When expanding its production facilities, ViolinerString opted for innovative, resource-saving technologies.
Before the Founding: Before co-founding the violin-making company in 1999, Chen Huang Tu (Winson Chen) was already a professional dealer specializing in fine antique violins. In 1994, he had worked in sales for a musical instrument trading company in Taiwan.
The Origin of ViolinerString: In 1998, Winson Chen frequently traveled to China on business, where he met Beare Charlton and Dave Ellison, who were also visiting the country. Over the following year, the three developed a deep friendship. In the late summer of 1999, Charlton—who had originally planned to retire—paid a visit to Winson during a business trip to New York, a meeting that would change all of their futures. They decided to establish a workshop together dedicated to crafting fine violins, bringing decades of combined experience and skill into the new company. The original logo was designed by co-founder Winson Chen and represented the idea of violin culture spreading throughout the world. This logo was used until the end of 2010, by which time the company had successfully realized its founding vision. The following January, in pursuit of cultural and product innovation, the company boldly introduced fashionable and dynamic design elements, creating the logo still used today.
Early ViolinerString: ViolinerString's instruments were created primarily for serious violin students. At the time, most players could not obtain an affordable, well-performing instrument and were limited to choosing either costly new European violins or old instruments. ViolinerString initially produced 300 professional violins, 200 violas, and 100 cellos, which were distributed free of charge to members of renowned university orchestras around the world in order to gather performance feedback. Although substantial feedback was received, the instruments were not well received at first. After three months of refinement, the improved instruments were sent back to the original testers, this time earning high praise—players were not only highly satisfied with the instrument quality but also amazed by the price. This experience reinforced the belief that through continued effort and persistence, more musicians would be brought into the world, making it a better place. This is how the violin-making company was born.
At the time, ViolinerString not only employed rigorous traditional violin-making techniques but also continuously researched how to use technology to analyze wood resonance, soundbox conduction, and varnish behavior, in order to craft violins that more closely embodied the style and character of classic Italian masterworks.
- ViolinerString: The Early Years
- A New Era of Change
ViolinerString: The Early Years
1999 - 2004
1999: Charlton from the United States and Chen Wen-sheng (Winson Chen) from Taiwan founded ViolinerString, a fine violin manufacturing company, with the goal of providing musicians with high-quality, affordable string instruments.
2000: Established a violin manufacturing subsidiary in Pudong, Shanghai, China.
2001: Renowned American violin makers Bill Martin, Dave Ellison, and Kloss Philippe joined ViolinerString as Technical Directors.
2002: Sent violin makers to the Pudong, Shanghai factory to provide on-site guidance and opened violin-making courses.
2003: Produced 300 professional violins, 200 violas, and 100 cellos, which were distributed free of charge to renowned university orchestras around the world. The valuable feedback gathered afterward helped establish the overall direction of the company's products.
2004: Invited renowned bow makers Roger Zabinski from the United States, along with Clutterbuck and Haefliger from France, to China to provide technical guidance and open professional courses, laying a solid foundation for the company's bow-making expertise.
Winson Chen
From Taiwan
Bill Charlton
From the USA
Bill Martin
From the USA
Dave Ellison
From the USA
Kloss Philippe
From the USA
A New Era of Change
2005 - 2010
2005: Winson Chen was appointed CEO and Director of ViolinerString.
2006: Established a branch office in London, United Kingdom, and set up a distribution and logistics center there in the same year.
2007: Sent a sales team to the UK to build a European sales network, selecting professional distributors and achieving excellent results.
2009: ViolinerString launched a professional Collector's Series, with each instrument custom-made individually by an internationally renowned violin maker. (Collector's Series ==>)
2010: To commemorate outstanding musicians who contributed to classical music, ViolinerString introduced its first series of master-level instruments: the Paganini Series, the Jacques Thibaud Series, and the Alberto Curci Series.
Paganini
Italian violinist
Jacques Thibaud
French violinist