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Ras Alan

  • Home
  • Music
  • Childres Guitars
  • Bio
  • Photos
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Adventures
  • Upcoming Performances
I like to build and play guitars.

I like to build and play guitars.

JAH 45 Mahogany #32016. AVAILABLE NOW!

JAH 45 Mahogany #32016. AVAILABLE NOW!

Torrified Sitka spruce; ebony bridge and fretboard

Torrified Sitka spruce; ebony bridge and fretboard

Hand thicknessed walnut back

Hand thicknessed walnut back

Waverly tuners with ebony buttons

Waverly tuners with ebony buttons

JAH 45 Walnut #22016

JAH 45 Walnut #22016

Ebony fretboard; Herringbone purfling

Ebony fretboard; Herringbone purfling

Matte finish ebony headplate

Matte finish ebony headplate

Ebony trim and button

Ebony trim and button

JAH 45 Mahogany and Walnut

JAH 45 Mahogany and Walnut

Childres OMC #12015   For Sale  (Or one like it)

Childres OMC #12015 For Sale (Or one like it)

Custom OMC form and spreaders

Custom OMC form and spreaders

Laying out the top profile; AAA Sitka spruce

Laying out the top profile; AAA Sitka spruce

Laying out the back profile; East Indian rosewood

Laying out the back profile; East Indian rosewood

Measuring the sides to length

Measuring the sides to length

Fitting the internal spreaders

Fitting the internal spreaders

Gluing in the mahogany neckblock

Gluing in the mahogany neckblock

Neck block in place

Neck block in place

Gluing in the tail block

Gluing in the tail block

Hand planing the sides to the blocks

Hand planing the sides to the blocks

Gluing "ears" to the headstock

Gluing "ears" to the headstock

One piece Honduran mahogany neck blank

One piece Honduran mahogany neck blank

Making radius sanding blocks

Making radius sanding blocks

Gluing in the kerfings; spruce on the top, mahogany on the back

Gluing in the kerfings; spruce on the top, mahogany on the back

Carving the mahogany side struts

Carving the mahogany side struts

Laying out the side strut locations

Laying out the side strut locations

Gluing in the side struts

Gluing in the side struts

Laying out the back braces

Laying out the back braces

Shaping the back braces

Shaping the back braces

Recessing the tailblock for electronics

Recessing the tailblock for electronics

Gluing the mahogany back braces

Gluing the mahogany back braces

Using shop-built jig to inlay rosette

Using shop-built jig to inlay rosette

Gluing rosette into the spruce top

Gluing rosette into the spruce top

Scraping rosette flush with top

Scraping rosette flush with top

Finished inlaid herringbone rosette

Finished inlaid herringbone rosette

Thicknessing the top by hand

Thicknessing the top by hand

Radiusing top braces in 30' dish

Radiusing top braces in 30' dish

Gluing in center strip

Gluing in center strip

Gluing in aged spruce top bracing (from private stash)

Gluing in aged spruce top bracing (from private stash)

Shaping the top bracing

Shaping the top bracing

Removing extra material

Removing extra material

Voicing the top

Voicing the top

Nice and clean

Nice and clean

Gluing back to the rims

Gluing back to the rims

Routing end graft slot

Routing end graft slot

Fitting ebony end graft

Fitting ebony end graft

Almost ready for the top

Almost ready for the top

Final electronics clearance check

Final electronics clearance check

Gluing top to rims and back

Gluing top to rims and back

Routing for ebony binding

Routing for ebony binding

That's why they call it binding

That's why they call it binding

Ebony back binding on

Ebony back binding on

Routing the binding+purfling channel

Routing the binding+purfling channel

Help in the tight curves

Help in the tight curves

Scraping the sides and bindings level

Scraping the sides and bindings level

The bound box

The bound box

Laying out the headstock

Laying out the headstock

Counter-boring for tuner bushings

Counter-boring for tuner bushings

Aligning the fretboard

Aligning the fretboard

Fitting the ebony heel cap

Fitting the ebony heel cap

Tell-tale signs...

Tell-tale signs...

