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Actually the center strip was put down full length, and then I notched for the the braces using a razor knife and chisel. See the photo in the gobar deck!

It really doesn't matter how you do this. I think my first guitar I glued down the braces and then fit the strips between. Either way works, neither is really better than the other.

I did my first two this way, following Kinkead's book, but I was branding my name into the centre strip (brand ordered from Lee Valley) and found if I branded first and then installed pieces of centre strip (lined up with a straight edge) if I goofed on the brand I could try again with another strip, without having to remove a badly branded glued-in full-length strip. In the photo, the brace slots are cut undersized, to be trimmed to fit.

I fit individual strips for my first 6, then found that it was MUCH easier for my next 3 to put down a full length strip.

1) I am gluing the backstrip on my radius beam which is probably overkill because of the flexibility of the backstrip. I don't use a dish or a go-bar deck. I made those deep throat cam clamps and they are very handy. A trick is a double layer of blue tape stuck to the back on both sides of the center strip - it keeps the strip from skidding around and makes clean up a snap. The tape also protects the wood surface when I use a block plane and sandpaper to shape the backstrip. Sometimes I do this for an inch or so at the ends of each brace when I glue them.

2) Mark the brace location with a knife, cut with a fine saw leaving the line, pop out the center piece with a narrow chisel, then trim to fit. They are a press fit into the grooves. This is a redwood backstrip cut from the redwood top.

3) Gluing in braces against the radius beam, and again the deep throat cam clamps. I shape my braces before installing them, then refine them in place. You all know the drinking straw trick - right? Cut a 45° angle on the end with a chisel and it scoops up glue squeeze out leaving a bare minimum for a wet rag

I will take some pictures in the morning as I set up my new spray booth and begin spraying this guitar with sanding sealer tomorrow, and then the first coats of nitro lacquer on Sunday. The temperatures are going to just barely be acceptable to start.....67 tomorrow and 68 on Sunday. The inside of the booth should be a couple of degrees higher as it will be set up outside in my backyard in the sun.

I only had to pore fill the honduran mahogany neck and the rosewood binding and trim. The body is maple, the top is redwood, the head stock plate is ebony and the backstrap is maple.

I'm looking forward to getting to this part of the build and seeing the birdseyes and abalone pop!
Some pics tomorrow.

Kevin

Okay so I got my new spray boot set up put up and it worked out great. For the last 10 years I've been using a wood knock down frame 6' x 6' x 7' tall wrapped in plastic and it worked out great too, but the frame parts was getting tired and weathered so I needed something new. about $50 total for this new one and easy to set up and take down.

I was able to get two good coats of vinyl sealer and 4 coats of nitro lacquer sprayed. So far the guitar is looking good. What is usually exposed when the first few coats are sprayed are littlt gaps here and there, and so it goes with this one. I tried SO HARD to get all these before spraying. Mostly there are some small low areas in my abalone purfling. Again I tried and thought I had this all filled and leveled, but I do see some low areas where the lacquer sunk in so I'll take care of those this week before the next spraying session. I can do that for 3 weeks which is a shame but this coming weekend, too cold and raining, and the following weekend I'm out of town. Oh well.
I might level the finish before spraying again since it will have some cure time. My plan is to spray 8 more coats, but I may stop at 6 if all looks well. I always have to level after the last session anyway. I've never been able to get a smooth level end result. It must take lots of practice. This is my 12th guitar spraying lacquer.
So here it is in the booth and hanging in the shop after.

and hanging in the shop

I just finished the spraying this past weekend. Got a total of 2 sealer coats, and 13 finish coats. These were all nice heavy coats, and the last two I thinned the lacquer 30% and got a fairly leveled surface.
Of course wet sanding to level is still necessary but this might be my best surface after spraying yet.
I will let body and neck hang for a month, then finish it up in April. Looking forward to having it done....been 3 years since I finished one.

Not much to see but I've started wet sanding this guitar. I flat sanded it to 2000 grit. Its now ready for the buffing wheels. I refit the neck and I am leveling and recrowning the frets. I have about 2mm with a straight edge above the saddle slot on the bridge Probably okay. I haven't done this in about 3 years. Is that about right?

Sounds close, Kevin. I usually go for 1/16" which is about 1.5 mm.

Thanks Ed. I had 3/64's going around in my head. I will probably adjust it down to about 1/16". That sounds more reasonable. I dont want a 1/4" saddle sticking up out of the bridge, but around 3/16" sounds about right, down to 1/8".