In the handling of carrier strip, by which I refer to a continuous metallic ribbon that supports a large plurality of integral elements, such as connectors, projecting from at least one edge of the ribbon, it has been usual to have regularly spaced holes punched in the ribbon so that the strip can be paid over sprockets and the like when handled by automatic equipment. In the parent application cited hereinabove there is described a splicing machine for carrier strip, and, in particular, devices for guiding such strip through the processes of end trimming and joining in such a machine. Guide bars described in the aforesaid application rely on the holes in the strip ribbon to orient the strip, and have pins that fit these holes for that purpose. However these guide bars must have pin sizes and spacing that fit these holes for the particular strip they will serve. When a different carrier strip is to be spliced a different set of guide bars is required. For certain conditions of operation, where the same splicing apparatus is called upon to splice a range of different strips within a relatively short working time it becomes desirable to use the same guide bars for all the strips. The present invention for the first time makes this possible.