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Cricket Fiddle Instrument Co.

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Here you'll find more pics and info on some of 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.

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Introduction 
|The Cricket Fiddle
Logo
 
The Shop 

 Biological Survey


Upcoming Events



Rock Bend Folk Festival

Rock Bend
Folk Festival
St.
Peter, Minnesota
.

  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!

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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)

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Updated:

Monday - March 18 - 2024

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Hello from the banks of the
Minnesota River at St. Peter, Minn. 

(The "Traverse Des Sioux" or Crossing place of the Old Dakota)


        
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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


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.

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Guitar Body Octave Mandolin #4
Is now on display
and for sale at Scheitel's Music
 in Mankato, Minnesota.

These are mostly photos of # 4.
All the details are nearly identical to
# 3 down below. 







This was the last one to come off the
work bench in Madelia.


 









I usually make my own cases out of plywood and 2x4's but this time I didn't have time make one, so fortunately Scheitel's had a nice hard-shell Martin guitar case that fits nicely.






 

I brought # 4 in to Scheitel's last summer shortly before we moved and didn't quite have to to finish it. The neck was way too thick and the frets needed to be filed down and smoothed.
That's all done now,
and it's back up and ready to go.
 
Current price tag is
$2500.
(Hardshell case extra)
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All products are shop-cat tested and approved!
(Cat not included)




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Guitar Body Octave Mandolin #3
 

Has been STOLEN from the
Groth Music
store in
Bloomington
, Minnesota.

This and the 10-String Mandola (Seen down below) was taken from the store some time during the last week of October. 
  



                               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) 




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Here's a quick video/sound sample.
Logan from Scheitel's Music in
Mankato, Minnesota, plugs it in
and takes out for a spin!



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A project I started
20 years ago was finally finished during the 2020 pandemic:
 

A wooden West African Kora.

Currently on display and for sale at
 Scheitel's Music in Mankato, Minnesota.
 








More photos in the 'Other Stuff' section up above.

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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.


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 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.

            

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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


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  https://youtu.be/AE8GkJTYJAk



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(Sound Sample # 4)
('The Music Box')

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD07oJ6hzuk


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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.

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Octave Mandolin
(# 82)


SOLD!


(More Photos and details in the
          Mandolins section)
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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.

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I've decided to hang on to the FiddleHarpa.
If you're interested in it, you will have to stop by here and check it out in person.

       

              
(More photos and details in the
 Violins and Fiddles section.
         _________________________________            


10-String Mandola (# 75)

Has been STOLEN from the
Groth Music
store in
Bloomington
, Minnesota.
It was taken some time around the last week of October. 


Now with new side sound-holes too.
(In the Mandolins section)

 
 
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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.
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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. 

 







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  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.
 
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That's what's currently available.
Check out my Facebook page for
photos of the construction of # 78.






 
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Great Big Giant
10-String F-4 Mando Cello.
The photos of the construction process
are up on my Facebook page too.



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  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)

 
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This is a direct link to all my videos on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/TeeJay5085
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OK...That's it for now.
   Keep checking in.      

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The Cricket Fiddle Logo

Catalog

·  A4 Mandolins 

·  F4 Mandolins 

·  F5 Mandolins 

·  F5 Bluegrass Mandolin 

·  Octave A4 Mandolin 

·   

·  Octave F4 Mandolins 

·  Come back for more...



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...                                               

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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!
 
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