wow - rereading my last post I am once again humbled by poor typing skills! Sorry y'all for the numerous typos; I hope you can get through it.

I did, however, fail to make one of the points regarding the drawbacks. I metioned that I am using light guage strings (required by the Backpacker) and tuning several high (two and three frets high). Now this problem is reduce when I drop some for the open D tuning, but I still have a few strings stretched higher then the guitar was designed to support. I am afraid the excess tension will haste the twisting of the neck, bridge or face of the guitar. Any Luthier-types have a comment about that? Is it a problem? If so, what can I do about it?

By the way, I am seriously considering working with a guitar maker to deisgn a new instrument based on this config. I would double the top two strings because the ad such warmth, and improve the shape somehow to stop the roll over problem, and then be sure the neck, bridge and face were able to support the strings as tuned.