Menzies Instruments is a Kingston‑based workshop specializing in handcrafted, heritage-inspired instruments made from local and indigenous materials. Under the leadership of master luthier Jeff Menzies—an arts educator with international teaching credentials—the company produces gourd banjos, tackhead banjos, gourd fiddles, kora-style akontings, nyabinghi drums, and more. Each piece is both a functional musical instrument and a sculptural artwork, custom-built for musicians, collectors, museums, and ethnic music ensembles worldwide.

 

Jeff has crafted over 1,000 instruments to date, many held by prestigious institutions such as the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix and the Jamaica Music Museum. He also leads global workshops on traditional West African instrument-making. In addition to sales, Menzies Instruments runs fundraising initiatives supporting the Jamaica Academy of the Arts, offering limited-edition series (like the Dom Flemons signature banjo), with proceeds directed toward building an arts campus. With worldwide shipping options, small-batch artisanal production, and deep roots in cultural heritage, Menzies Instruments stands out as both a premier luthier and cultural ambassador.