Operation a SUCCESS!!  Wood clamps and Home Depot straight brackets complete the abomination of what was once a beautiful Fender Stratocaster. The dull buff scar is actually from another operation: a friend of mine who restores wood furniture, pianos especially, took off the brackets and put dowels in there criss-crossed across the split seam. He called me and said "Yeah, that body's solid now. You won't need those brackets on there anymore, I took them all off." WHAT?!" I cried, "Put them back on, that's what he's famous for now!"