This plane definitely needs up thrust on the engine. I've got a standard thickness 1/4-20 washer plus a thin one under the lower standoffs. Looks like about 1.5 degrees of up thrust. What you describe is classic engine thrust issue and has little to do with CG. Go full throttle in level flight and chop the throttle. If it balloons then you need more up on the engine. If it dives then down thrust. Before I adjusted mine, when I put it into an inverted 45deg upline it would just go to verticle. Now it stays on line. That means the cg is pretty far back but not enough to adversely affect most flight. My cg does make it tuck a bit to the belly on knife-edge.

Bob, I've been reading your posts for a long time and I respect your research and opinion, but you must really dislike the way this plane handles on the recommended cg. What is your plane doing? To me, if the plane is stable and doesn't "hunt" (won't stay level hands off) the cg is not too far back. Maybe thrust is your real issue? BTW, why did you remove you Extra from your web page? I miss it.