The finish has been applied and the guitar is now back with Mark:
The entire process went quicker than expected because the prep time was reduced: Mark had left sealer on and some filler in the wood.
Here's a closer look at the region where the back and end graft meet:
And some close-ups of the soundport:
The finish nicely dramatizes the port even further! And now that the double body binding and purfling are done, the full effect of those interior laminates really jumps out. I'm very pleased the final result.