The Take-Apart by Don Rickert Lutherie, designed by Ernest Nussbaum (the inventor of the Practice Violin/Viola and Praktice Cello) is, as the name implies, a bow that breaks down into two pieces. These bows are generally used by travelers and adventurers who like to use a shortened case for their travel and backpacker violins.
Take-apart bows are a compromise, as they can only be made from fiberglass bows, as they have hollow cores (allowing for the insertion of a connector dowel). Ours is a Glasser fiberglass bow with Siberian natural horsehair custom-crafted in our lutherie. It will not play as well as your high-end Glasser or CodaBow braided carbon fiber bow, but it does break down to 16" for easy carrying with your backpacker fiddle in a short case.
The compromises notwithstanding, this bow performs very well. It is actually stiffer than a regular fiberglass bow owing to the connection dowel. Recently, while I was rosining, breaking-in (playing to work the rosin into the horsehair) and testing a Take-Apart bow, colleagues came into the music room to see what instrument and bow I was playing because it sounded so good. I was using the bow on a pretty OK (not great) fiddle that I use for everyday things like testing bows.
Well, okay...some people actually do need a pernambuco bow. Read on.
In a recent article, Making Sense of the New Carbon Fiber Bows, I expressed a strong preference for the new generation of braided carbon fiber bows, for violin, fiddle, viola and octave violin (sometimes called baritone violin) for meeting the needs of the modern player.
Considerations we covered in the previous article were:
Whether or not the bow is to be used to play violin/fiddle or octave violin/fiddle, concluding that the octave violin or fiddle player should use a viola rather than a violin bow
Do you need a “forgiving” bow or does your playing demand a “race horse” bow?
Are you a fiddler or a violinist? (a minor consideration really)
Considerations NOT covered in depth in the previous article:
Cost, as the best high-performance modern carbon fiber bows are all in the $350 to $700+ range, which is FAR less than the cost of a good wooden bow
Situations for which the player actually needs a quality wooden bow…that will be covered in this article
Our Conclusions About High-Performance Carbon Fiber Bows:
The CodaBow Diamond NX is the way to go if you desire a really nice but forgiving bow.
The CodaBow Diamond SX is our second choice FOR FIDDLERS in the high-performance class owing to its higher price than the Glasser, but our first choice FOR VIOLINISTS in the high-performance class owing to its observed ability to draw a slightly better tone from a really good violin.
The CodaBow Diamond GX is our recommendation for the professional fiddler or violinist, owing to its aesthetic beauty combined with stellar performance in the hands of an expert.
Who Needs a Wooden Bow, and Which Bow do they need?
In a recent article, The Don Rickert Lutherie Philosophy on Bows Summarized, I alluded to the fact that re-enactors of earlier music genres have a legitimate need for a good wooden bow and the wood should be pernambuco. Like Francois Tourte, credited with the invention of the modern reverse camber bow (bows actually evolved for many years and Tourte got the invention credit), I totally rejected snakewood as a suitable alternative for anything but a Baroque bow. A modern bow of snakewood performs about as well as a $40 fiberglass bow.
So…Which Bow for Whom?
Don Rickert Lutherie sells a small but very special collection of pernambuco bows through the Adventurous Muse Store. In accord with our strong support of IPCI-USA (International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative-USA) (www.ipci-usa.org), we have selected three makers of pernambuco Master Bows, all of whom happen to be German. Being German had nothing to do with our decision. All three have passed our ethical standards review.
Georg Werner Workshop (part of the famous Doerfler Workshop, Bubenreuth, Germany)
Sebastian Dirr (Erlangen, Germany)
Herbert and Christian Wanka (Baiersdorf, Germany)
The bows of all three of these Master Bow Makers are imported to the U.S. by the highly-respected Connolly Music, suppliers (i.e. wholesalers) of musical instruments and related products to bona fide Dealers such as us.
The Pernambuco Bows We Have Selected
All are Master Bows, and NOT Intermediate or Student bows.
At the lower end (everything is relative!) of the price range are two Master Bow models by Georg Werner. Our discounted prices on these bows is a bit higher than the most expensive carbon fibre bow that we sell, the CodaBow Diamond GX.
Both of the Geoge Werner bows play at least as well as the CodaBow NX and possibly the CodaBow SX.
They draw slightly sweeter tone from a really good violin or fiddle.
One has a round shaft and the other has a stiffer octagonal shaft.
