken a line and get a link to those pix..

the one big difference is the neck block . To do a good cutaway you need the transition to be fluid to the body. To do this , place the neck into the block and make the neck center the neck block center . Place the sized fretboard to the neck and transfer that line to the neck block .
From that point take a bit more for the thickness of the side. You may flare the taper out from the corner point if you want . The key to to get that corner nice and flush so you won't have a "speed bump" when you travel up the neck. The only other thing is some of the upper bracing my be shortened a bit for the cutaway design you choose .
I will thin the upper area of the side about .005 for the cutaway area to bend a bit easier and you will want to get some finer kerfing for this area facilitate bending on the cutaway region.

To me neck block orientation is key -- actually having the mortise pre-cut is a short coming of all kits -- major builders will cut the mortise "after" the body is assembled which makes neck alignment much easier. And I agree with Rick a blended heel at the cutaway is very classy -- actually one of the reasons I started manufacturing necks -- yes I have those available. I do have a bunch of cutaway assembly pictures the process is a little different then a NC.

Rick -- both Martin (dove tail) and Taylor cut the mortise and Taylor the fingerboard inlet too after the body is assembled,

http://www.taylorguitars.com/see-hear/ Factory Fridays #8

did I misunderstand your comment? -- not sure about Gibson I have not been to their factory since they left Kalamazoo Michigan which was many years ago. I agree if the fixturing is correct both methods are fine -- my reference here is mainly for concern of the cutaway spring back pushing the block off axis in just about any direction -- so care has to be taken to prevent any movement. I kind of like the way Kinkead tooled up for cutting the mortise.

Runningdog wrote:I don't like the Larrivee/Martin/et al. style of cutaway (with a ledge protruding beyond the fingerboard), preferring to match the cutaway to the edge of the fingerboard. This requires that you cut the headblock so the side is a perfect fit with the fingerboard. It's not that hard but there's very little room for adjustment after the rim is assembled.

Rick, This is a pic of what I was thinking (venetian). It's a Martin. What is the "ledge" you were referring to?

Rick I went to Elderly's last week, they have zillion Martins hanging around the shop -- I was not looking specifically at cutaways but the ones I say had that binding reveal along the FB extension you are talking about. So ??