Jess

Mansfield, OH

United States

Profile Information:

How did you learn about Cigar Box Nation?
By accident.
How many instruments have you built so far?
Hundreds
What do you find most interesting about cigar box guitars? (If you do not enter something meaningful here (at least one sentence long), your membership may be rejected as a spam/bot fake account).
Everything

Comment Wall:

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  • Joker

    Jess, your builds are fantastic. Keep it up!

    Feb 11, 2010

  • Diane in Chicago

    Alas, the interest in the Chicago CBG Get Together has been underwhelming. I'll try again later, maybe after the weather warms up. I am surprised!

    Feb 15, 2010

  • Stefan lardi Dar Guitar Tofari

    thanks mate, yea the cohiba looks a bit mad, there covers are from fold up card speakers from the pound shop, it sounds really good and quite loud i`m well pleased with that one, the tele came out nice but to get it to play properly i think i glued the neck on wrong i don`t thik its on square so got to tweek it ,but thanks for comments, my next project is a tin but hav`nt decided if its going to be 3 or 4 string i`ll upload some pics when done,,,,see ya!!

    Feb 16, 2010

  • The Phrygian Kid

    Happy birthday young fella :)

    Feb 20, 2010

  • Jess

    Hey, Jef, how ya doin? Thanks for the b'day greet. I don't know about the young part, I'm now 69, and still crazy after all these years. {;-)=

    Feb 20, 2010

  • Dianne Woods

    Great builds.

    Apr 21, 2010

  • Dianne Woods

    Jess, you are very welcome. No, I don't think you should take lessons from me, I am just an amataur. I am still working on my 2nd build and began my 3rd one. I am having a problem soldering. I have been practicing, but can't get the hang of it. I want to install a piezo in my 2nd build.

    Apr 21, 2010

  • Dianne Woods

    Jess, I am sorry I haven't got back to you. My computer has been in the shop---hit by several viruses in Facebook. I will never go back in there. I sure did miss talking to all yall. I just get the hang of soldering. It just won't fall on the wire and plug and hardened there. I know that doesn't make any sense. I bought some flux today to see if that will help. I think it is just me.

    Apr 30, 2010

  • Dianne Woods

    Jess, I am doing ok. My husband showed me yesterday how to solder. Thank you for the help. He suggested me sticking each wire thru each hole in the pegs, and winding the wire round, so it would be easier to hold while soldering. Is that the way you do it? I do need to get me another solder iron with a trigger. Mine takes forever to heat up. Thanks again. I am almost finished with my 2nd build. Will post some pics on my page when finished.

    May 3, 2010

  • Dianne Woods

    Jess, you do need two or three hands while soldering.
    Thanks again for your help.

    May 4, 2010

  • JUJU

    Hi Jess
    Thanks for the invite mate - hey you have some cool looking builds nice work
    hope to see you around
    juju :-)

    May 14, 2010

  • Bluesheart

    Wow back at ya Jess, way cool stuff you do.

    May 20, 2010

  • Keni Lee Burgess

    It is alright to post your submission on the disscussion page too if you like, but please send your photo and contact information to kenileeburgess@aol.com.
    It is much easier for me to keep this project organized. Thank you for your contribution.

    May 25, 2010

  • rodney fruits

    Sure, glad to have ya and always glad to share. You have cool stuff in here.

    Jun 15, 2010

  • Rand Moore

    The L-shaped chord pattern I made reference to is something unique to diatonically fretted 3-stringed instruments like a stick dulcimer (McNally Strumstick) tuned to D-A-D or some other 1-5-8 tuning.

    As with guitars, when you finger a movable chord pattern, one finger barres (is laid over and stops) all the strings and another finger is used to stop the melody string a couple of frets up the neck. The long side of the "L" pattern is formed by barring the three strings and the "foot" is made by stopping the melody string two fret positions down from where you are baring the strings.