These bows are targeted to advanced amateur re-enactors of 1860s (i.e. Civil War) music as well as traditionally-minded players of early 20th Century “Roots” music, which we now call Old Time fiddling.
Either bow is also suitable for the serious late 18th Century pochette (strung with either synthetic or real gut) player, such as our Neil Gow II pochette; however, the Transitional Bow by Sebastian Dirr on real gut strings is more period-appropriate.
Bottom line is that they are both pretty good pernambuco bows priced about as low as you will ever find a decent pernambuco Master Bow. We DO NOT consider either of these to be contemporary fiddle contest bows, although people have won competitions with far lower quality bows.
The essential bow for the mid to late 18th Century violinist of pochette player
There was not a sudden jump from the Baroque bow to the “modern” reverse camber bow for which Francois Tourte gets the invention credit. There were all sorts of transitional bows in use throughout the 1700s.
Master Bow Maker (Bogenbaumeister), Sebastian Dirr makes a superb transitional violin bow based on the type used by the violin virtuoso, Wilhelm Cramer.This type of bow was particularly popular from about 1750 to 1785.
The Cramer bow is immediately recognizable by a head that sweeps both forward and backward, something like a battle axe. Compared to a modern bow, the Cramer is lighter—56 grams compared to an average 60 grams today—with less camber and a taller head and frog. The band of hair is slightly narrower, with a lighter-weight, open-trench frog. Dirr’s copy is beautifully crafted in pernambuco with ebony frog and mastodon-ivory tip and adjuster button.
While the Cramer Transitional Bow was developed to allow violinists to perform the short, bouncy strokes required for the then new music of Haydn and Mozart, the intended user of this bow from our standpoint is a player of our Neil Gow Pochette or similar late 18th Century Pochette.
While Sebastian Dirr’s bows are renowned for excellent tracking, settling quickly into the string, releasing effortlessly, and producing a rich and focused tone, keep in mind that this is a meticulous replica of a 250 year old bow…not a modern bow.
Two Pernambuco Bows for the Seriously Committed Musician (with $3,000 to spend)
We have pair of Herbert Wanka pernambuco bows, very similar except that one has an ebony frog and the other a horn frog. These pernambuco bows perform as well or better than a high-performance carbon fiber bow. They are Tourte bows, which are historically legitimate for late 18th Century music and instruments, as well as mid-19th Century, early 20th Century Old Time fiddle or even modern fiddle or violin.
These bows are definitly suitable for high-level fiddle competition or professional use, as well as orchestral use (Note: Professional orchestral violinists usually have much more expensive bows...tens of thousands of dollars for a bow is not unusual for someone playing on a $100,000+ violin!). We do have more expensive ($3,500 - $6,000 range) Wanka bows if you need them. Call us...see the "Call Me" widget at the end of this article.
Both models from Herbert Wanka are Master Bows from carefully selected pernambuco. Round or octagonal shaft with mammoth ivory tip plate.
It is worthy of note that both Herbert (dad) and Christian (son) Wanka contribute a lot of money as well as other volunteer efforts to the IPCI (International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative).
I hope that this article cleared things up a bit with respect to pernambuco bows. If you have any questions, please feel free to use the Google "widget" below for a free phone call. If you wish to argue, use the comment feature instead.
There is probably no topic that stimulates more debate than which type of bow to use on an octave violin, or a regular violin for that matter. For instance, Darol Anger, indisputably the prime mover behind the resurgence in modern octave violins, uses a violin bow exclusively and has very strong opinions about its benefits. But, then again, Darol favors an octave strung standard violin for his style of playing and the type of alternative jazz-grass fusion, which is far from the mainstream.
On the other extreme, the great 'cellist, Natalie Haas has used a French-style 'cello bow on her octave violin (a Rickert-Fiddarci with Chanot-type soundholes, called the Darci Jones Model). Natalie has since informed me that she is now using a violin bow. I did not ask her the characteristics of her bow, as we had other business to cover; however, I assume (i.e. if I were her), I would choose a "heavy" violin bow...actually, ALL violin bows weigh in the 58-60 grams range. A "heavy" bow is one whose balance point is further away from the frog, so that it feels heavier and "grabs" the strings with more force.
Our point of view is informed by formal observational research and depth interviews with hundreds of musicians conducted by Dr. Don Rickert.
The answer is that whatever bow works for the type of music you are playing is the right bow. For virtually ALL players, however, the right bow is a high-quality braided carbon fiber viola bow. Wooden bows of any sort are completely unsuitable for playing an octave instrument, as they tend to have too much bounce. Perhaps a $3,500 Pernambuco wooden bow (which we do, in fact sell) could do the job, but who knows, especially when you can get a bow that we know will work in the $400 to $700 range.
