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Showing results for tags 'kensington concertinas'.
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Hi everyone, I’ve been at this a long time and finally decided to take down the old shingle. I am stopping making new concertinas after I use up my existing stock of materials, and as of last week, have all the orders I will take, hopefully to finish up in 2025. 75 seems like enough. I will still do repairs on Kensingtons for as long as practical, but I plan to move out most of my shop tools before I am no longer capable. I will take down my website soon and with it the @kensingtonconcertinas email. I sincerely hope there are younger folks out there that will pick up making concertina reeded instruments , especially making your own reeds. It isn’t a lucrative endeavor, but if you do good work, there is some payback in the pleasure your instruments will bring. One advantage today is that the demand for new high quality instruments is much greater than when any of my generation started. There are a good few people making hybrids right now that are a step up from a Rochelle, making it easy for people to get into, but there is no reason why instruments as good as the best Wheatstones or Jeffries shouldn’t be available new. There isn’t any secret to making them, only good materials, good design, good reeds and a desire to do the best you can. Best Wishes to all. Dana Johnson Kensington Concertinas