Buying a Bow in Chicago

[JDC Goalie]

I am new to the Double Bass world and I'm looking to purchase a french style wood bow under $400. I am having a hard time finding stores in the Chicago area or Burbs. that have a good selection to try out. I would like to get some suggestions for stores to go to. Thanks

[Eric Hochberg]

A440 Violin shop, SMR Double Basses, Sonksen Strings, Michelle Fiore. In your price range, I would consider the carbon fiber Finale from stringemporium.com. You may like it better than an inexpensive wood bow. I'm sure you could return it if you don't like it. Many shops will send out bows on trial.

[Champagne]

I don't have a lot of experience myself with bows, but here was my track. I started playing DB a bit over a year ago. My first bow was a glasser fiberglass. It worked for me for intonation work and still does. Later, I bought another bow which appears to be a pernambuco bass bow. I know nothing about them. The guy I bought it off of told me he paid $500 for it. I liked the balance of it compared to my glasser and the tone differences were huge. It amazed me, the difference in feel and tone. The pernambuco is a lot warmer and softer sounding as well as having a neat ability to get various nuances out of the instrument. The glasser, which is a horse hair bow too has limited dynamics (loud to soft) range.

Anyway, the reason I am telling you all this is without having the experience with the glasser, the differences of the bow would not have been as apparent. it is a night and day difference, but still, the subtleties I wouldn't have known if I hadn't gotten my feet wet with the glasser. I also wouldn't have built a preference of what i like, don't like and what I am looking for in a bow without having the experience. Just some food for thought. It would be a bummer if you spent all that money then in 4-6 months of plying, tried a bow and was like "wow, I wish I had this one instead" due to now having experience using a bow and have a preference for "chasing the flame" so to speak.

Anyway, here is a thread that may interest you:
Shen Ophelia VS. Finale bow

I was highly interested in the Shen. Never played one though and was going to get some demos shipped to me, but I don't need that now.

Good luck with your bass bow adventure

[Marc Piane]

A440 has a umbrella bucket full of inexpensive used wood bows.

[JDC Goalie]

Thanks for the info. Sounds like A440 is a place to start.

[jumpjibe]

I started with a Shen Ophelia, and can recommend it enthusiastically. As best I recall, it costs less than $ 250. It will pull a clean sound.

Decent pernambuco can provide greater warmth, flexibility and nuance. Two of my current bows are pernambuco. But you are going to pay much more for a good wood bow. And not all pernambuco bows are that much better than an excellent CF.

For under 1K, I'd also suggest you try the new Coda Metropolitan on your bass.

Each DB is going to work differently with each bow, even for a player who is new to bowing. Gotta try 'em.

[jamesfgiles]

First, get a lesson or two with an experienced arco player to address set-up issues. The way you hold the bow radically effects how the bow will play. Try both French and German if you can; player preference and physical characteristics will help determine preference. Finally, make sure the hair is good and the rosin you use is fresh. good luck with your hunt.

[chicagodoubler]

/\ YES YES YES.

Get an experienced teacher to pick out the bow. Even in carbon fibre bows there is *tremendous* variation from bow to bow.

FWIW, I bought a no-name Chinese bow from A440 this year that kicks the crap out of my big name German stick. If you aren't in a hurry, you can find some great stuff out there for cheap these days.

[MostlyBass]

Originally Posted by Eric Hochberg

A440 Violin shop, SMR Double Basses, Sonksen Strings, Michelle Fiore. In your price range, I would consider the carbon fiber Finale from stringemporium.com. You may like it better than an inexpensive wood bow. I'm sure you could return it if you don't like it. Many shops will send out bows on trial.

Yup. I'm not a fan of A440 but they usually have lots of bows to try.

For that money I agree with a carbon fibre bow.