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OK, I am confused. i have seen articles and people who insert a backstrip between back plates when joining (which I did with my first martin kit). I also see people join back plates then route a groove for the strip. Does any of this even matter since everyone glues a back reinforcement strip and back braces are glued across? I just don't see how it could matter which way its done since its reinforced either way.

Also, I like the look of a thin ebony or maple strip. Are those of you that do that just thinning a binding strip for that?

Personal preference.

I like to inlay the strip because the edges of the center strip do not need to be candle fitted when inlayed. In my thinking if you are butt fitting, to have a good joint you need to candle fit the planks to the center strip. This may be being picky but I like my seams to be tight joints even though they are reinforced. Reinforcement in my eyes is to be add strength not required strength.

I also inlay mine for the same reasons Michael gives. In the same breath however there are so many instruments made both ways that I doubt it matters.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

I used to glue the backstrip right in between the halves because that's how I thought it was done. I don't anymore because I use back strips that are not thick enough some times, but guess what, the old ones still sounded like guitars.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

I have always and at Bourgeois the strips are joined (sandwiched) to each panel. Never a failure on any of mine, and I never heard of one while at Dana's. If I know Dana, had any problems arose with that seam, he would have done something else. It is strong. Can get the strips at Woodcrafters or other tool stores. I am not sure but think Dana may get them at Gurian(sorry if mispelled)Most of mine were binding strips. Once in, they can sanded down if needed some and not let fgo from heat/friction whatever proper term is from glue getting hot.

if you glue the back stripe between the back halves you are trusting the manufacturer's glue job to be a structural element of your guitar.

in simple back stripes maybe not so bad, but with ornate/multi-piece, e.g., herringbone, that is a lot of trust. and to rely on the back graft to take the strain would require it to be wider by at least the width of the stripe and thicker, at least to my demented way of thinking.

so i inlay mine, but i still want my basic back joint to be as tight as i can make it, i.e., i candle. the fact that it is hidden inside and out is no reason to rely on poorly made joints.

I've sandwitched a back strip between purfling lines on all my guitars except one. The exception used a rather ornate mosaic pattern, and no way was I gonna have it become a structural element of the guitar. With the rest of my guitars, the back strip was at least as hard and durable as the back plates, and is usually the same material as the binding. The purfling I use -- either ebony, EIR, or maple, depending on the contrastive effect I want -- is rugged enough to handle any stress the back is likely to be subjected to.

I thickness my purfling and back strips on a drum sander (including the edges of the back strip) so they're as straight and flat as they're gonna get. As long as the back plates butted up with no light leakage, I've found that the purfling and strip also fit well.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live