I have been playing music for quite a long time and always found that I needed to fix and tune my own instruments. I feel that knowing what a musician needs from their instrument drives me to try and get the best out of every instrument.

I have always fixed concertinas but also have experience of other techniques and experience and I have learned about the materials, the manufacturing processes and making my own speciality tools.

In 2014 I spent some time in Newtownards to the Lagan School of Lutherie with Sam Irwin where I completed a Lowden O model copy. 

Over the passed few summers I have had the good fortune to spent time in Vegter Violin's summer course where I got to see all sorts of stringed instrument construction and repair.

More recently I have finished a bouzouki, a pair of violins, a violin bow and all my own concertina parts.

I find that all of these skills cross over when you make and repair different kinds instruments.

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Concertinas

require a few more skills than the rest. It involves metal work (reeds), woodwork, leather work and sometimes gold tooling.

These instruments shown are over 120 years old and deserve the best and most careful work. I use reversible glued and aim to leave the instrument as close to original as possible (while still functional and playing well)