The Xenith: A 2020 Success Story

“The handpan world is at a crossroads; you’re leading change my friend.” 

Sylvain Paslier - The Handpan Podcast

Finding success and staying inspired in 2020 was a herculean task. Massive economic shifts, a worldwide pandemic, social lockdowns, international travel restrictions, and personal isolation are just a few of the incredible challenges that we all faced -- and are still facing. In early 2020, I was set to move my workshops and was in the later stages of developing the RADIX. It was already set to be a year of massive personal and professional transitions and then COVID hit. As all that transpired, an idea from years ago began to resurface. 

What do you do when you have an idea that you think could drastically improve upon current production methods? What do you do when you develop a process that renders your previous processes obsolete? These are the questions I asked myself in 2015 when I was developing my hydroforming process. The answer to those questions was to pursue and develop the idea and then fully adopt and integrate it. I still get questioned why I abandoned my previous method of hand sinking shells. While that was a viable process that created high-quality instruments, it was unsustainable and hydroforming made it obsolete. 

A new idea raised those same questions again in 2016. The answer to those questions was to again pursue and develop the idea. Unfortunately, this time it didn't get through the development stage. Major roadblocks were hit, and the idea was put on the back burner and eventually abandoned. While it was set aside, I held onto the initial research and data that was gathered.

This idea resurfaced again in late 2019. Technology had changed and what was thought impossible was suddenly very possible. I brushed off my idea from 2016 and pursued and developed it across 2020. As of now, I have fully adopted and integrated it. And what about previous methods and processes? Similar to the shift from me handsinking shells, for me, my hydroforming process is now obsolete. 

Recently Sylvain Paslier asked how I stayed inspired in 2020 in regards to the development of this new process. I had committed to pursuing this idea prior to COVID and was committed by the time quarantine hit. My answer was simple; I had no choice but to pursue it and see it across the finish line. After four years since inception and ten months of development across 2020, the first Xenith was realized in October of 2020. Its success and attaining proof of concept enabled the first of many deep exhales as 2020 came to a close. 

“Dear Mr, Foulke, your latest achievement just arrived and…..I’m pretty much speechless!  Pure Singing steel! .. Flawless Magic!…it’s unreal!” 

-Jeff, Xenith Owner

Retiring the Æther and the RADIX?

As I enter the 9th year of my career as a handpan manufacturer, my path has become more and more defined. It is a path that focuses on development and exploration of production methods. I spent my first three years mastering the basics through hands-on production, producing 50 instruments under my name, CFoulke. I spent 2015 developing and integrating my hydroforming method and for the next 5 years produced instruments under the name Æther. In 2020 I designed and invested in my own deep-draw tooling and produced the RADIX. And now, 2021, the Xenith. 

In an effort to keep with the original ethos of open-sourcing my hydroforming process I have updated that webpage with everything that I’ve learned since 2016. Many of these updates came to me from other makers who were able to improve upon my original design. Thank you to all who adopted my process and continue to develop it. And while the Æther may be retired, the tools, machinery, and technology used in making the Æther finds a new life in making Æther Clocks. 

With the success of the Xenith, I enter another era of development and exploration of a new production method. As a result, all previous production methods that were still active will be retired. My path continues with the Xenith and the future of handpans looks bright. 

 "Totally in awe! It greatly exceeds my wildest expectations Colin!  All thumbs up on this game changer!"

- RP, CFoulke and Xenith owner

The future of the handpan: What does the market want?

For the last 2 years, I have been running silent auctions as a way to track what the desired price is for a handpan. While most silent auctions resulted in a high price tag they did reveal a very interesting data point; the average bid was right around $1,000USD. I took this to heart. 

To the thousands that participated, you may recall that for my 2019 Three Hammer Challenge I asked you all to vote on what scale I should make from a list of my favorite D-centered seven-note scales. This also resulted in a very interesting data point: you wanted D minor, either D Celtic7 or D Insen. I took this to heart. 

"Playing the Xenith felt like sitting down with a familiar friend. The notes are clear and clean...the resonance is goosebumbingly beautiful. Easy to pull sound from quiet to loud. Melodies flow with ease inviting hours of exploration. High quality and beautiful finishes."

- Judith Lerner, CFoulke and 2020 Æther Owner

The future of the handpan: What to do about a market that is flooded with low-quality instruments?

In the last few years, I have had more requests to ‘retune’ instruments that were purchased online for high prices, many of which were sold by unnamed companies, no brand, no makers mark. These ‘retune’ requests are akin to fixing a guitar whose frets are all in the wrong place; it simply can’t be retuned. It would require a total rebuild. 

While these encounters left me frustrated, they also presented an interesting challenge. It is a very big challenge to make a high-quality instrument; they are labor-intensive and can take days to weeks of skilled labor which is why the resulting price tag is usually very high. It is an even bigger challenge to make a high-quality instrument but have the resulting price tag NOT be several thousands of dollars.

Is there a way to create a high-quality instrument, from a reputable maker, and sell it for an introductory price? Can the market be flooded with high-quality, low price instruments?

“Colin, you’ve done it again - what an amazing handpan.  When I first picked it up, I was struck by how small and lightweight it was compared to most handpans.  The beautiful matte finish feels good under the hands and the stainless steel rim is a nice addition.  The geometry is clean. The notes are all spot on - no bad or weak note. The note balance is good. The dynamics are impressive and the harmonics easy to find. I absolutely love the simplicity of a 7 note tone circle. Honestly, it’s like a refined version of a bygone era of instruments. Well done!”

-Ray Ford, Handpan.org Moderator, CFoulke and Xenith owner

The Xenith

Xeno: Different in origin

Zenith: The point in the sky or celestial sphere directly above an observer

Xeno + Zenith = Xenith

The Xenith is that high-quality instrument for an introductory price. The Xenith is the result of years of work, listening to your feedback, and in response to the growing market of high-priced, low-quality handpans. The Xenith is also an invitation to those who have been unable to join the handpan community due to the high-priced nature of high-quality instruments. 

The Xenith embodies everything that is special about these instruments; sustain, harmonics, and bloom captured in the most classic scales and crafted into a playable and portable medium-sized handpan. 

"There is so much to love about this Celtic Xenith that you made for me. The touch is effortless, the notes seem like they are on springs waiting to jump out! There are so many different sounds available, metallic clanks and slaps, taks, and each note has shadings that come from being touched differently, in different ways and parts of the tone fields. It has such a strong voice, it's loud when I want it to be loud. Of course, it plays beautifully soft as well. The ding is wonderfully rich~if you hit it hard, it just BOOMS! It has several different voices, depending on how you hit it. It bends notes beautifully and it loves soft touches as well. And the price, pretty low anyway, in comparison to anywhere else, but for a handpan of this quality, an absolutely excellent value. It's small, light, convenient, and still, such an extraordinary sound." 

-David C. Xenith Owner

“So what's the catch?” “It sounds too good to be true.” 

    That’s just it — there is no catch. It's exactly what it sounds like. I have spent the last 8 years dedicated to exploring production methods of these instruments, and I have developed a new way that is incredibly efficient, extremely consistent, and renders a very high-quality instrument, simple as that. No corners cut, no sacrifices made.

"See, the problem is with the Xenith's price point, people will view the Xenith as an OK entry-level handpan. When in reality it’s anything but. It’s top-quality in my opinion. It’s really impressive all around.” - Ray Ford