McCreed, I went ahead and altered the body to improve neck access. A slightly more subtle carve than yours but it felt good.
If it feels good to you, that's all that matters! Also, if you're going to do any shaping on the heel and back of the pocket, the smaller scallop is probably all that's required.

There is a glue sot just above the bridge pick up. Tried Goof Off but not sure of its success yet.
The best way to find glue spots and check the progress of their removal is wiping down the body with a clean rag dampened with metho. If you angle a torch over the dampened area and sight across at a level plane before the metho evaporates, the spots will reveal themselves. Way better than finding them after you've started applying the colour!

That burst idea is an interesting concept. I could see that working.
Look forward to watching the rest of your progress.