The stiffness of a high-end carbon fiber viola bow pulls sound from the large diameter strings of an octave violin with minimal bounce. We favor the Glasser™ Octagonal Braided Carbon Fiber viola bow or the new CodaBow™ Diamond Series™ braided carbon fiber viola bows:
That update being covered, I will talk a bit about my two favorite bows for octave violin; the Glasser Braided Carbon Fiber Octagonal Viola Bow and the new CodaBow Diamond Series NX, SX and GX Viola Bows, also a "braided" carbon fiber (meaning epoxy-saturated carbon fiber fabric wrapped around a core) bows.
The Glasser is pictured on the left and the CodaBow on the right.
The Glasser's core, as far as I know, is proprietary or I was not paying attention when I was told. The CodaBow's core is composed of Kevlar strands. The Glasser is slightly stiffer, the octagonal shape contributing somewhat to this stiffness, as the octagonal is far stiffer than the Glasser round shaft version of the same bow, which I do not like. The CodaBow has a round shaft but it is plenty stiff, just not so much so as the Glasser.
I have to say, I love both bows. I suppose that the CodaBow feels a little bit more like a really good wooden bow, but nowhere near as bouncy. The CodaBow seems to have a bit more "pull" when a lot of two string chords are involved. The Glasser is a bit faster on melody parts.
Bottom line is that one needs both, but if I had to choose one, I would choose the CodaBow for octave violin, as most of my octave playing is chordal "second fiddle" accompaniment.
This article is a compendium of a number of posts I have written over the past few years related to violin, fiddle, octave fiddle and pochette bows. Since we are now in the process of adding more bows to our store, particularly high-end pernambuco bows, the time seems right for reiterating, and in some cases, revising opinions I have expressed in the past based on recent developments.
It is All About the Bow
Assuming that you have at least a moderate-quality fiddle or violin (that is properly set up) and some skill at playing it, NOTHING matters to your playing, the sound your playing makes and your development as a bowed string musician than the bow. The old rule of thumb that we old people were taught is that you should spend at least as much on your bow as you do your fiddle or violin. How many of us really followed that advice. Especially those of us who practice the fiddle discipline played on the cheapest Brazilwood or fiberglass bow that we could get our hands on.
Until you play a great bow, you just can't get it...you play a lot better with a high-quality bow; no exceptions. Not too long ago, a great bow could cost thousands of dollars. Invariably, great bows were always made of Pernambuco wood, or occasionally Snakewood (but Snakewood is more common for Baroque bows, and the topic of the next section).
High-end Pernambuco Master bows can be real a joy to use; but there is a serious shortage of pernambuco wood, so buying a new one could be considered irresponsible unless you are sure that the bow is made from legitimately-obtained pernambuco wood. One way of ensuring this is to only purchase a pernambuco bow from a maker affiliated with the IPCI (International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative www.ipci-usa.org). A good old one, such as the ones Don Rickert Lutherie now sells via the Adventurous Muse Store, is going to cost you some big bucks.
Today, you can get a carbon fiber or carbon graphite (they are slightly different composite materials) bow for under $500. High-end carbon fiber bows that I have played are better than ANY pernambuco bow I have played except for maybe the Herbert Wanka master bows that we now sell and one I used to play with about 30 years ago, but got broken in a pub brawl (see my prior article Making Sense of the New Carbon Fiber Bows).
Being in the business of selling fiddle and violin and bows (the Bow and String Shop in the Adventurous Muse Store and at numerous festivals) and having observed hundreds making bow buying decisions, I can report the following consumer insights:
The majority of potential customers enter the purchase dialog with the notion that they want a wooden bow.
We take more old Pernambuco wood bows in trade as partial payment for high-end carbon fiber bows than we sell.
We sell more carbon fiber bows than wood bows. In fact, I cannot remember the last time we actually sold a wooden bow.
The new generation of "braided carbon fiber" bows (carbon fiber fabric wound around a core and encased in a resin) perform better than the older style extruded carbon fiber bows.
The majority of bows we sell are of the braided carbon fiber type (and these are the most expensive...in the $375-$700 price range).
