Inexpensive Student Bows

[aoeuidhtns]

I'm looking to upgrade from a Glasser german bow I overpaid for at the local music store to something nicer. However, I don't have much money (maybe $200 max?). Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should get?

[zeytoun]

I have the same Glasser bow, as a starter. I'm probably living with it until I get a Finale carbon fiber bow (@$340 with case and rosin from String Emporium). From what I hear, those are pretty consistent.

Short of that, there are Brazilwood bows in your range. But for wood, sound varies a great deal from bow to bow, I hear. So I'd try to find a way to play them in person first, unless I was willing to take a gamble.

[aoeuidhtns]

Yeah... I was looking at the Finale carbon fibre bows as well on String Emporium. They're a bit pricey, but they're what my teacher recommends, so I'm not sure.

[MDEbass]

I've heard good things about the Finale bows, but for less than $200, the next step above what you have now would be a brazilwood bow. I'd also check out the TB classifieds. I've seen many good deals on bows of this level on the classifieds here.

[aoeuidhtns]

Yes, I've heard good things about Bob Gollihur's brazilwood bows... and at $149 they fit in my price range.

[dchan]

Ken Smith's brazilwood bows, at least the one I tried, were absolutely fantastic. He appears sold out at the moment, but you can contact him to let him know you're interested in one.

I hear the Shen Ophelia carbon bows are pretty nice also.

[tornadobass]

I recently started using a brazilwood Yita Music German-style bow that cost $70 shipped direct from China. These are sold on eBay.

So far, I like the balance of the bow and it looks well made. I'd been playing French bow before, so I don't really have a good sense yet of what makes a good German bow and can't completely judge the Yita bow. But I can find no negatives at this point.