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Long story short, I closed up the soundbox last week and when I tapped the top I could hear a noticeable buzzing sound. I didn't hear it before I set the back. So I removed the back and can still hear the buzz, I just can't find it.

I've checked all the braces, blocks, kerfing, bridge plate, X-brace intersection,... everything on the inside. The top is flush to the outer sides as well. The top is not cracked. Everything looks right and still bzzzt, bzzzt, bzzzt.

Any ideas? I hate the thought that my only next step is to remove the top and start over.

How have you checked? If tapping and listening can't ferret it out start going around with a .001 feeler gauge and see if you can slide it into the joints. If it's loose enough to buzz the feeler should drop right in where the joint is loose. Good luck.

Thanks, Brian. Sometimes in a frustrating situation it's hard to see the forest for the trees.
I found a spot along the kerfing in the upper bout, bass side next to the X brace, about 1/2" long. It was invisible to the eye but the gauge found it! Everything else was tight.

Hopefully this is it. I discovered that I can only hear this sound out of my left ear which is why I may have missed it in the first place.

It does not take much to cause this effect just because of the fact it is happening in a guitar. I had the same problem after gluing on a top and eventually found a small crack at the kerf on the reversed lining. A drop of CA glue and the trouble was gone. Took me about 3 hours with the back off to find it. I feel you pain. Good luck.
Tom

Well I thought I had it fixed. But it seems that the problem is me and not the guitar. The buzz I hear in my left ear, which sounds loud and obvious, is inaudible to everyone else.

I had my wife listen to it, I took it into work and had several people listen, I had friend who builds dulcimers take a listen and everyone looked at me like I was nuts. No one hears it but me. So it seems that a trip to the doctor may be in order.