Re-enactors of Early Music Genres Really Do Need a Good Pernambuco Bow
If you play 18th Century music (for instance on a Don Rickert Lutherie pochette), mid-19th Century music or even early 20th Century Old Time music, a good pernambuco bow is completely appropriate and, in fact, necessary if you care about period authenticity. The ultra-responsiveness of a great high performance carbon fiber bow is not part of these earlier music forms. This is the reason that we have started selling Pernambuco bows in the Bow and String Shop in the Adventurous Muse Store.
Is a Snakewood Violin of Fiddle Bow an Alternative to Pernambuco?
No!
Snakewood is for Baroque bows, which are used for playing Baroque music on Baroque violins. The wood is heavy and does not hold the camber (reverse curve) that is so critical to Tourte (i.e. modern) bows. Francois Tourte explicitly rejected snakewood as being unsuitable for his bows. We nearly cried when we heard that a vendor (yes, a competitor) sold a snakewood Tourte bow to a young fiddle student who was considering buying an entry-level carbon fiber bow (OK, yes from us).
Now, you might ask, why not use a Baroque bow for modern playing. We'll get into the details some other time, but suffice it to say that Tourte did not invent the modern bow just to be different.
Snakewood looks really cool, but it sucks for modern violin and fiddle bows.
Adventurous Muse and Don Rickert Lutherie Policy on Pernambuco Wood Bows
Pernambuco is an endangered wood and has been since the 17th century, at least. To be fair to those of use who make and sell bows, the shortage of Pernambuco has more to do with the fabric dye and furniture industries, combined with centuries of poor forestry management than the making of violin and fiddle bows. But the bow industry doesn't get off so easily, as the best wood for bow-making comes from the centers of old growth trees.
Why Pernambuco for bows in the first place? Francois Tourte (see Wikipedia article on Tourte) invented the "modern" bow, which curves backwards, at least from the perspective of the musicians of the period. He made them out of Pernambuco wood, due to its high stiffness and low weight. This is, of course, an oversimplification, but you get the idea. Interestingly enough, the stiffness to weight issue is one of the primary advantages of a high quality carbon fiber bow over a pernambuco bow (yes, there is a thinly-veiled hint in that statement.). In any case, in any likely future that I can foresee, pernambuco bows are going to get more and more expensive and carbon fiber bows more prevalent.
We proudly support IPCI-USA the "International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative-USA" (www.ipci-usa.org). In practical terms, this means that we do not sell new genuine pernambuco bows except from a few German bowmakers who have passed our ethical standards review. Otherwise, we only sell old pernambuco bows acquired as trade-ins for carbon fiber and carbon graphite bows. We will continue to sell extremely high quality carbon fiber and carbon graphite bows...now you have an excuse to buck peer pressure from blind traditionalists and upgrade to a better (carbon fiber) bow...unless you really need a good pernambuco bow for period-authenticity reasons. This topic was covered earlier.
What About Bows for Octave Violin and Fiddle?
Read the next post for facts and opinions on the the matter of these wonderful instruments tuned an octave lower than a regular violin or fiddle.
In a recent post, Instrument-Bow-Case Bundles: What You Will Find In Our Special Deals Section Part 1, we featured some really good deals on our own Don Rickert Lutherie (not inexpensive) backpacker violins and fiddles budled with a really great carbon fiber bow, as well as high-end traditional violins bundled with both a bow and a good case.
Wonderful golden brown (varnish not a nice or traditional as the Benker Professional Model) Christian Benker Violin manufactured by Hofner and meticulously set-up by Don Rickert Lutherie as a competition fiddle...all of our expert set-up time is included in the sales price. Made in Germany. Extraordinary, whether used as a violin or a fiddle, and you can't beat the price for this German-made instrument. This instrument has custom bridge work, Helicore strings and Wittner tailpiece. We'll even give you a slightly used molded case.
For an extra charge ($100), we will install Wittner Fine-Tune planetary geared tuning pegs.
Thi instrument is powerful (loud), with a really nice balance of bass overtones and brightness. The bridge is cut for competition playing (on the low side, but not low enough to buzz). Why would anyone waste his or her time bidding online for a piece of junk violin when they can get a quality German-made instrument for this price?
The BIG Question
Why the low price? Very simple. We have made one or two exchanges of instruments, but this one was our first outright return. The thing is that the customer expected the high-end spirit varnish of the the much more expensive Benker Professional, but this instrument, which plays wonderfully and sounds even better, has a well-done spray on varnish (looks great, but it is not the traditional spirit or oil varnish one only sees on expensive violins). That's about it...we want to sell it quickly to someone who deserves it. Our price is quite low for what you are getting.
Save yourself a lot of money and 50+ hours of your time!