Laying out the neck profiles

Laying out the neck profiles

More clamp art

More clamp art

Working the Honduras mahogany

Working the Honduras mahogany

Early morning start

Early morning start

Taking shape

Taking shape

Close work at the neck heel

Close work at the neck heel

Eyeballing the fret markers

Eyeballing the fret markers

Ready to cut the pearl

Ready to cut the pearl

Sanding a 30' radius on the ebony bridge

Sanding a 30' radius on the ebony bridge

Midnight oil

Midnight oil

Checking the fit on the radiused top

Checking the fit on the radiused top

Less is More

Less is More

No sweat... just fret

No sweat... just fret

Pearl side dots

Pearl side dots

Sanding to #320 grit works

Sanding to #320 grit works

Getting the volute right

Getting the volute right

Back of headstock detail

Back of headstock detail

Getting there

Getting there

Setting up to route for inlay

Setting up to route for inlay

More scraping/shaping on the neck

More scraping/shaping on the neck

This is going to be good

This is going to be good

Mortise and tenon bolt-on neck with 2-way truss rod

Mortise and tenon bolt-on neck with 2-way truss rod

Attaching the neck

Attaching the neck

Working really, really small

Working really, really small

Prepping for finish

Prepping for finish

Taped off and ready for applying 10,000 layers of "Moonshine Polish"

Taped off and ready for applying 10,000 layers of "Moonshine Polish"

The ancient recipe...

The ancient recipe...

Pore-filling with mahogany dust around the volute

Pore-filling with mahogany dust around the volute

The layers have begun

The layers have begun

Many finish layers later...

Many finish layers later...

The herringbone comes alive

The herringbone comes alive

Literally hand-rubbed. A lot.

Literally hand-rubbed. A lot.

First layers of finish on the ebony headplate

First layers of finish on the ebony headplate

Nice and smooth on the back of the headstock

Nice and smooth on the back of the headstock

Waverly tuners with ebony buttons- jewelry for the guitar

Waverly tuners with ebony buttons- jewelry for the guitar

Old-style tuner bushings

Old-style tuner bushings

Fitting the ebony bridge pins

Fitting the ebony bridge pins

1/4" strap-jack for LR Baggs Anthem SL mic/pickup system

1/4" strap-jack for LR Baggs Anthem SL mic/pickup system

Volume control for internal mic/ under-saddle pickup

Volume control for internal mic/ under-saddle pickup

Compensated unbleached bone saddle in custom ebony bridge

Compensated unbleached bone saddle in custom ebony bridge

2016 Childres OMC #12015. For sale. With hardshell case.

2016 Childres OMC #12015. For sale. With hardshell case.

AAA Sitka spruce top

AAA Sitka spruce top

14 fret neck

14 fret neck

Custom ebony bridge; Medullary rays in top. Great sound.

Custom ebony bridge; Medullary rays in top. Great sound.

Compensated unbleached bone saddle

Compensated unbleached bone saddle

Herringbone rosette

Herringbone rosette

Back of headstock

Back of headstock

Back of headstock 2

Back of headstock 2

East Indian rosewood back

East Indian rosewood back

East Indian rosewood sides 1

East Indian rosewood sides 1

East Indian rosewood sides 2

East Indian rosewood sides 2

Ebony binding 1

Ebony binding 1

Ebony binding 2

Ebony binding 2

Venetian cutaway detail

Venetian cutaway detail

2 mm Mother of Pearl side marker dots

2 mm Mother of Pearl side marker dots

Ebony headplate with mother-of-pearl logo

Ebony headplate with mother-of-pearl logo

Ebony heel cap and strap button

Ebony heel cap and strap button

Herringbone purfling

Herringbone purfling

Discrete volume control for internal mic and undersaddle pickup

Discrete volume control for internal mic and undersaddle pickup

One piece sawn and hand carved Honduras mahogany neck

One piece sawn and hand carved Honduras mahogany neck

Hand carved volute detail

Hand carved volute detail

TKL 25th Anniversary hardshell case

TKL 25th Anniversary hardshell case

TKL case- Made in Canada. Not for cats.

TKL case- Made in Canada. Not for cats.

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