So .... a lot has happened since I finished luthiery school. The plan was to jump in with both feet and start JD Casey customs straight away, Its been more of a leap. Sadly we lost our good friend, mentor and a historical and important custom guitar builder, Richard "RC" Allen, The last of the great 50's era innovators.He was best friends with the likes of Paul Bigsby, Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, and Seymour Duncan just to name a few. I was proud to call him a friend as well as demystifying the whole guitar building process. WE will be sorley missed and not forgotten.We also lost two very important Dogs, the best dog ever Jake, was my pal for 17 years, I miss him still, he left us just before Christmas. Also my Arizona dog while I was in Luthiery school, Cody, we lost her soon after Jake. Anyone who knows me knows I am a dog guy, I sure did love em and miss em. I also became a foster parent right now we have two teenage girls and we raised a young man to 18 and he is now on his own, He comes home from time to time and love him. we have had I think a total of eights with us since 2010. Its a lot of work, but what we are called to do. What else? I worked at a custom shop, LSL Instruments, (awesome) try one! almost 2 years carving neck, frets and final assembly. Went to Guitar Center for insurance reasons, for about the same time and shoulda re thought that one, I done reccommend being a tech for a big corporation. I did not care for it. But a loy of good came out of it, friends contacts and first hand experience dealing with what ever came in. LOts of cool vintage stuff, I will post some pix soon. All the while doing all my own tech and repair work after hours and weekends, trying to get JD Casey Customs off the ground at the same time. I have a couple commisioned guitars I am building, but its a little frustrating trying to do it without everything you need. so its taking far too long. But as RC Allen would say," its not like we are builing a violin, Its just a guitar, figger it out!" God Bless Him!, I am still going to get this done just waiting to find the funds and the right size shop to start. I am sell part of my personal collection to raise dough and some woodworking machines as well to fund the project, Anyone need a really nice Platinum Series Laguna shaper with really low hours. I might try doing a crowd funding project too! Like kickstarter,,, My Heather is Graduating from art school next month and Josh is finally working close his field and has a new CD out "Rosie Harlow and the Tall Tale Boys" (availab;e on iTunes and I have a new Band called Aces and Eights, Next show on May 30 and 31,, so like I said its been busy! On top of all that my wife Michele continues to put up with me, Patience of a saint, and I almost cut my left index finger off, too 14 stitches and to the bone- I am ok tho-- still pickin! Ok thats it you are all caught up for the most hope to post some new original Guitars up her soon. And I will be posting more here an on FaceBook, Scott Duane Jeffers and JD Casey Custom Guitars and the website so thanks for all your support and if you like me on Facebook I will see about getting things Jumpin! God Bless and Keep you all, See you in June!

New Job

Well after a little over a year, I finally took a job, at LSL Instruments. They are a custom shop in Van Nuys CA. Building what can be explained as new vintage guitars. We build them new, and make them look and sound old.www.lslinstrumnets.com
I have only been there about a month and have already carved more neck and done more fret jobs than I can count. The money isn't great but the experience is invaluable. Now all I need is the money and time to finish the ones I am working on at home.
so that's it- Check out LSL on the web.

RC Allen as Mentor

Over the past year after graduating Luthier school I have been busy getting the shop together, still in process, doing repairs, thats picking up a bit. And getting 6 custom builds going, making templates and so on. Lotsa work and not enough money, I have one benefactor however who graciously made a fairly open loan to get some gear. Unfortunately I need about 3 times what I borrowed
to really get things going and the banks are not passing out cash these days to unemployed luthiers. None the less I have carried on and am nearing completion of 4 of the six guitars and have already done what I call semi custom builds where high quality parts are purchased and put together for form and fit and playability. So far- happy clients. In the mean time I have been mentoring with Richard "RC Allen" a re-knowned archtop and Paul Bigsby style builder in El Monte CA. He is a funny, sweet man that between stories gives me great tips for building and repairing. I am very blessed to call him my friend and mentor. I think he likes my enthusiastic presence and eagerness to learn how he demystifies guitar building. His instruments will definetly show a minor flaw here and there, but they play with the passion and energy that was in the build. I hope I have soaked up a little of that mojo into my guitars. I hope next month we will be starting a guitar for me that we will build together. He has dozens of guitars in there for repair / restoration that I would love to assist on under his tutlelage. A really great guy and I have a few surprises in store for him as well. His Brother John Paul thinks he know where everything is in the shop but he doesn't, It is complete and utter organized mayhem. Between the two of them there know which guitar or chunk of wood is in what stack and which corner.
I am hoping to help them get organized but I think they are happy the way it is. I'll turn 56 on weds and will be my second year as a certified luthier. I hope to get some shown in Jan at Four Amigos Guitar Show along with my stands. see those here
I'll post pix as soon as they are done, maybe end Dec

Thickness Sander (drum)

Hey all yall I am looking for a thickness sander for free, for use, for trade, to borrow, build or on the cheap that I can make deferred payments on- one of the things I really need the most. Thickness or Drum SANDER-that's what it is called. not PLANER
If ya don't mind asking around when you feel it the right situation, Or if you know someone not using theirs, It must have a minimum of 18' wide feed. and of course, please continue prayer for my hard work to pay off-- Mine is: "thank you lord for the people, friends and family that support me and believe in me, also watch over all those that I love and keep them safe in their travels, in Your healing arms forever. And Bless them more than I have been blessed, Amen.
By the way- I finally got all my official document outlining my Patent certificate. So- I am a patented inventor!
Here is a shot of the stand if you never saw one, I think they will sell like hotcakes as soon as people know about them!
I need a business partner one that know about business, I am the mad inventor, I need a mogul to help me attain my millions.
KNOW ANY MOGULS/ SEND EM MY WAY! LOL Here is the stand- and a guitar- an a pic of what a homemade drum sander looks like.