For the already low price of the completed 1860s style cigar box fiddle body, you get the most comprehensive book on making PLAYABLE and nice-sounding cigar box fiddles (not an interesting looking but unplayable instrument to hang on the wall), Cigar Box Fiddles: About Them and How to Make Them.
The Body: This is the completed body only for making an 1860s style cigar box fiddle just like the ones made by Don Rickert Lutherie. Made from Spanish Cedar with a Western Red Cedar top.
The Book: Most comprehensive reference available for making several different types of cigar box fiddles that are easy to play and sound great. This book, by Dr. Don Rickert, provides a general introduction to cigar box fiddles, their history, the differences between the solid wood 19th Century style fiddles and “modern” cigar box fiddles made from reinforced cheap plywood. The majority of the book deals with the actual making of two different types of cigar box fiddle, as well as a variation, a whiskey bottle box fiddle. 150 pages with over 100 illustrations.
Note: If you need a completed neck (with fingerboard) that is precision-drilled for screwing and gluing onto the body, we can sell you one...ranging from slighlty rustic (but still very playable for about $85) to good violin quality (about $150) to highest violin quality (about $225). We can also supply you with the other parts (tail peice, bridge, strings, etc.) you will need at a deeply-discounted price. Because we really know Cigar Bow Fiddles, a neck you buy from us will be angled correctly so that your strings are nice and close (but not too close) to the fingerboard rather than 3/4" (yes, we have actually seen such a string height!).
With this bundle, your finished fiddle should sound as sweet as the one being played by Civil War era musical expert, Troy Parker, accompanied by Michael Fox on diatonic banjo (i.e. Dulcijo).
THE GLASSER OCTAGONAL SHAFT BRAIDED CARBON FIBER BOW with octagonal stick (stiffer than a round shaft)
EXPERIENCED FIDDLERS - WOULD YOU LIKE TO IMPROVE YOUR FIDDLING SKILLS IN 5 MINUTES?
BUY THE GLASSER OCTAGONAL SHAFT BRAIDED CARBON FIBER BOW.
This is not a joke! With this bow you will be a better fiddle player within 5 minutes – or less. (Just enough time to get the feel of the bow). Amaze your musician friends! (They don’t have to know it’s your bow that bumped you to a new level of playing, but you’ll probably be so having so much fun that you will tell them anyway.)
Worth every penny of its ridiculously low price, this is the new, ultra-cool octagonal-shaped version of the Glasser Round Shaft Braided Carbon Fiber Bow (also a wonderful bow).
At a recent old time fiddlers' convention, we loaned a fiddler one of these babies, and THAT DAY he went on to win his category and he gave up his favorite antique Pernambuco bow for this one. He says this carbon fiber bow has it own "MOJO." We don't know, but we can say that you will never play a nicer bow.
Want a gift to surprise and delight your favorite experienced fiddler? This it!
THE GLASSER OCTAGONAL SHAFT BRAIDED CARBON FIBER BOW with octagonal stick (stiffer than a round shaft)
BARITONE/OCTAVE FIDDLE and VIOLA PLAYERS - YOU NEED THIS ULTRA STIFF AND RESPONSIVE BOW to pull the notes from those F-A-T octave strings
This is not a joke! With this bow your baritone violin or fiddle strung with octave strings will sound better immediately. You may need 5 or 10 minutes to get used to using less muscle to move those strings. Guaranteed or you will get a full refund, and free pick up.
Worth every penny of its ridiculously low price, this is the Viola/Octave Violin version of the extremely popular new, ultra-cool octagonal-shaped version of the Glasser Octagonal Shaft Braided Carbon Fiber Bow for Violin or Fiddle.
With a few exceptions, such as the fiberglass Take-Apart-Bow, we only sell high-performance carbon fiber bows by the premier makers, CodaBow and Glasser, in the Adventurous Muse Store. We figure that you can and will buy cheap bows or really expensive wooden bows elsewhere. Just remember that the bow is just as important, and in some ways more important, than the instrument it is used on.
We sell both a violin/fiddle AND a viola/octave violin version of every bow model we carry.
Deciding on which bow is right for you can be bewildering, as they all are so-called “braided carbon fiber” and look pretty much the same, except for color and appointments, such as gold inlay, goldfish abalone, etc. on the most expensive models.
All models are made of an “acoustic core” (such as Kevlar), encased in graphite fabric saturated with a hard resin (e.g. epoxy). Only the new generation of braided carbon fiber bows has this acoustic core. Fiberglass and other composite bows are hollow and solid carbon graphite bows are made completely of carbon fiber strands bonded together.
