Hello readers,

This is my last night in Shanghai; tomorrow I will go to Beijing for a few days before coming home. I have been taking it all in, and have some observations to share with you. First, I must say I have never encountered such friendly people anywhere else in the world. The Chinese are so anxious to help you. When you make eye contact, you always get a smile, and when you ask for help, you get 100% of their effort and energy. And energy is something you feel everywhere here. The Chinese are the most hard working people you will find. They are transforming the country at lightning speed, in everything from transportation, architecture, technology and business. But the thing that impresses me the most is the open mindedness, the acceptance of all kinds of people, and how international and modern this city is. You see all kinds of people here, many mixed couples, and there is a feeling of equality between men and women. There is virtually no crime; women walk anywhere in this vast city at any hour. I'm sure there is a dark side that I am not seeing, and in the countryside it may be different. But here in Shanghai there is a feeling of safety, and also of ease. It's easy to get around, easy to talk to people, and very easy to fall in love with this place.

So, what has all this to do with the violin trade? It has everything to do with it. The character of the Chinese people is manifest in their craftsmanship, which is changing as fast as the landscape. Some times they may be made a bit too quickly. Some of the copying may be a bit over of the top. But the underlying work ethic is astounding, and the ability to master a craft is as astounding as the ability to master capitalism in a communist country.

Matt

It is Friday here, day 2 of the Shanghai music festival. It was a bit more relaxed at the fair today, and most people had registered yesterday, and the pace settled into a more relaxed cadence. I met up with Chen, the owner of Eastman Strings. The Eastman workshop is located near Beijing, which is the next stop on my trip. I'll visit with the folks at Eastman on Tuesday, and get a tour of the workshop. I'll take lots of photos and report on the methodology they use for making the instruments that have become so important to students in the US and elsewhere.

The big surprise today was running into an old employee of Stamell Strings, Chantal-Emmanuelle Borneuf. Chantal came from France in 1994 to work for us for a year, but ended up staying 2 years. She trained at Mirecourt and she really brought professionalism to our workshop while she was here. When Chantal came to interview for the job at Stamell Strings, she met her future husband on the airplane over! Chantal and Frederic now have 3 children, and for work Frederic was transferred to Shanghai this past summer. Chantal is now seeking work here in Shanghai restoring violins, something she is exert at. It was so wonderful to see her, and I look forward to meeting her children tomorrow when I go to her house for lunch!
From what I have seen, repair work on instruments here in China is still in a "developing" phase. While the Chinese have focused attention on new making, they have not paid much attention to repair and set up of instruments. Perhaps Chantal will change that, but as better instruments come to China, there will be a need here for people to maintain and repair them.

I met today with the makers of our Stamell bows, and I think we now have a very clear idea of the kind of quality we are expecting. The bows are quite wonderful, using all Brazilian pernambuco which must come through Germany, as the Chinese are not allowed to import directly from Brazil. Customers of Stamell Strings will find excellent bows made to our specifications, in the desired strength that I have asked them to produce.

I have also found new tuners and metronomes, and look forward to having them available at the shop soon.

Thanks to those who have responded to our email, and I continue to be available to seek out instruments and bows for you if you desire.

Bye for now,
Matt

Greetings once again from Shanghai, China.

Today I attended the music exposition at the International Exposition Center. To say it is quite large would be an understatement. I saw hundreds of violins from workshops from all over China and all over the world. One building houses mostly guitars, another pianos, another sound equipment, and one building houses most of the orchestral stringed instruments. It was a pleasure to see some old friends like Saul from Eastman Strings, and Pierre Guillaume, the bowmaker from Belgium. I also spent time checking out new instruments and bows, some of which will be arriving in our showrooms in the near future.

Overall I'd say the level of craftsmanship is quite good, but I am in search of some affordable special instruments and bows, and I'll select high quality instruments and bows to offer. I found some today. I also found some interesting cases and music stands. Soon I hope to have our own line of cases available, so keep your eye on our website for all the new things I discover on this journey.

Matt

Hello from Shanghai, China. I arrived today to attend the International Music fair at the China Exposition Center. I've come to China to investigate the violin trade here, to see the products of various workshops from China and around the world, and to find new things to offer at Stamell Strings. For some time now China has been the maker of student instruments and bows, as well as cases and accessories. I've come to see first hand what is out there, and to forge new relationships with the trade globally.
In just the few hours I have been here, I have already seen a very vibrant city. The architecture is very modern, and there is a feeling of energy and excitement in the air. I walked along the riverfront promenade this evening, with it's panoramic view of the city, and started to get a feel for the place. Tomorrow I'll attend the fair, and I'll keep you posted with photos and my impressions of the violin trade here in China. I'm glad to be here!
Matt

May 4, 2012

Today is my daughter Molly’s 23rd birthday. The shop opened on April 12, 1989. Less than a month later my daughter Molly was born. Soon after she was born, I started to bring her to work and she would reside on a blanket under my workbench. As the shop had just opened, I could not take time off, so I brought her with me. Now, 23 years later, I am reflecting on what the violin trade has taught me. It is something that my daughters have taught me as well: patience.

I am not a patient person by nature, but the violin teaches us patience. It teaches us to be patient while learning to play. It teaches us patience in the making and restoring as well. Nothing good can happen quickly with the violin; every step, from the design, the crafting, the sharpening of tools, the bow hold, the training of the ear to know if you are playing in tune- all if it requires a great deal of patience. It requires patience to be the parent of a string player. The longer I work with these instruments, the more I learn and relearn the same lesson: patience required!

This is truly what the world needs. We need patience. We need the ability to understand things that are out of our comfort zone. And, we need tenacity along with the patience.

Hey, the violin is not going to solve the problems of the world. However, it may contribute in its small way to a better place if we learn what it has to teach us.

Matt Stamell

S.Stamell Pernambuco Bows
Priced at $350 and up "S. Stamell" bows are made from pernambuco with either nickel or silver mounted frogs.  These bows are excellent for advancing player with both strength and suppleness, and come with a warmer sound than carbon fiber bows.   

These bows are named for Sid Stamell, 1926-2007.