Gary Karr carbow

[Kaden]

Recently i have been looking for a bow to replace my brazil wood bow i have been using. While surfing the internets i ran across a Gary Karr model carbow. I was woundering if anyone has any experience of using this bow and what were your impressions. I am very interested in giving this bow a try because i have read really good reviews about it and if its good enough for Gary Karr it has to be good right? I would greatly appreciate any advice and suggestions. Thanks!

[LouisF]

It's a bit more refined and elegant than the Gage Metropolitan bow (though the Gage is louder). I used one for years as my #2 bow and was very happy with it (I'm using a Tom Owen bow now). I think you can get them from Frank's Vlns in Indianapolis - Mark there is very helpful. Mine's on consignment with Lisa Gass in LA, if you want to try it.

Louis

[Reuben]

I have one, and I love it. It doesn't sound as nice as a great pernumbuco stick, but it feels awesome and has a strong sound. It's a little shorter than many German bows, but that may be part of what makes it feel so great. I'm not sure. Anyway, I've gone back to using it as my main bow lately. I think it's awesome.

[Big B.]

I play a full size five string and do a lot of orchestral work with a carbow french bow. powerful, precise and produces a very fine sound. Other players with smaller basses find it to be more brittle sounding but still think it plays very well. Plays like a much more expensive bow. very handy if you play col legno passages. not fun with a wooden stick.

[toman]

Curious; does Gary Karr actually play with this bow, or just endorse it?

[JayR]

I have one I purchased a few years ago, I've been keeping it around as a backup bow but I think I'm probably going to sell it, as I'm about to purchase a dolling from Lemur once my bank loan comes through (oh, debt, how I love thee.)

Anyway, it's a nice bow, VERY stable. The balance on it is great and it is very comfortable in the hand. It's excellent for legato playing, and I get the feel that it was designed with solo playing in mind. The spicatto response leaves a little bit to be desired, just to my personal taste, but it's certainly not BAD by any means. I just wouldn't want to do Mozart 35 with it in a life-or-death situation.

Funny thing, too, I was thinking of taking it down to Lisa to put on consignment but if you already have one there, that would be a tid redundant, wouldn't it. Small world.

[LouisF]

Jay,

Go ahead. Someone's asked to see mine, so the slot at Lisa's is available.

Best

Louis

[Don Harris]

I've got the Gruenberger french bow which I really like the sound and feel of. I had my Gary Karr model rehaired with some really nice white hair and hate the sound now. It's very bright and thin (always seemed a bit thinner than the Gruenberger). What kind of hair do you guys like on your Gary Karr bows?

[Reuben]

60/40 black to white

[R Sturm]

I bought Jay's Carbow. Terrific handling and a big improvement in sound over my previous bows. Now, I'm neither much of a classical player nor a bow expert, but after having tried a few, I think both the Carbow and the Coda Metropolitan are excellent bows in the under $1000 range. If Jay says that spiccato isn't that great, well, I wouldn't know, seems good to me, but then he has both better bows and better technique.

Gage has the original Carbow for under 700 on his website and the Karr model for 200 more, there was a Carbow on e-bay a few months ago that sold in the 500s I think. So in that range, you probably will not find much better bows. The Carbow list price may be a bit excessive, but that might still go back to the time when there was less on the market. Just like $200 20 years ago was not unreasonable for an ok bow from a dealer (that's what I paid for my first bow then), but today you can probably get an equivalent in the $100 Gollihur and Upton bows.

[brandonwong]

Originally Posted by LouisF

It's a bit more refined and elegant than the Gage Metropolitan bow (though the Gage is louder). I used one for years as my #2 bow and was very happy with it (I'm using a Tom Owen bow now). I think you can get them from Frank's Vlns in Indianapolis - Mark there is very helpful. Mine's on consignment with Lisa Gass in LA, if you want to try it.

Louis

So how would you compare the carbow and david gage bows in more detail?

[LouisF]

The Gage pulls a bigger - if more unrefined sound - and is a little stiffer in the hand. I brought it once to what I thought was a pops rehearsal for the LA Doctors symphony - turned out we were reading the Brahms First. It got a huge sound out of the base, but perhaps wasn't the easiest on control, bounce etc;

I used the Carbow on a Mozart/Bach chamber orchestra concert - it was great - elegant and balanced, good bounce; just a smaller sound. I've sold the Carbow (the Tom Owens bow for $750 seems to give the best of both worlds) and still have the Gage (someone's looking at it). If it comes back you're welcome to try it out. They're both good sticks for the money

Louis

[brandonwong]

Thanks Louis,

I'm on my 2nd Carbow but always wonder about the grass on the other side.

[jgbass]

Louis,

Can you get more info about the Tom Owens bow and where you can find it? Is it permabuco? I am looking for another permabuco bow and live in the LA area.

Thanks.

[LouisF]

PM sent!

[musicianphil]

Won my job on a Metropolitan bow. They are really great but would never play in a section with it because it is too bright sounding. I play a Reid Hudson bow with a viennese frog as my every day bow.

[Jeremy Allen]

So just to confirm--all of the comments about Carbow here are referring to the actual Gary Karr model, the more expensive one?
One of my students has the "regular" Carbow German model, and I'm in love with it.

[LouisF]

Yes - Karr model for me.

LF

[Kaden]

has anyone played a tom owens bow? If so how do they stack up against a carbow?

[LouisF]

Oh gosh, we've (I've) discussed this: the reason I sold my Carbow was because I bought a TO bow. There are all kinds of plusses and minuses to the debate: the Carbow is a great bow, light, not a huge sound, but feels like a bow twice the price and many players here use them for orchestra work with great success.

I had two Carbon Fiber bows because of where I was teaching and living (in the High Sierras) - the Carbow and Gage. I kept the Gage - also a very good bow - well balanced, strong, and as I said, perhaps not as refined a sound but bigger.

Having said all that, I was curious about Tom's bows and asked him to send me some to try. He sent three - one was pretty non descript, one was terrific but a little light and the other was just right (call me Goldilocks!): a big fat sound, easy to handle, excellent balance, good craftsmanship and elegant wood for $750.

Buying the Gage or Carbow will be easier - I assume because of how they're made - the product is consistent in quality. Tom's bows vary.
I kept the Gage for those times when you don't want to take a wood bow out (concerts in the parks etc).

I would say contact Tom directly, telling him what you're looking for and have him send you something. If it fit, try the CF bows.

Louis