Thanks for all the tips, especially the one from JohnInKansas about taking the lens cap off the mag light.

As for "I can see no reason why the repairman (which is what I assume leeneia meant when talking about the "owner")should ask a customer to examine the braces" ---

Here's one reason: the potential customer and the owner (yes, owner of the business) live hundreds of miles apart and are not about to ship the guitar back and forth.