I'm on FaceBook! Here you'll find
more pics and info on someof the instruments I
make plus lots of detailed photos on the actual
construction of some of them.
Also YouTube videos of some really unique
(and really Strange!) musical instruments from
around the world.
______________________
---------------------- Introduction
|The Cricket Fiddle Logo The
Shop Biological
Survey
I will
not be set up at Rock Bend again this year. My big
old tree died and they cut it down, so needless to
say... no more shade! I will be hanging out at the
North Stage most of the time and will have an
Octave Mandolin or two with me. Hope to see you
there!
Welcome to TeeJays Home Page and Web Site.
I make stringed Musical Instruments
and conduct field surveys for Reptiles and
Amphibians
(Click on the Frog to get to the
Biological Survey)
__________________________________________
Updated:
Sunday
- December 8 - 2024
____________________________________
Hello from
the banks of the MinnesotaRiver at St. Peter, Minn.
(The
"Traverse Des Sioux" or Crossing place of the
Old Dakota)
____________________________________
A note about calling
here:
I am currently without a phone, but
should be getting one soon. I'll get
that number up as soon as I can.
Till then... Please use my E-mail
address instead.
Thanks. New E-Mail Address:
tjessen2040@gmail.com
Announcement:
I am now officially retired!
This means I will no
longer be building new instruments for the
foreseeable future.
(This includes major repair jobs)
To be sure... There WILL be more!
Just don't know what, or when.
_____________________________
Items currently available:
Guitar
Body Octave
Mandolin #4
A
wooden West
African Kora.
8
String
Hardanger
Viola 'd Amore
Arpeggione!
FiddleHarpa
Scroll
down to see what I've got,
then click on the
appropriate blue link above for more pics and
info.
______________________________________
Guitar
Body Octave
Mandolin #4 Is
now available
at
Groth
Music in
Bloomington,
Minnesota
Price is now
set at $3500. (Case
included) Call
the store.
Price tag is
negotiable.
This was the last one to
come off the
work bench in Madelia.
All
products are shop-cat tested and approved!
(Cat not included)
_____________________________________
Guitar
Body Octave
Mandolin #3
Has
been STOLEN
fromthe
Groth Music storein
Bloomington,
Minnesota.
This
and the 10-String
Mandola
(Seen down
below) was
taken from the
store some
time during
the last week
of October,
2023.
22 inch scale.
2-way
Adjustable
Truss Rod with
2 carbon rods
embedded into
the
neck.
Clamshell
inlays from
the Watonwan
River.
The top is
made of
Redwood.
The
tuners are
high quality
but affordable
Guitar Tuners
made in China.
The
neck, back and
sides are made
of
highly figured
Walnut.
Tailpiece from
Allen Guitars.
The
adjustable
bridge is made
of
Ebony and
Walnut.
I
am now
installing a Prestige
220
electric
pick-up system
from JBB
Electronics in
each of my
mandolins.
The
padded case is
made of
plywood and
pine stained a
rich Burgundy
Merlot.
And once again...
All products are Shop Cat tested and approved.
(Shop Cat not included, of
course)
_____________________________________________
Here's a quick video/sound
sample.
Logan from Scheitel's Music in
Mankato, Minnesota, plugs it in
and takes out for a spin!
_____________________________________________
A
project I
started
20 years ago
was finally
finished
during the
2020 pandemic:
A wooden
West African
Kora.
The Kora is
now back home
with me again.
If you're
interested,
name a price
and it's
yours.
More
photos in the
'Other
Stuff'
section up
above.
__________________________________________________________________________ 8
String
Hardanger
Viola 'd Amore
I
started this
project in
January 2020.
(Currently not
for sale)
More photos
and details in
the Violins
and Fiddles
section.
______________________________________ I've
made an Arpeggione!
And
it is now on
display and
for sale at
Groth Music in
Bloomington,
Minnesota.
$1800
(Or best offer)
More photos and details on the Violins and Fiddles page.
___________________________________
F-
4 Octave
Mandolin
(#89)
(SOLD!)
Check out more
photos and
details in the
Mandolins
section under
F-4
Octave
Mandolins.
I won't be
making any
more of these
for a while,
but if you
really want
one, just let
me know.
Here
are some video/sound samples
__________________________
https://youtu.be/AE8GkJTYJAk
____________________________
(Sound
Sample # 4)
('The Music
Box')
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD07oJ6hzuk
____________________________
There
is a problem
with the
Mandolins
page!
When
you click on
the page you
will get a big
blank space.
Just scroll
down past the
blank area
until you see
something.
___________________________________
Octave
Mandolin
(# 82)
SOLD!
(More
Photos and
details in the Mandolinssection)__________________________________
10-String
Hardanger
Viola
is SOLD
!!!
I've
built another
one of these,
but it's not
quite done
yet. It won't
be a Viking
Fiddle, but it
will have 8
strings. Stay
tuned to my
facebook page
for weekly
updates.
More photos in
the
Violins and
Fiddles
section.
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
The FiddleHarpa is off on an adventure!
It is now on long-term loan. Good Luck with
it Karl. Hope it behaves itself for
you.
(More photos and details in the Violins and Fiddles
section.
_________________________________
10-String
Mandola (# 75)
Has
been STOLEN
fromthe
Groth Music storein
Bloomington,
Minnesota. It
was taken some
time around
the last week
of
October.
Now with new side
sound-holes too.
(In the Mandolins
section)
______________________________________
The
10-String Viola D'
Amore is at its new
home in Richland,
Washington.
There will be more of
these!
Let me know if you're
interested. ______________________________________
The 10
-String
Snake head 'Hardanger'
Fiddle
has become famous!
It has toured several
countries with it's
new owner and is
making beautiful
music.
______________________________________
_______________________________________
I now
have
video/sound
samples.
Please keep in
mind:
I spend a lot
more time
building than
playing.
(More coming
soon)
More videos in
the Mandolins
section. __________________________________
That's what's
currently available.
Check out my Facebook
page for
photos of the
construction of # 78.
______________________________________
Great Big Giant
10-String F-4 Mando
Cello.
The photos of the
construction process
are up on my Facebook
page too.
______________________________________ 10-String
A-Style Mandolas
have been
available in the
past. I might be building more
in the future
but it will be a while.
(In the Mandolins
section) ___________________________________
This is a direct link to all my videos on
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/TeeJay5085 ________________________________________ OK...That's it
for now.
Keep checking in.
I started making musical instruments in the late
1970’s. My first attempt
was a 5-String Banjo made out of a pine board I
found in the garage... Read More... ________________________________________
E-mail: tjessen2040@gmail.com Sorry...Had to
delete the phone number. I usually run
and hide whenever I hear the phone ring anyway. 9
times out of 10 its not for me and I'm really bad
about getting back to you if you leave a message.
You'll have a much better chance if you use
E-mail. Thanks!