The composition of the bow’s acoustic core definitely makes a difference in the way the bow feels and plays, and even the quality of timbre…a better acoustic core actually makes the instrument sound better! Little is known about the underlying science of bow acoustic cores, as the makers keep this highly proprietary information very close to the vest.
Making an Good Decision on the Right Bow for You
Is your instrument a violin/fiddle, a viola or an octave (a.k.a. baritone) violin/fiddle?
The first decision is easy, and is based on whether you are going to use the bow to play a regular violin or fiddle or an octave violin, tuned an octave lower but with the same string length as a regular violin (or a viola). Unless you have some reason to play an octave fiddle with a violin bow, such as Darol Anger does, the heavier viola/octave violin bow is highly recommended.
Most players need the extra power of a viola bow to effectively pull notes from octave violin strings, which are quite large in diameter (i.e. fat). They should NOT use a violin bow to play an octave fiddle just because that is what Darol Anger (maybe the best octave violinist and fiddler in the world) does. Darol has a unique percussive jazz-bluegrass fusion style that he has developed over decades and he needs a lighter bow than a viola bow to make it work to his satisfaction.
Do you need a “forgiving” bow or does your playing demand a “race horse” bow?
The next decision is not so easy. Do you want a bow that is more forgiving…a bow that performs like a pretty good wooden (Pernambuco) bow or a “race horse” that allows you to do amazing things, but requires well-developed bowing skills.
High-performance carbon fiber bows generally perform better than all but the finest Pernambuco bows, costing thousands of dollars. I have never played a Pernambuco bow that even comes close to a high-end carbon fiber bow…and I have played some very nice Pernambuco bows.
If you want a kind and relatively forgiving carbon fiber bow, there is only one choice, the CodaBow Diamond Collection NX. I like the viola version of the CodaBow NX for playing an octave fiddle better than the violin version, which is a bit too bouncy (just like a wooden bow) for my taste. That being said, the CodaBow NX violin bow is the most popular among our customers. We have even had customers exchange higher-end CodaBows (the SX and GX models) because their responsiveness highlighted every nuance, including mistakes.
The rest of the carbon fiber bows from CodaBow and Glasser that we sell are responsive beyond belief, range from stiff to super-stiff and afford very fast playing, such as might be required in a competition Scottish Strathspey or Jazz.
I will return to a comparison of the various “race horse” bows from CodaBow and Glasser, but let’s take a look at feature and cost comparisons first.
Feature Comparisons of the Various Bows
All CodaBow Diamond Collection (the NX, SX and GX) as well as the Glasser Octagonal Shaft bows have the following features in common.
They all only come in 4/4 size
A shaft made of graphite diamond weave fabric around an acoustic core
The diamond weave fabric pattern is clearly visible; indeed, it is part of the aesthetic of these bows. The following illustration by DragonPlate, the premier maker of braided carbon fiber products, illustrates the visibility of the fabric pattern characteristic very well.
Frogs by Walter Paulus
Nickel Silver (a.k.a. “German Silver”) fittings
Simulated Ivory tip plates (CodaBows) or nickel silver tip plates (Glasser)
Hand-cut wooden wedges and plugs
Features that Vary
The table tells us very little useful information except color and what the fittings and decoration are made from. I am not even sure what CodaBow means when they refer to the “Blended Kevlar” acoustic core of the NX bows vs. the Kevlar core of the NX and SX. Glasser’s acoustic core is a trade secret. Does anyone actually know the difference between Silver Medal Horse Hair and Gold Medal Stallion Hair? We know that the NX bows are brown, the SX and Glasser bows are dark gray and the GX has a reddish brown tint that CodaBow calls “Pernambuco”. There is also a wide variation in price.
How They Perform (The Proof is in the Playing!)
From our experience, advanced amateur fiddlers favor the CodaBow NX. Advanced Level Competition fiddlers favor the Glasser and the CodaBow NX bows, which seem to play almost identically. The CodaBow NX may pull a slightly better tone from a really good instrument; therefore it seems to be favored over the Glasser by violinists.
From what we can tell, the CodaBow GX plays about the same as a CodaBow SX. The $200 difference in price between the GX and SX seems to be primarily due to the gold inlay and other aesthetic attributes. Professional violinists seem to be willing to pay that extra $200 for the Pernambuco tint, thus allowing them NOT to stick out like a sore thumb among their fellow musicians playing with old Pernambuco bows. There is an incredible childish snobbery about Pernambuco bows in the orchestral world (those who wish to argue--bring it on!)...never mind the fact that bow-making is one of the contributing factors to the Pernambuco tree being almost extinct (there is currently a Pernambuco moratorium going on and Pernambuco exportation from Brazil is in most cases illegal).