    For major chords, you need three notes: the 1st, 3rd, and 5th intervals. So if your instrument is tuned to DAD, the open bass string (D) would be your "1st", the open middle string (A) would be your "5th", and the second fret (F#) would be your "3rd". Here is a table that summarizes the chords available with a DAD tuned instrument using the L-Shaped chords. For the remaining chords, you will just have to remember the apparently random fingerings.

    Barre at Fret #: Finger Melody String at Fret #:
    D-major 0 (open strings) 2
    E-Major 1 3
    F#-Major 2 4
    G-Major 3 5
    A-Major 4 6
    B-Major 5 7 (aka 6 1/2)
    C-Major 6 8 (or 9)
    C#-Major 7 (aka 6 1/2) 9 (or 10)
    D-Major 8 10 (or 11)

    Jun 26, 2010

  • Rand Moore

    Sorry, that table, built with tabs didn't work out the way I had intended. Here's another go at it...


    Barre at Fret #: Finger Melody String at Fret #:
    D-major 0 (open strings) 2
    E-Major 1 3
    F#-Major 2 4
    G-Major 3 5
    A-Major 4 6
    B-Major 5 7 (aka 6 1/2)
    C-Major 6 8 (or 9)
    C#-Major 7 (aka 6 1/2) 9 (or 10)
    D-Major 8 10 (or 11)

    This pattern begins to repeat over again further up the neck.

    Jun 26, 2010

  • Rand Moore

    Well, that didn't work either.

    Anyways, with diatonic fret boards, you often get another "optional" fret called "6 1/2" which can trip up our fret numbering system. I've made a note of this in parentheses in the above table. This 6 1/2 fret comes to us from the mountain dulcimer world and gives us the ability to play all the notes of a major scale. I personally believe it was a mistake, and that the real optional string is "6" which gives you the natural of the note that should be played there in a major scale.

    As you probably know, the diatonic fretboard should contain a fret position for each major scale interval and that those intervals are: "W-W-H-W-W-W-H" (where "W" is a whole tone interval" and "H" is a half tone interval). With D-Major scale, these notes are "D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#-D" where the two half steps are between notes "F# & G" and "B & C#". That would make the note at fret 6 1/2 a C#, making fret 6 (the C note) the odd one out.

    Jun 26, 2010

  • Rand Moore

    This additional fret trips me and other people up a lot, especially when it's not counted as "6 1/2", but as "7" and the remaining frets are named one up from where they are on the instrument where it's marked "6 1/2". For instance, if your instrument has a movable bridge, it's placement position on the body should be 2 times the distance from the nut to the 12th fret for a chromatic instrument (banjo, guitar), but should be the 7th fret for a diatonic instrument. But, if your instrument has a "6 1/2" fret called "fret 7", this will likely mess you up, as it has done for me when I was using my McNally Strumstick (which has a 6 1/2 fret called "fret 7", etc.) as a model for another instrument I was building. I was wondering why all my fret positions were so far off the mark!

    As for your other chord on the strum stick or similar instrument, you'll just have to remember the odd finger placements.

    Hope this helps rather than confuses. It's an interesting topic, which might be a good topic to discuss in a public group. I think there is a 3-string players group on CBN somewhere. Then you can get verification on what I have said. Otherwise, just try i what I have been saying and see if it proves out.

    I had to break up my message because the Comment Wall editor only allows messages under 2000 characters in length.

    -Rand.

    Jun 26, 2010

  • Rand Moore

    Where's York? In the UK? I am currently situated in the San Francisco Bay Area (think west coast, U.S.A.) and am on vacation. Two months from now, I'll be back home in Shenzhen, China just across the border from Hong Kong. My interests include ukuleles, stick dulcimers (strum sticks) and now can-jos (seems I'm going minimalist). I study similar stringed instruments like mountain dulcimers, banjos, guitars, and the like for ideas. Most of my readings are from articles on the Internet, discussions on various forums, and then trying out their ideas to see if they work for me on whatever instrument I interested at the time. I'm not an expert or anything, but feel free to pick my mind via this forum.

