JD Jay Thompson

[Richard Keller]

My good friend JD Jay Thompson from East Peoria Illinois past away on thanksgiving day. He was a great pedal steel player and a wonderful generous person. I will miss him.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Sorry to hear it. I didn't know him well, but I used to see him at the regional Ky. steel shows. Jay and the late Dean Dobbins would visit some of these shows.

[Richard Alderson]

I met Jay almost exactly one year ago today. We met to complete the sale of a very cherished instrument that I now own. I spent a few hours at his house. We talked and set up the guitar and he asked me to play a few tunes to confirm how the copedant was set up. He also mentioned getting together with you Richard. I asked him about his early music experiences. He said that he had played for two years at Stovall's Grove, on the outskirts of St. Louis, where Saturday night country music performances and dancing have been continuous since 1936, as well as other gigs more or less regularly in the late 50s & early 60s. He was friends with Bruce Zumsteg back in those days, he is mentioned in Bruce Zumsteg's book because Jay sold a double neck guitar that he built to Bruce. Now THATs some bragging rights. Not many people have sold guitars they built to Mr. Zumsteg. And its hard to not to think that Bruce would have gotten at least some idea of building his own guitars from that experience with Jay. May he rest in peace, and I thank him for advice and tips he provided after we first met. I extend my condolences to his family and friends.

[Larry Dering]

Sad news. Had a few conversations with Jay some years ago. Fine man and active steel player. RIP Jay. My sympathy for friends and family.

[Bruce Zumsteg]

So sorry to hear this news. I met Jay ( or JD as he was called in those days) when I was about fifteen. This would have been about 1960. He was working in a band that my brother was playing in, and he was playing a guitar that he had built. I later bought that guitar from him, and played it for several years. It was modeled after, and looked just like a Fender 1000, complete with a welded metal frame. We became great friends, and he definitely had a tremendous impact on what I chose to do as a career.

[Richard Alderson]

Thank you for the clarification Mr. Zumsteg. I send my condolences again to all friends and family of Jay.

[Jerry Erickson]

Sorry to hear about JD. I worked on a couple of his guitars a few years ago and enjoyed meeting and talking to him.

[b0b]

Jay and my husband Jerry Mandorca built six steel guitars from scratch. Jerry made all the molds and Jerry had a lathe and Jay bought a mill. They spent many week ends at our home along with Pauline and kids. They made all the parts except for the keys. Jerry wound all the pick ups and Jerry played the one he kept for twenty years. He didn’t have a problem of his instrument staying in tune unlike the shoBud at that time. Jerry sold his guitar to Darrin Vincent when Darrin was a teenager. It was under his bed the last I heard.
The last time I talked with Jay after Jerry passed away, I sent him what I had left of rods and items for repairing guitars. He was a great guy and we loved him and family.

[Graham Bland]

I just saw this, I’m shocked!…I didn’t know Jay well but I bought a few things from him a year or so ago and thought he was really nice and the transaction went smoothly!..He was a real pleasure to do business with!…I send my heartfelt condolences to all of his friends and family members as the holiday season starts!…So sorry to hear this news. He will truly be missed!

[Tim Harr]

I knew Jay Thompson well. I bought the speaker cabinets I use from him. I hadn't seen him in a bout a year or so.
So very sorry to hear this news.

[Bruce Zumsteg]

This is one of the fine quality guitars built by Jay Thompson and Jerry Mandorca.