By Andrew King
Supplier Spotlight
CHÂTEAU WINDS
you want a general idea of what Château Winds products have to offer , look no further than the brand name . “ Château ,” of course , is the French word for “ castle ,” and like the iconic French castles after which the company ’ s various instrument series are named – Versailles , Chambord , Cheverny , and so on – these woodwinds offer traditional elegance with a build quality meant to last the test of time .
Parent company Tenon Industrial Co . was founded in Taiwan back in 1979 . “ At that time , there were many instrument factories that had opened and were producing instruments of poor quality ,” begins Tenon Industrial Founder and President Jerry Chang . “ Thus , Tenon decided to begin building an instrument factory to further enhance its production capabilities to better control the quality of its instruments .”
After successfully manufacturing and exporting instruments for nearly two decades , the company launched its own brand , Château , with the simple goal of “ creating musical instruments that are both highquality and affordable .”
Château Winds ’ offerings are handcrafted from beginning to end . Every single component is manufactured in-house and every process – from shaping , soldering , buffing , and lacquering to assembly and final inspection – is completed under strict quality controls . So far , those offerings include soprano , curved soprano , alto , tenor , and baritone saxophones as well as trumpets and , soon , flutes .
To distinguish its various product series , Château builds instruments with different brass alloy compositions . The results produce slightly different intonations and resonances , offering a wide sonic spectrum to discerning players , as well as a standout signature aesthetic . Building on that aesthetic , Château has also launched its high-end Art Series of hand-painted saxophones .
Château Winds instruments have been turning more and more heads over the years thanks to their appearance , performance , and build quality . Much of that attention – especially at the international level – is driven by the company ’ s strong presence at major global trade events like The NAMM Show , Musikmesse , and Music China .
“ We enjoy welcoming both buyers and players to our booth to experience our instruments in person and learn more about our products or provide us with their feedback ,” Chang shares . “ In addition , we advertise in print and online publications around the world to increase our brand awareness and encourage people to learn more about our products , upcoming events , and brand story at our website . We also have a YouTube channel where we can share information and interact with our customers – and players will often share their performance videos with us as well .”
In fact , many of the videos posted on Château ’ s website and YouTube channel are submitted by players around the world – from Japan to Thailand to Indonesia to the U . S . and many others .
As for the types of dealers they ’ re seeking to engage through these and other such initiatives , Chang explains they appreciate those who have many years of experience selling brass and wind instruments and that can offer
robust after-sales support . The company ’ s dealer network has been expanding substantially in recent years thanks in large part to having well-established distribution partners in nearly 30 countries .
Based on reports surrounding the company ’ s strong emergence in the North American market over the past decade in particular , Château products offer impressive margins , boast an obviously high build quality , and the company behind them is “ attentive and accommodating ” when it comes to ordering , financing , and support .
As for current and upcoming focuses , the team at Château Winds is now hard at work developing a new flute product line , and Chang is particularly excited about its addition to the catalogue . “ We hope that we can officially provide our distributors with flute samples in early 2021 ,” he reveals for Canadian Music Trade . “ After their approval , our flute will be launched on the market to expand Château ’ s categories and increase our turnover for dealers .”
The new series marks the latest advancement for a company that has steadily been building its brand profile and esteem around the world for decades , and based on the success of that track record , there will be many more to come .
Andrew King is the Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Music Trade .
CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE 19