Bio
I was born in Strasbourg and grew up in Alsace with a violin in my hands from the age of 9.
At 19, I went to learn violin making at the English school of Newark on Trent.
With my diploma in hand, I worked and collaborated with several luthiers in France and Spain. I also worked as a telephone assistant in Tours.
A small detour in my professional life led me to obtain a winegrower’s diploma and work for a time in the vineyards of Touraine. I discovered people there with whom I always have great pleasure working, as a customer now.
Over the years and various experiences, I gradually trained in bow making with Jean Grunberger as part of the Aladfi training for bow maintenance and then with Michel Jamonneau for the making part. Both are internationally renowned master bow makers.
Since 2021, I have set up my workshop in the city of Le Mans, in Sarthe, France. I started going to trade exhibitions and meeting fellow bow makers who support me every day and with whom I share my passion, my research and my questions in order to move forward, to always progress.
My bows are played from the United States to Japan, and in France of course!
Making
Creating a bow starts with a conversation with you. Understand expectations, interpret desires. And turn this conversation into physical data, I plan ways to turn
that data into a bow .
Next comes the choice of raw wood. Sometimes several tries are necessary before finding the right stick. Each tree grew differently which makes each piece unique.
Then comes the technique. Using planes, I rough it out. With heat, I bend it. I also saw, drill, etc. And little by little, I get to an almost finished bow, with an aesthetic that suits me. A first test with so-called “working” horse hair allows me to know what adjustments to make before finishing. A few coats of varnish to protect the wood, I put the final hair on and voilà ! The bow is ready to produce its first notes!
Price list 2024
A bow, beyond its practical value in creating music, is also an excellent long-term investment.
Don’t hesitate to join the waiting list
to receive your bow as soon as possible!
I offer two ranges of bows.
The Essential range, with a pernambuco stick made by myself and a frog as well as a button that are silver mounted.
And the Signature range, where, on top of the pernambuco stick, each frog and each button are designed and made by my hands, unique and with my aesthetic Signature.
La gamme ‘’Essentielle’’, où chaque baguette est fabriquée par mes soins et la hausse ainsi que le bouton sont montés en argent.
Et puis la gamme ‘’Signature’’, où, en plus de la baguette, chaque hausse et chaque bouton sont conçus par mes mains, uniques et avec ma Signature esthétique.
| Price in € VAT incl. | Essential | Signature |
|---|---|---|
| Violin | 1200 | 2500 |
| Viola | 1300 | 2700 |
| Cello | 1600 | 3500 |
Medias
“Instilling good, daily habits is the key to your bow’s health, writes Suzy Schmitt from the Women in Lutherie community”
Your bow needs taking care of as well as your instrument. There are several aspects that you can check yourself without the need of a professional.
“Le Mans. Elle est l’une des dernières en France à réparer des archets d’instruments de musique
Installée rue du Docteur Leroy au Mans, Suzy Schmitt fabrique et répare des archets destinés aux instruments de musique à cordes frottées. Un travail artisanal qui s’appuie sur un savoir-faire très ancien mais aussi des qualités de patience et de précision…”
“La bonne combinaison pour nombre de musiciens, c’est leur talent et le bon instrument. Mais pour la famille des cordes frottées type violon, alto, violoncelle et contrebasse, il faut ajouter l’archet. Nombre de ces instrumentistes l’affirmeront : « Il est essentiel, pour un bon accord, d’avoir un archet de bonne qualité et en bon état. » Et c’est pour cela que Suzy Schmitt a embrassé la carrière d’archetière.”
“Le pernambouc, qui constitue la baguette de l’archet, est un bois toxique. Il est donc fréquent de voir les archetiers travailler masqués pour préserver la santé de leurs poumons.
“Dans son atelier de la Tribu Co-Working, rue du Docteur Leroy, Suzy Schmitt est épanouie. Derrière de grandes baies vitrées, la jeune femme
d’origine alsacienne répare, en toute sérenité, archers pour violon, alto, violoncelle et autre contre-basse. « Depuis l’âge de neuf ans, j’ai
évolué dans le monde de la musique classique.”
Contact
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