Free reed instrument making

A free reed aerophone is a musical instrument that produces sound as air flows past a vibrating reed in a frame. Air pressure is typically generated by breath or with a bellows. Various free reed instruments have been invented since antiquity.

The accordion was introduced from Germany into Britain in about the year 1828. The instrument was noted in The Times in 1831 as one new to British audiences and was not favourably reviewed, but nevertheless it soon became popular. Other accordions appeared, some featuring only the right-handed keyboard for playing melodies. It took English inventor Charles Wheatstone to bring both chords and keyboard together in one squeezebox. His 1844 patent for what he called a concertina also featured the ability to easily tune the reeds from the outside with a simple tool.

Further innovations followed and continue to the present. Various buttonboard and keyboard systems have been developed, as well as voicings (the combination of multiple tones at different octaves) and different methods of internal construction to improve tone, stability and durability.

Andrew Norman developed a technique using accordion type reeds mounted in a separate reedpan, to produce a tone more like traditional English made instruments. There are now a number of makers worldwide using this or similar construction.

• Metal working
• Wood working
• leather working
• Industrial design
• Illustration
• Musical competence

Allied trades

• Accordion making
• Melodeon making
• Concertina making
• Harmonica making
• Harmonium making

• Market issues: Despite there being a good market for making and repairing these instruments at the moment, often the dealer takes a significant percentage of the cost price.
• Market issues: Traditionally made concertinas using individual reeds that consist of five pieces per reed, with two reeds and two leather valves used for each button (for push and pull notes) are very labour intensive and consequently very expensive with makers having in some cases ten year waiting lists.
• Market issues: As markets change, both economically and socially, makers must be prepared to adapt to new designs, new materials and find new markets.
• Training and recruitment issues: There is no formal education route to learning the craft, and any current trainees have to make their own informal arrangements to learn the craft.
• Raw materials: Most materials (brass, aluminium and steel and many woods and leathers) come from the EU or further afield. Makers have reported that The EU’s General Product Safety Regulation seems to be contributing to rising costs of materials and difficulties in sourcing.
• Market issues: Brexit is making it difficult to survive as the the biggest market is in Southern Ireland.
• Market issues: increased taxes on exports to Europe may dissuade EU customers from buying British made instruments

There are no formal training routes for learning this craft.

Trainees usually have to develop informal arrangements with crafts businesses in order to learn, or learn on the job if they can find employment.

• Steve Dickinson, Wheatstone – concertinas
• Jake Middleton-Metcalfe Wolverton Concertinas
• Alex Holden, Holden Concertinas
• John Dipper, C & R Dipper and Son Concertinas

The following makers use a combination of fabricated and bought components.

• AC Norman & Co – Concertina makers, antique free-reed specialists. Make and restore mainly concertinas but also Flutinas, Lap-organs, other antique accordions, harmoniums etc.
• Marcus Butler concertinas (Marcus Butler has passed away but his company continues to make concertinas in his name)
• Dave Cox, Marcus Music– concertinas
• Anthony James – concertinas

There is a list of concertina makers on the concertina.info website.

Accordion repairs

• Johnston Accordion Repairs

Melodeons and accordions have always been assembled by different companies, with specialist firms making and supplying reeds, buttons, bellows etc. The harmonium (reed organ), made in huge numbers in Victorian times, hasn’t been made in the UK for many years.

While there are relatively few concertina makers the number has been seen to be stable over the last 40 years.

Missin, Pat, Western Free Reed Instruments

Our thanks go to our 2025 reviewers:

• Wolverton Concertinas
• Alex Holden, Holden Concertinas
• A C Norman & Co. (concertina maker and free-reed specialist)

We consult with a wide range of practitioners and organisations to review and update the Red List. Some choose to remain anonymous but all feedback is taken into account.

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