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Acclaimed British Jazz Violinist Chris Garrick Votes Neolin Best Electro-Acoustic Violin

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"I want to learn to play like Chris Garrick!" —Maxim Vengerov

“THE NEOLIN is more than just an electro-acoustic violin —with its own, modern sound, its versatility and a whole bunch of options, it's meant to open up new horizons for violin-playing, to enlarge the spectrum of musical expressions in today's music the way the saxophone did in Jazz a century ago!" —Bodo Vosshenrich, Neolin/Neoloncello maker

Jazz violinist Chris Garrick looked far and wide for the perfect stage and recording violin for his cutting-edge music-making. The popular violinist, composer and bandleader, who recently performed with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Jazz Orchestra at London's Barbican, has a sizeable collection of performance instruments, but when he spotted Bodo Vosshenrich's revolutionary Neolin, he knew he had found the perfect harmony between acoustic resonance, amplified power and an extraordinary new sound palette.

New Sound, New Look, New Possibilities...

“I was looking for a new violin, possibly a five-string, but I wasn't sure what exactly. The Neolin was a surprise. To me, it is half- violin and half- viola, with some really clever yet radical features. I was struck by its appearance at first: the Neolin I purchased only recently came painted in black and red, finished with the distinct Urushi Japanese lacquer, and a reshaped scroll and body resembling something Picasso or Dali would have created. I like the fact that the Neolin can be strung either as a four-string or a five-string instrument, to produce and enhance different effects. The Neolin features a discrete, hidden amplification pickup (no cumbersome cables or wiring!), but also sounds wonderfully warm and expressive as a purely acoustic instrument. In fact, I find the Neolin's low- end resonates as richly as a full-size viola," says Garrick.

“The Neolin is the 'Missing Link' between a full-bodied acoustic violin and an amplified version, offering me flexibility I never had with either my acoustic or electric instruments, and its construction, of reinforced edges and a strong lacquer finish, means it will withstand the grind of transport and performance without a hitch. True, there are purely electric or acoustic alternatives out there, but none matches the Neolin in its perfect combination of sound quality, durability and design. I can see this becoming the instrument of choice for all violinists who want the option to play both acoustic and amplified music, in the Jazz, Hip Hop, Rock, Pop, Electro genres."

Chris Garrick, hailed as “the best young violinist in jazz today," (The Observer) and “an amazing violinist' by fellow classical superstar Joshua Bell, found in French-based master violin maker Bodo Vosshenrich “a pioneering genius who is also incredibly attentive and responsive." His own Neolin arrived in London in early January 2011, fully tailored to his specifications and his personal playing style. “My Neolin is set more like a regular violin, but it offers a different tone to my Magginni acoustic instrument—a tone better suited to Bebop, and certainly the fifth string would be great for playing in the range of the alto sax," adds Garrick, whose recent appearances include the Wrexham Guitar Festival with Bireli Lagrene; the North Sea Jazz with Cleo Laine/John Dankworth, and 606 Club (London) with renowned fiddler Nigel Kennedy. “I love the possibilities it opens up for me, and I know I have a fantastic collaborator in Bodo."

For Bodo Vosshenrich, the master violin- maker who graduated from Germany's Mittenwald Violin Making School, conceiving a new violin, (and in fact a whole line of new electro-acoustic string instruments including a cello and soon a viola), has been a driving mission for over five years. “Violinists are spreading their wings, playing in the jazz, rock, pop, hip-hop and gypsy genres, but although other instruments have been modified through the years to accommodate these new excursions, the violin has stood still. It is of concern to many musicians that the complex sound of the violin is drastically reduced to a mere vibration in the electric version, altering and hindering the rich tonality of the acoustic instrument. I was inspired to bridge these gaps and create a new instrument altogether—one which will produce a modern, distinct sound, unlike any other. More than an electro-acoustic violin, this is a new instrument—a hybrid between violin and mandolin in its fretted version, with a new sound, new look and new possibilities," says the maker who produces his hand-crafted instruments in small series in his workshop in Villemur-sur-Tarn, France.

“The Neolin has many radical and practical features, such as tuning gears, reinforced edges, built-in pickup of superior quality and options like a tremolo, chinrest ,frets and much more. I have customized Neolins for some of Europe's leading musicians, including Didier Lockwood, Mani Neumann (Farfello), Mathias Guerry, and Marty Frank (La Varda, Les Croquants and Olivia Ruiz), and I approach the challenge anew every time. I want to give the musicians the characteristic 'personal edge' they want to achieve—to allow them to express their individual, unique voice every time, and to retain the beauty of tone of the violin."

The Neolin, and the new Neoloncello, are available directly from Bodo Vosshenrich's website. In North America, the Neolin is now distributed by the Electric Violin Shop in North Carolina, USA [Tel: (866) 900-8400.

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