Bottom Line
The CodaBow NX is the way to go if you desire a really nice but forgiving bow. The Glasser Braided Carbon Fiber Octagonal Shaft is the best buy for a fiddler in need of an extremely high-performance bow. The CodaBow SX is our second choice FOR FIDDLERS in the high-performance class owing to its higher price than the Glasser, but our first choice FOR VIOLINISTS in the high-performance class owing to its observed ability to draw a slightly better tone from a really good violin.
The CodaBow GX is our recommendation for the professional fiddler or violinst, owing to its aesthetic beauty combined with stellar performance in the hands of an expert.
There you have it.
If you have any questions about the bows discussed in this article and which one is right for you, call for free using the Google Voice "widget" below.
The Best Violin and Fiddle Bows Money Can Buy (and they are NOT Pernambuco!)
Yeah, all of these bows are carbon fiber...You gotta' problem with that? What would Strad have used? Anybody who knows ANYTHING about Antonio Stradivari's career know that he would use NOTHING but carbon fiber bows. I would place a bet, but what we have here is what the great Philosopher, Karl Popper called an "non-falsifiable proposition" (no Antonio Stradivari to ask about his bow preference).
CodaBow
We are a proud authorized CodaBow dealership. This may only be relevant to you if you care about the 10-year warrantee (Lifetime warrantee in the case of the top-of-the-line bow).
The Codabow's we are featuring for Dec. 25th delivery are from the new CodaBow Diamond Collection braided carbon fiber bows for Violin or Fiddle. Master makers and leading scientists at CodaBow have combined their lifelong experience to create a collection of bows that elegantly blend bow making's time-honored principles with today's most innovative bow technology. The DIAMOND Series bows offer advanced performance for serious players. Agile and accomadating, the CodaBow Diamond Series Bows elevate players to new levels.
CodaBows are American-Made, Crafted in Winona, Minnesota
This is the "step-up" bow for the CodaBow Diamond NX. The Diamond SX offers premium performance for professionals. Sophisticated and reliable, the SX is the ideal 'touring' bow for every professional artist and teacher.
As the crown jewel of the the Diamond Collection the Diamond GX embodies the unrivaled marriage of timeless craftsmanship and industry-first technology. Designed for professionals, the GX offers performance once reserved for only the finest pernambuco bows.
This is the "step-up" bow for the CodaBow Diamond NX.
EXPERIENCED FIDDLERS - WOULD YOU LIKE TO IMPROVE YOUR FIDDLING SKILLS IN 5 MINUTES?
BUY THE GLASSER OCTAGONAL SHAFT BRAIDED CARBON FIBER BOW.
This is not a joke! With this bow you will be a better fiddle player within 5 minutes – or less. (Just enough time to get the feel of the bow).
Amaze your musician friends! (They don’t have to know it’s your bow that bumped you to a new level of playing, but you’ll probably be so having so much fun that you will tell them anyway.)
Worth every penny of its ridiculously low price, this is the new, ultra-cool octagonal-shaped version of the Glasser Round Shaft Braided Carbon Fiber Bow (also a wonderful bow).
At a recent old time fiddlers' convention, we loaned a fiddler one of these babies, and THAT DAY he went on to win his category and he gave up his favorite antique Pernambuco bow for this one. He says this carbon fiber bow has it own "MOJO." We don't know, but we can say that you will never play a nicer bow.
Want a gift to surprise and delight your favorite experienced fiddler? This it!
Unless you are doing 19th-Century Civil War or Minstrel reenacting, you should be using a carbon fiber bow. I say this without ANY doubt. We have couple of OK quality old Pernambuco bows for about $500 that we are reserving for reenactors.
Pernambuco bows NO!!!
The first reason is that, in case you have not heard, there is a moratorium on new Pernambuco bows. If you get one, it is an illegal (by Brazilian law) bow...in other words, contraband. In order to get an old Pernambuco bow that comes close to what you can do with the new generation Glasser or CodaBow bows, you are going to have to spend several grand.
