Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2004 18:22:06 -0700
Subject: Acoustic Life in General


Hi, Mickey,

I was  definitely surprised to get that kind of feed back that fast.
If this is part of your generic business attitude, you don`t have to
be concerned about your business development (maybe there is
still some German genetics working). Please, smile.

Mickey, I took the time, to really  read seriously  your interviews
and Bio and I am impressed. It is not alone your intrapreneurial
spirit I admire. The sentence.."to sit in the forrest with something
"ACCUSTIC" on your knees and feeling the magic of nature and
natural music as a combined value" expresses -  what I believe - 
the real emotional power which could carry your soul and makes
you  real. 

I am not a philosopher I am a guy (chemist and MD) who spent
a hell of a lot of time in the international business (ten years with
US Corporations) and I am able to differentiate  sound but artificial
strategies and honest approaches to establish a customer base.
Stick to your feelings, that makes you strong and you were capable
to transfer that  via your websites. 

When I fell in love with bluegrass many years ago ( I am borne in
1943), visiting and listening to the folks in their mountain villages (when 
I was living/working in New York) I started to buy A. Lomax Smithonian
Collections as well as some custom made instruments (because
my improved income allowed me to do so).

Today I am still working in Shanghai (as an independent consultant to
the Chinese government) because  staying in Germany as a freshly
retired  guy with 60 my family would divorce me due to my unability
to feel retired. So, life is fine. What I am missing is my accustic
instrument collection (Gibson`s J-250 Monarch and 5string Granada ,
Deering`s 4-string Tenor, National`s best Steel used as a Dobro and crazy
good for country blues, one of the ten worldwide build plectrum Maccaferis,
a beauty from Larrivee - sometimes afraid to touch it - the usual custom
Ovation and - with a sound  I never experienced again with a 12 string -
one of the last handmade Hoyer guitars from Nuremberg  which fills an 
auditorium without a mic).

Please, Mickey, do not start a wrong interpretation of this e-mail. I don`t
want to impress you. I only want to bring across there are some more
who share your love for accustic instruments. Really reading your website
it is so visible between your lines. I like that very much.

Our daughter (24, and finishing Law School now) seems to develop an
interest for  bluegrass. So I ordered today your Videos for 5-string banjo.
and the double (tape series) for Dobro beginners. They sound to be exceptional better
then all the other shit distributed (big promises and......the beginner stays
lost)  I also asked for your catalogue (I am interested in  a very special OME
4-string plectrum and I would appreciate your opinion - if possible). I can`t
test it here. And the few OME owners in Germany have different versions.
I am coming back to you with the correct name, etc..

Mickey, forgive me, when I wasted your time with this letter. I am not
senile (yet) and isolated, which means I don`t want to occupy and eat your time
because  I feel lonesome in Shanghai. No, it was your website, your life,
your photo and your mission you are going to accomplish which created a kind
of a feeling as if  I have met anybody who belongs to  my brotherhood 
of accustic instrument admirers.

I hope (due to my live with Mandarin) that my English was still good enough
to express my thoughts (forgive the mistakes and....I am not fishing for com-
pliments). I really do not expect any answer (I mean what I say), your time
is more valuable than mine. Because it would be a kind of violating your
friendliness.

The shipment is going to my German domizil (because one of my two "girls"
are  frequently in Shanghai and I do not trust the Chinese Mail due to experi-
ence). And....

I took care that the "Folk(s) Of The Wood" were properly introduced to my
very large circle of friends in Europe (my secretary is very reliable) and the
first early feedback I received was exciting !!! We are  cosmopolitical people
and feeling global why not supporting you ?

Live your quality life , Mickey, and keep creating !

Wolfgang,
the German from Shanghai, who keeps pickin` as long as his fingers do
what his heart is asking them to do.      

Subject: Your website
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2004 01:43:28 +0800

Dear friends,

a German bjo - freak , living and working in Shanghai - found your website and is nearly speachless. I never  before found a more beautiful display than yours. The easy and very professional way how to obtain all informations was highly appreciated.

This is nearly practical art and still userfriendly. What a performance ! My congratulations to all of you. Protect your philosophy  FOTW, your approach is reflecting my desire how business can be conducted. Keep going ! Dr. Wolfgang Schindel