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So I got my template made up and just pulled out my EIR back out of the sticker pile to trace the outline on, turns out I have a bit of a size problem. On the left plate the template (half template) sits just barley inside (1-2mm) and on the right plate the template sits just barely outside (1-2mm). Can I get away with this, assuming that this will still be well inside the area of the binding? Or will it make it difficult to line everything up and may turn out in disaster?
Thanks

i would rather joint a piece on each side to make the finished plate larger than the template. True this joint will likely be gone once you channel for the binding.

Many many backs are 3 or four piece backs

Michael, the lower bout is just barely outside the wood. I guess I could cut a piece off near the upper bout and laminate that on for insurance.

How about a generous center strip between the back pieces just to be sure that you have enough width?

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

Thats a good suggestion Steve, though I wasn't planning a backstrip on this one. I do have some rosewood binding on the way from LMI and I guess I could put a strip of that with some BWB purfling on each side. Or just the lamination...

Your upper bout is smaller so take a wedge off each side of the plate at the upper bout edge of the plate. This material would be waist anyway once you cut the profile. The grain orientation will be wrong on the binding anyway. The waist material from the upper bout area will be perfect for this. This will join to the outside edges meaning you can still go without a centerline binding if you wish.

Yeah, I think that is my best shot here. Thanks!