Episode 43 David Lien Violins

David Lien Violins

He has the same name as me

📍Taipei, Taiwan

His Website: https://www.lienviolins.com.tw/david-lien/ 

Thoughts and Reflections

So this is a somewhat lighthearted episode, as he has the same exact name as me. Which you think might not sound crazy, but "Lien" is a relatively rare Chinese last name, and actually only originating from a small town in Taiwan. I've known about him since I was a child, when Googling my name (as many children do) I found him. And as a musician myself (though mostly a pianist and cellist), my friends would jokingly or sometimes earnestly ask if that were me on YouTube. 

And ever since then, he has only grown in brand and output. So in 2022, when I went to Taipei, I knew I had to go see him; back then I introduced myself and tried some of his instruments. And when I went back to Taiwan in 2025 (post starting my Instrument Makers channel), I knew I had to go visit him with the joking aim of seizing the top spot on Google. Though, the point is a bit moot now, as it seems the order of Google results are heavily now skewed based on personal search history, region, etc. 

He was also a very outgoing and humorous individual, which naturally leaned itself towards a more funny episode. So I went a bit rogue with the editing at the beginning and then end. 

But besides that the angle of the story was about our names, it was genuinely interesting his philosophy of trying to change international public perception and solidify his instruments to be comparable to fine Western made instruments and kill the stereotypes that all instruments made in East Asia are of inferior quality.

Other reflections:

• I was chatting with his son for a section of the video. I just assumed he was another worker as nobody made it explicitly clear that he was the son. So I was surprised to see him at David Lien's house when I went there later on.

• At David Lien's house, I want to reiterate how incredible his basement warehouse was, containing hundreds if not over a thousand instruments ready to be fixed up or sold. He claimed that was working on these. But it's clear that it's a bit delusional to expect this, and he could retire heartily just by selling off this stock. He really doesn't need to make another instrument is his life.