Originally posted by grazzhopper
1) Are Dubro swivel ball links and safety quick links a good value upgrade for my fuse mounted pull-pull set-ups? Should I consider other (better) types? If so, which? Do you even use the nylon stuff supplied with kits?
I never would use a ball link on a control surface, and especially not for the type of flying that the SE is intended. They're great on throttles though, since you can't always have the linkage coming in perfectly straight to the throttle and use a clevis. As for nylon, nylon control horns are fine. Nylon clevises are for trainers and slow flyers. Use the nylon horns that come with the kit, but use some good Dubro or Sullivan metal clevises. On my Fazer, which is basically a profile version of your same airplane, I even went so far as to upgrade all the 2-56 hardware to 4-40.
2) I can not for the life of me figure what is a good value in control horns. $3.50/pr for sullivan metal seems high, and do I need left/right, and of what size? Are Hayes nylon at $.50/pr good enough? Recommendations requested.
Use the horns that come with the kit. Here's a little tip: position the horn and drill the holes before you cover the control surface. Then soak the balsa in the general area around the holes with thin CA. This will prevent the balsa from getting crushed when you tighten the screws.
3) Why didn't anyone tell me that $500 is to RC what swizzling a toe is to swimming? 
I have a vision in my head of you guys hanging around in raincoats saying "Hey buddy, wanna buy an airplane?"! 
Seriously, this site has been a real treat.
Heh. More addictive than crack cocaine. :bananahea
You'll love the SE. Just make sure you don't have a radio glitch that makes the ailerons go hardover left, and have it start rolling like a blur on short final, or here's the result: (not my plane, but I was a witness to the carnage... poor guy crashed his heli that same night too. felt bad for him..)