BillS,
If you haven't moved the gear yet, you have 1 vote for leaving it where it is. I also think that negative AOA while on the gear is a bad idea. While some may argue that negative AOA is good for "sticking" on landing, it can cause the dreaded leap into the air syndrome on takeoff. Try it with slightly positive AOA on the maiden, you can always adjust from there if you don't like it. This plane is not a good candidate for jumping into the air before it's ready. Just my 2 pennies, good luck on whatever you decide.