I'd go for B, with the upper bout to the right in that picture.

I was just about to say the same thing

Agree. With pointy style heel to continue the shape of the grain

I suppose there could be a musical as well as an aesthetic answer.

Aesthetically figure should be evaluated with the shape of the guitar you intend to buid in mind. So place your mold or plastic pattern over the back to see what it will look like. The main issue is how the guitar draws the eyes, and whether that suits one or the other sweep of the figure which will also want to pull the eyes. While it may not mater in this case, you should also try to visualize what will happen when finish is applied there can again be certain eye movement implications if different parts of the back shine when "wet" than dry.

At a more pragmatic level, there can be figure that gets cut out when you lay the pattern over. I wouldn't let that lead you against the overall effect, but it is worth nooding before selecting the set in the first place.



Then there is the whole look at pretty pictures and do what they did thing.

Musically, because the grain is quite flared in this case, you will end up with a different kind of back by selecting one over the other. I have no idea how that will work for you. It is just worth noting that fact as part of your info as you go ahead. Also, if one had in mind a particular objective one could compare the grain in that case. Imagine it were a top and it was being lattice braced, the major movement is in the edges, there would be significant differences in the grain being parallel or 45 degrees to the sides. Getting back to backs, that grain orientation would be near parallel to some radial braces one sees on guitars these days. Not sure I would want that. If you were just using standard transverse bracing, it would no longer be perpendicular to the grain. Just things to watch out for, or ignore.

By the way, as material allows you don't have to use the established lines. You could consider slightly different skew to the edge, neither is going to be aligned parallel, so you can play with the joint angle both for strength and visual effect.

When I am doing layout, I find it very helpful to take a piece of cardboard or paper and cut out the body shape. Laying that over the wood will really help your eyes get a sense of how the grain works within the body of the guitar and its curves. It will also help you determine exactly where you want to cut the wood to retain or lose certain figure, et cetera. Do the same with peghead veneers and your peghead design.

Cheers,

Filippo

Definitely B for me. "A" causes an almost endgrain glue joint and a short grain situation which could crack easier with humidity swings.

Chuck