    Jun 27, 2010

  • Rand Moore

    East coast, Aug 28th & 29th. No, I doubt I can swing a trip to PA this year, and I have other commitments starting around Aug 22nd. Maybe some other year. I'd really like to spend a summer on the East coast to attend some of the old time music conventions in Appalachia and the like, but that will likely have to wait until my daughter is older and can travel easier. Hopefully, by then she'll be into playing an instrument. She's 5 now and is just starting to take interest. But she does like to sing and dance, at least in the privacy of our home.

    I still think your question on L-chords is a good one and should be asked again in one of the public group areas of CBN. That way more people will get in on the discussion and share ideas, etc. I can get the ball rolling if it's okay with you.

    -Rand.

    Jun 30, 2010

  • Mike Bingham

    Thanks for the invitation, Jess. You're showing some real skill and ingenuity! I'm gonna be watching you to see what I can learn. See Ya!

    Sep 12, 2010

  • Mike Bingham

    Hey Jess, Gimme a yell whenever you're ready. in the meantime check this out: www.buildyourguitar.com/resources/lapsteel/index.htm">http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/51ZTdE/www.buildyourguitar.com/resources/lapsteel/index.htm. This CBG stuff is very addicting! See Ya!

    Sep 13, 2010

  • Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates

    Hey Man!

    Nuttin much here. Just building and keeping it straight. Yea, I didn't mean to start up such a crap-fest with all that. It just erkes me that there are folks out there that can't build, can't learn, can't seem to understand what they are doing, and on top of that think they know the 'right way' to build CBGs. I guess I really shouldn't be such a mouth (I have a bad habit of that, so if you think I'm a putz, I might just be). We all build at one point or another and no matter how you build, its all good.

    Eh, anyhow... I digress. So me likey the Playboy box above! Me likey the inside a LOT. Hrmmmm. Gives me an idea....

    Cheers and let us know what new comes about.

    -WY

    Oct 17, 2010

  • Catalyst

    Jess, Do you have any Pinstripe art for sale? I would love to buy some to hang in my workshop.

    Oct 27, 2010

  • Catalyst

    Thanks Jess. Gathering around the CBG does sound fun, however between the distance of Chicago and Mansfield and work and family and time that may be difficult. However if you're ever in town and I likewise I would love to hang out! And I would be honored if you taught me a bit on Pinstriping. I bought a few books and a few craft store 00 brushes, tried it out but never stuck to it. I think i have a box that I could send you that I would like to have a surf style tiki mask in the middle and the corners tricked out. What do you think? As far as panel work, I wonder if you would check out my pics and paint what you feel from it, that would be cool for me,does that work for you?

    Oct 27, 2010

  • Catalyst

    Very cool Jess. Thank you, I appreciate it! Keep in touch, I look forward to your artwork. God Bless and Goodnight :)

    Oct 27, 2010

  • chris ekelman

    Hey Jess, day late and dollar short but , Happy Birthday  my friend and many more to you,

    Jan 20, 2011

  • MichaelS Country Boy Guitars

    Nice pinstripe work, I've tried it but have not quite mastered it yet. Nice cbg's too.

    Feb 3, 2011

  • Catalyst

    Your artwork is getting rave reviews my friend!!

    Feb 11, 2011

  • chris ekelman

    Hey Jess. Handmade said your birthday was a month ago. Happy Birthday buddy and many more.

    Feb 20, 2011

  • Paul Doug

    Jess, thanks for the friend invite.  It is an honor.  I'll help you where I can, but keep in mind, I haven't built anything in over a year, I can't play at all.  I built my ukes just like smaller guitars and added uke strings.  I believe I found a fret calculator at Stewmac.com.

    Mar 12, 2011

  • Catalyst

    Hey Jess. Thanks for the props. I'm liking the Intimidator, that picture is amazing! I just recieved a surf guitar book and I'm looking forward to diving into it once time allows. But just playing by ear and messing around has put a smile on my face! Hope all is well! ttyl  

    Mar 17, 2011

  • Matthew Borczon

    Hi Jess, sorry this took so long. I am currently in the demob process as I have only been back in the united states for about 1 and half days. Thanks for the friend request.

