For $29/mo, we provide access to advanced level technicians who will answer your questions on any Macbook board related matter to the best of their knowledge promptly & walk you through how to solve your problem so you can deliver a working board to your customer.
Just in case anyone looks at this... I was getting no green from the MagSafe.
Turns out my "known good" IO board was shit. Also turns out that because I was not getting and green / orange I was missing the fact that the power button was causing an SMC reset every time I pushed it to turn the fucking machine on!..... Doh!