Can you recommend a brand of bow

funkythumb · #1 08-26-2008, 04:12 PM

I'm mostly an electric player but am eager to get back into bowing and pick up where I left off years ago. I play a French bow.
Back when I started, I overpaid ($400) for a wood bow that plays fine. I've tried a couple carbon fiber bows that cost about $250 that feel easier to play.
I'm thinking of going to my local retailer and comparing my wood bow with less expensive synthetic bows to see if I like them better. That's probably the best way to compare bows and see what I like.
Can you guys recommend a brand of bow around $300?

bassyboy · #2 08-26-2008, 04:20 PM

http://www.eastmanstrings.com they sell a very wide selection of bows

dreamer69 · #3 08-27-2008, 12:26 AM

Yita music on ebay.

funkythumb · #4 08-27-2008, 04:54 AM

thanks guys. Any particular brands?

Eric Swanson · #5 08-27-2008, 06:26 AM

I wouldn't buy sight unseen, on price. I would try out any bow I was considering.

I had a real dog of a bow I suffered with for years, for which I paid very little money at the time ($250 in 1976). I bought it based on what I could afford and didn't shop around much.

I struggled with that rascal for a long time. Luckily, one of my teachers lent me a better bow to use until I could get something workable. I finally got a good bow...all of the sudden my arco was very much improved.

I realized that I had spent years fighting a lousy stick. What a waste of life, time, and opportunity.

A fellow I know got a really sweet bow at an estate sale for $250 a few years ago, that plays beautifully. I like it better in some ways than my Morizot.

That's my 2 cents, for better or worse. Try before you buy and compare sticks.

funkythumb · #6 08-27-2008, 08:44 AM

thanks Eric. All a big help.

LouisF · #7 08-27-2008, 11:22 AM

Look at Finale carbon Fiber bows - Steve at the String Emporium has them (see the ads around here for the Wan Bernadel bass). IMO they're as good as anything you'll find - wood or not - under $500.

Louis

funkythumb · #8 08-27-2008, 02:47 PM

thanks Louis

Phil Smith · #9 08-27-2008, 03:41 PM

The $200 Yita Music carbon fiber bow on EBay is pretty darn good, I got one a couple of months ago and I think it works pretty good and I would dare say that they are also as good as anything you might find.

downneck · #10 09-05-2008, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil Smith

The $200 Yita Music carbon fiber bow on EBay is pretty darn good, I got one a couple of months ago and I think it works pretty good and I would dare say that they are also as good as anything you might find.

perhaps you mean "as good as anything you might find in this price range"?

i have a hard time believing that a $200 carbon fiber bow could compete with something like a $1200 prochownik

edit: then again, i'm swimming upstream with a $99 upton bow so take my opinion with a grain of salt

Andrew McGregor · #11 09-05-2008, 06:19 PM

Carbon bows often out-perform their price; there's little rarity value in a carbon bow, it's all commodity materials and workmanship. The workmanship does still count for a lot, though.

Don't go thinking that fiberglass or kevlar are just other composites and should be as good... for this application, carbon is the right material and the others may as well be spaghetti.

One nice thing about carbon bows is that there is essentially no sample variation; every example of a particular design plays pretty much identically, unlike wood where they're all different.

Phil Smith · #12 09-06-2008, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by downneck

perhaps you mean "as good as anything you might find in this price range"?

i have a hard time believing that a $200 carbon fiber bow could compete with something like a $1200 prochownik

edit: then again, i'm swimming upstream with a $99 upton bow so take my opinion with a grain of salt

My comment is in the context of comparisons to the Finale Bow mentioned above and other carbon fiber bows.

jgbass · #13 09-07-2008, 03:25 PM

Phil,

If you go to Jason Heath's Bass Blog, or just do a search for Finale Bow, he has a short video comparing the Finale Carbon Fiber to a $4200 bow.

I am auditioning the Finale bow this weekend, and I have to say it is really nice to play this bow and I think I am going to get it. It is a joy to play.

Eric Hochberg · #14 09-16-2008, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgbass

Phil,

If you go to Jason Heath's Bass Blog, or just do a search for Finale Bow, he has a short video comparing the Finale Carbon Fiber to a $4200 bow.

I am auditioning the Finale bow this weekend, and I have to say it is really nice to play this bow and I think I am going to get it. It is a joy to play.

Here's the link

Rickcattani · #15 10-05-2008, 08:51 AM

I bought a great carbon fiber bow, by Finale. (French model). I saw a video on Jason Heath's bass blog on the bows and I bought one. I can't remember the exact URL, but it was at www.stringemporium.com (then you can click bows there.)

I already have a nice pernambuco bow and I needed another bow. The cheap bows, for $90 I tried and was dissappointed but I can't get over how will this one plays. I actually prefer it to my other bow. At first I just thought it was because the hair was old on my old bow, but even still (after 3 months) this Finale just plays great. I paid $340, but I got a nice hard case with it and a rosin was included too. (I got a Nymans). Very happy!

Rick