Not all bright lights and fame-

Well I have been home now since February- not much happenin luthiery wise- We all kinda got gypped on part of the program,
So it is still an ongoing self education-Not jobs at guitar factories, and small builders are just that, they usually work alone.
I have a few guitars in the works but not all that I need to finish them.I am trying to stay busy with repairs- not much there either. And I am actually playing more gig than I have in a long time-Trying to get the custom stands started, but like they say it takes money to make money-I will have a website up soon, I have to try to get something going. I guess nobody got successful by not working, so I keep working. I hope this was all not all for naught.I have more money going out than in, by Gods blessings, but I can't say its not easy to not feel defeated. So any of you who pray I would ask that you do. Pray for divine intervention, that someone walks in my door tomorrow and changes my world. I am so grateful to all of you who supported me emotionally in this. I will wake up tomorrow and go to work and try to be positive. and get one step closer to success, right? Ok well, wish me luck, soon as I get something for people to see, I will post it up here. This is a repair restore I did 1961 Silvertone Jupiter that came to me in pieces-Made a little money on this, I hope I get more. It was weird, all the tears I have been doing this I had the parts in a bin that I needed, It's like it was already planned for me to fix this guitar-Sorry if this post sounds a little morose-I am just a disheartened,
Things will pick -up soon. God Bless My little Angel Michele,I know she has my back and all my friends I know you do too,
I LOVE YOU ALL and hope you all have or will get to see these and the new ones soon!!! Blessings...

Finally Graduated-with a B!!!

Well, after 5 months of intense training at Roberto-Venn, I finally graduated! For some reason, they saved my diploma presentation for last. I was very choked up as I received a very large cheer and request for a speech from my peers. " I am the old guy here, you all made me feel very welcome, and young-love you all" was my big speech. It was touch and go there for a while, I literally finished my acoustic guitar just two days before graduation. I will still do some final "dialing in" here at home but overall they sound and play awesome and those who have seen and played them, have approved and received critical acclaim. there are pictures on my Facebook page. We did a semi-pro photo shoot with my friend "Stinky" Steven Kingsbury, between us we got some great shots. also in the photos are my U.S, Patented guitars stands, which I hope will be my bread and butter while I try to get my business off the ground. O will be concentrating on the stands and guitar repair and restoration while still trying to get the gear I need to do the building of instruments. I have three in the works already. I would like to thank all of you who supported me and read my silly little blog. I again will ask for prayer that it will be shown to me how to make this work, and that all the financial aspects will be taken care of. All your prayers have gotten me through this and I am so grateful for you all. If nothing else, I did it. I finally got a degree in something that has been my life's passion and wound up with 3 beautiful guitars to show for it. Thank you all. I have been busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest since I got home. Designing cards, fliers, promo packages, price lists, even guitar picks and t-shirts. I will let you all know via this blog as things progress. I intend to continue with this blog as the journey continues. I will start a new chapter called, In pursuit of Luthiery or some other silliness.
I would also like to thank you all, who knew of Michele's surgery, for your prayers, she is doing fine and is back to taking over the world. Please pray for her Aunt Jane who is having a very serious surgery today, for success and recovery.
I have three guitars in the process of being built, still need to get the gear to finish them and have some pretty cool design sketches as well. I am currently seeking any kind of guitar related employment-so keep your ears to the ground! Repair, Restoration, I will fix any kind of instrument from Guitars to Drums, I will even work on pianos! As long as it has strings!
Guitar stands are available for order now-I will take orders for guitars but I am not sure yet about turnaround time,
So you will have to be patient!
With that- Here are a few pics-of the final models, remember to click on them to get the full effect and also check my Facebook for more! Thanks for reading and watch for new updates about new and exciting models. God Bless.

The Home Stretch

Well Christmas has come and gone, heading into 2010. I have been back in California for nearly two weeks and even in these lean economic times I can say it was pretty Merry. I have seen some of my family and some good friends and I must say I am looking forward to returning to AZ to finish up, come back home and get started. Where? not sure yet. I am trying to put a plan in place, we will see what God has in store for me. The pictures you are seeing for the most part completed guitars, construction-wise, they are done, just final tweaks on the electric and final assembly, neck to body, bridge, frets and nut o the acoustic. The last four weeks are to have been the repair and restoration portion of the school. We lost some time due to instructor's illnesses "The Scourge of RV" and we are now playing catch-up, just trying to get the guitars done. I somehow managed to not miss much time, only about 4 or 5 hours total. I hope the last section is complete and we get all we should out of it. If not, It's the Dan Ehrlewine book.He is one of the most foremost experts on the subject of repair and restoration and is part of the curriculums text.The pixs are of the headstock, back and sides of the acoustic after spending about a week in the lacquer booth, I will have to flat sand it, and buff it to final finish. But if I must say, it is rather spectacular looking wood. The electric is nearly complete, I just need to carve the nut, set up and intonate and make a cavity cover for the electronics.
I have been remiss about staying up to date on the blog, but it has been a mad rush to the end. I hope to have at least two more entries, before I end school and then start fresh with the blog detailing the beginnings of JD Casey Custom Guitars.
I have lots of design ideas and look forward to getting started. More in January! God Bless and and have a safe New Year celebration!
Scotty