Snakewood bows...not a safe alternative
Don't even think about using a snakewood bow. Francois Tourte, the inventor of the kind of bow (i.e. reverse camber) we use today said (to paraphrase) that snakewood is the most unsuitable material on Earth for making a bow. Leave the snakewood supply for makers of Baroque bows...part of the fun in playing Baroque music is getting a good sound from a raspy instrument with a lousy bow!
Carbon Fiber...YES
The difference between a 3-year old CF bow and one of the new generation is incredible. In other words, you need a new one, such as a Glasser braided carbon fiber or CodaBow Diamond Series.
A year ago, we sold these bows by the dozens, could not keep them in stock and had trouble getting them. Today, we hardly sell any. Some theories:
People have stopped playing violin and fiddle (not plausible)
People have lost their source of income (a lot of that going around)
People are paralyzed by FEAR of losing their jobs, which really sucks, but is a PRIMARY reason for why it is taking so long for the economy to improve (money hoarding in troubled times seems to be human nature).
Availability of "gray market" good bows with unauthorized (by the suppliers) low prices. If you buy gray market, shame on you (and your warranty is void in most cases...instant Karma I guess)
Besides the first theory put forth, I think that we are seeing a combination of theories 2, 3 and 4.
Let's Buy Some Bows!
We would like to start selling some bows again, which is a major source of our income. So, with the fiddlers' convention season upon us, we ask (on bent knees) those who can afford a great bow to take a look at what we've got. Go to the bow section of the Adventurous Muse Store.
Assuming that you have at least a moderate-quality fiddle or violin (that is properly set up) and some skill at playing it, NOTHING matters to your playing, the sound your playing makes and your development as a bowed string musician than the bow. The old rule of thumb that we old people were taught is that you should spend at least as much on your bow as you do your fiddle or violin. How many of us really followed that advice. Especially those of us who practice the fiddle discipline played on the cheapest Brazilwood or fiberglass bow that we could get our hands on.
Until you play a great bow, you just can't get it--you play a lot better with a high-quality bow. Not too long ago, a great bow could cost thousands of dollars. Invariably, great bows were always made of Pernambuco wood, or occasionally Snakewood (but Snakewood is more common for Baroque bows, and that is a different topic than today's). Pernambuco bows can be real a joy to use; but there is a serious shortage of Pernambuco wood, so buying a new one could be considered irresponsible, and a good old one is going to cost you some big bucks.
Today, you can get a carbon fiber or carbon graphite (they are slightly different composite materials) bow for under $500. In the case of the IncrediBow, you can get one for about $150 or less. High-end carbon fiber bows that I have played are better than ANY pernambuco bow I have played (that should generate some comments!). Being in the business of selling fiddle and violin and bows (www.AdventurousMuseStore.com) and having observed hundreds making bow buying decisions, I can report the following consumer insights:
The majority of potential customers enter the purchase dialog with the notion that they want a wood bow.
We take more old Pernambuco wood bows in trade as partial payment for high-end carbon fiber bows than we sell.
We sell more carbon fiber bows than wood bows. In fact, I cannot remember the last time we actually sold a wood bow.
The new generation of "braided carbon fiber" bows (carbon fiber fabric wound around a core and encased in a resin) perform better than the older style extruded carbon fiber bows.
The majority of bows we sell are of the braided carbon fiber type (and these are the most expensive...in the $300-$700 price range).
The second most popular seller is the IncrediBow; which is maligned mostly by those who have never played one.
One more point about bows: The best bows available are all made in the USA, such as Glasser and CodaBow. Even the old London based P&H bows are now made in the US.
Snakewood is for Baroque bows, which are used for playing Baroque music on Baroque violins. The wood is heavy and does not hold the camber (reverse curve) that is so critical to Tourte (i.e. modern) bows. Francois Tourte explicitly rejected snakewood as being unsuitable for his bows. We nearly cried when we heard that a vendor (yes, a competitor) sold a snakewood Tourte bow to a young fiddle student who was considering buying an entry-level carbon fiber bow (OK, yes from us).
Now, you might ask, why not use a Baroque bow for modern playing. We'll get into the details some other time, but suffice it to say that Tourte did not invent the modern bow just to be different.
Snakewood looks really cool, but it sucks for modern violin and fiddle bows. Unless it is vintage, getting Pernambuco bow is irresponsible (see my post on Pernambuco bow policy for Don Rickert Design and the Adventurous Muse.
MP3s to Play or Download from this site We have given up on hosting our music files on Facebook and iLike, which seem to be perpetually broken, so we are moving files to this page.
NOTE: We still post MP3s to MySpace; however, there seems to be no way for you to download them.