    Apr 29, 2011

  • Keni Lee Burgess

    Thank you Jess for responding. Get your favorite fake book out and find the chords on your CBG. Check out the videos on my page if you want to dig in deeper. Enjoy.

    May 5, 2011

  • Shelley

    Hi Jess! Thanks so much for stopping by. Very encouraging indeed!

    May 5, 2011

  • Shelley

    Hi Jess, Your blog is looking quite nice. Like the letters in the heading! Nice builds too. That amp in the box is specatacular!

    May 6, 2011

  • Shelley

    Camacho... great stuff! Thanks Jess, very kind of you. And, when you get to that uke feel free to pick away at my 'limited' but often entertaining knowledge. I've written a plan for a uke build. If you send me your email address, i'll send it to you. I wrote it for BUST magazine. It will be published in the June Music Issue. Exciting! It's a bit of an unusual build. I used tie wraps for frets. Kind of strange...pretty neat. My address is shelleyrickey at gmail dot com.

    May 8, 2011

  • Anthony Dennis

    Thank You Jess, I totally understand with the wounded warriors i have alot of friends that have been wounded they are far more deserving of a CBG. I will let you know what comes of my request but thank you for the response and god bless you for what your doing, i know you are very appreciated.

     

    May 10, 2011

  • Anthony Dennis

    yeah, no one has offered a build. Thank you very much i know you must be busy. If you need anything please let me know, and please dont stop anything your doing to make mine but i cant wait to see it thank you again.

     

    May 10, 2011

  • Anthony Dennis

    Man that is awesome!!!!! Ive aquired some cigar box's and im going to try to build my first CBG. Id love to be able to get some advice or tips to help me out, and who knows maybe ill be building you a CBG to show my appreciation. Im sure it will be nothing like your builds but i will do my best. also i was wondering if it is hard to add pick ups in an already built Acoustic CBG i have an amp over here and my buddy was wondering for his CBG that he has if we could alter it? Well I looked at your other builds and i must say they are all amazing and unique and you have a special talent. Well thanks again jess and i cant wait to see my CBG.

    May 15, 2011

  • Anthony Dennis

    Thanks jess, yeah anything you can throw in to help me would be appreciated. Im a tattoo artist in my free time and im always looking for things to intice my artistic side. i think building these would be a good outlet for that since i love music, and anything old school.

    May 15, 2011

  • Anthony Dennis

    Hey jess my email address is ADENNIS40@GMAIL.COM

    May 21, 2011

  • Anthony Dennis

    Jess once again thanks a million, i dont even have to see it to know i will love it, it will always be my very first CBG and im sure not my last. thank you for taking the time out to show your appreciation. I will deffinately send photos and im sure i'll stay in touch.

    May 21, 2011

  • Anthony Dennis

    Oh yeah one more question you wouldn't happen to have an extra slide laying around would you!

    May 21, 2011

  • Anthony Dennis

    Jess,

    you know i couldnt wait, So i took a peek at my guitar. That thing is awesome i cant wait to actually get it! Thank you so much, wha you guys do on here is awesome. I will definately be posting pics when it gets here thanks for everything.

    May 22, 2011

  • Anthony Dennis

    Jess, thank you for what has to be the coolest thing ive ever recieved.

    May 26, 2011

  • Anthony Dennis

    jess i sent the pics to your email, thanks again.

    May 26, 2011

  • laban.thompson

    Jess,

    Just thought I would drop you a line and see how everything is going..... I really do appreciate the fact that you are building me a guitar. It really means a great deal to me, I wish more Americans were like you guys! God Bless!

    Jul 14, 2011

  • Dan Sleep

    Jess, if you are going to be at York on the 27th, make sure you stop by my boot and say hi.

     

    Dan

    Aug 11, 2011

  • bemuzic

    Hi, thanks for the friend add : -)

    Dec 1, 2011