From 3D Printer to Concertina: One Musician's Unlikely Instrument-Making Journey

"I bought a 3D printer and redesigned the instrument on a computer."

A Bet That Changed Everything

Musician Eddy Jay in Western Australia began making concertinas using a 3D printer—all because of a bet with his father. Over six years, he has built dozens of instruments for customers worldwide. Now, he plans to use CNC technology for wooden instruments.

Eddy's father, a concertina teacher and workshop leader in the UK, had wanted to make his own concertina for decades. Eddy, lacking woodworking skills, took a different approach: he bought a 3D printer and redesigned the instrument from scratch on a computer.

Reinventing a Classic Design

The internal linkages of Eddy's concertinas are entirely new and differ from traditional instruments. The journey to a working model was not easy—ten prototypes were rejected by his father before one was finally sold.

Today, Eddy's father plays a version with a green 3D-printed top but a traditional wooden interior, blending innovation with heritage.

Material Matters

Plastic behaves differently from wood, requiring careful experimentation. Carbon fiber was found to produce the loudest and sharpest sound, though it is grey in color. Early concertinas were pink, green, and rainbow-colored—a far cry from traditional dark wood.

A Global Workshop

Each concertina takes about a month to make, and instruments have been sent to customers around the world. The work is painstaking, but the reach is global.

Love, Strings, and Music

Eddy's connection to his craft is deeply personal. He met his wife Josephine when she responded to a call to deliver a concertina. He later made her a blue violin with an extra string, which she plays. They performed together at their wedding.

Josephine described the violin's sound as "smooth, velvety, and reverberant, quieter but with a quality she had not experienced in wooden violins."

Sharing Knowledge

Eddy holds workshops on his methods, continuing a tradition of craftsmanship. Luthier Scott Wise noted the historical importance of information sharing, which now occurs via YouTube and social media.

What's Next

Eddy aims to use a self-made CNC machine for wood projects, including wooden violins and concertinas. By combining his computer designs with new fabrication tools, he plans to expand his craft into traditional materials—without losing the innovation that started it all.