I'll take that under advisement. I've lost -- maybe temporarily, maybe not -- the top end of my vocal range in the wake of tonsil cancer and subsequent radiation, so tuning down might not be a bad idea at all.

The increasing height of the action from nut to bridge is still an issue. Using the capo more often and at higher fret positions will pull the action down, of course, but that's a less-than-elegant solution. I suppose my decision on whether or not to order a neck-reset will boil down to economics.

In regard to the graphite: Do you know anyting about the "nut butter" (for the same purpose) discusses in a thread hereabouts several weeks ago? For all I know, it may *be* nothing more or less than graphite...