News
As always in life, everything does not work out as planned (fortunately - anything elso would be so boring !)
So what happened to all those projects which were born at the same time as the Neolin ?
Let's start with the deceptions (and leave de best for the end :-) !)
Although the visits of the website augmented in an impressive way (actually around 2000 different visitors a month agains 400 in the beginning), the sales somewhat remained static after September 2008. Well, the economic crisis did not spare the Neolin !
So the project to comission compositions for the Neolin still has to wait.
Another project which has been postponed is the writing of a method for the Neolin. Unfortunately, the person who should have done it has largely deceived me. After 2 years of work (work ?) I received a small handful of useless pages. That's a pity.
That's all the negative and all the disappointments.
On the positive side, much more happened !
Although sales have been solwer than I hoped, I'm nevertheless starting work on the 5th series. Considering that most series contain experimental models besides the 10 regular units, that's not so bad for 2 years.
I'm now having customers in France (most of them), USA, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Equatorial Guinea and Japan - thanks to internet ! Among all these customers, there is only one who finally was not satisfied - as he pointed out, he bought his Neolin out of a fancy without really considering whether it was was he needed (he makes midi and electronic music).
This is not to say that everything is perfect, fortunately ! The constructive criticism of several customers permitted me to improve several things on the Neolin, concerning string choice, varnish, finition and playability. I dare to say that, thanks to the input of my clients, with its two years of age, the Neolin is already adult.
The most important change is certainly the addition of the "boton" pick-up in any series Neolin? This makes the Neolin an ELECTRO-acoustic instrument of superior quality - and I'm not the only one telling it !
Although the ovcerall conception of the Neolin stayed the same, the finishes are becoming rather varied ! Besides the "tattoos" and the color varnishes from the beginning, there are a couple of Neolins with brilliant black varnish out there, 2 Neolins with a splendid classical fiery orange-red oil varnish as you might it on violins 4-10 times more expensive. Two new headstock-models - the flat headstock and the classicaly inspired (but not too much) "spiral" give you more choice if you don't like the standard "pipe" headstock.
A test to make a Neolin in exotic wood (rosewood and red cedar) has been a real success !
The new option "hybrid 4/5 string" also quickly found a lot of fans. Just yesterday I learned that a customer has transformed his viola-Neolin (higher ribs for a bigger corus volume) into an octave-Neolin, with a very good result even without amplification.
Another project in progress: A Japanese lacquer varnish (Urushi) with astonishing acoustical properties, according to research by a Japanese scientist, and a great look. Some pictures will be coming soon !
Retail of the Neolin in Japan is at its beginning, in the USA retail is being negociated. The evenual retailer, Blaise Kielar, owner of the "electric violin shop", biggest shop in the world specialising in electric and semi-acoustic violins, the Neolin leaves his competitors far behind with regard to amplified and acoustic tone and finish, for a fair price. That's rather promising !
Since its beginnings, the Neolin has been adopted by a growing number of professional musicians from diverse styles, from classical to electro. Since a couple of weeks, you can hear it on French radio stations, played by Frank MArty in the band of Olivia Ruiz, a famous Frensh singer.
Several websites, blogs, forums, magazines in several countries, radio shows and even a small TV documentary have discussed the Neolin. Concerning the internet forums, their users frequently rather decry it (without ever having tried it, naturally). In the beginning, I felt personally challenged, now I rather turn towards more interesting exchanges...
More news, and not the least - the magnificent Neolin logo designed by Marie (I don't even know her family name, but I already predict her a great professional future as graphic designer !), and the great b&w pics realized by my friend Yves Barat.
The most important changes to come probably do not depend on me any more, but on my customers. It's them (you) who will leave their (your) fingerprints on the Neolin, who will show what the Neolin can do and what it can't do. Several people are composing for, recording with the Neolin, trying effects, playin techniques, playing positions,... and all this without me comissioning anything ! And that's what's the most interesting, as after all the Neolin is what ? A new musical instrument !
Musically yours, Bodo Vosshenrich