My bow won't tighten enough, what should I do?

Blazemourne · #1 03-13-2007, 09:36 PM

The screw gets tight and won't turn too early. Is there anything I can do or should I just go to a luthier?

Fassa Albrecht · #2 03-13-2007, 09:40 PM

Either way you're probably better off going to a luthier. They'll have the benefit of professional knowledge and experience with this sort of thing. From the sound of it you may have a problem with the thread of the screw or the shaft.

**Basschair** · #3 03-14-2007, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blazemourne

The screw gets tight and won't turn too early. Is there anything I can do or should I just go to a luthier?

Was the bow working properly before this, or was it always somewhat difficult to tighten?

IMO, chances are one of your hair knots is slipping, or the spreading wedge isn't holding the hair in the frog properly. Basically, it's probably time for a rehair.

Sippy · #4 03-14-2007, 10:00 AM

Or the threads are bad and the frog isn't moving, or the thread of the screw isn't long enough... I agree with Basschair

Jumbotron · #5 03-14-2007, 10:01 AM

My guess: needs a rehair.

egbert · #6 03-14-2007, 01:56 PM

Normally I lurk but I had a similar problem that warrants posting about. Hopefully I have all my terminology right- I believe that the part of the screw that sticks out the end of the stick is called the button, correct me if I'm wrong. In my case, the button had started to come loose from the screw. All I needed to do was remove the screw from the bow entirely (meaning the frog seperates from the stick), pull the button off all the way, apply a drop of super glue (just one drop! less is more), and then VERY lightly tap it back on with a small hammer (use a wad of cloth or something to protect the end of the button so you don't break your mother of pearn inlay). This is a simple procedure to do yourself and you won't hurt anything by just taking the screw out to check so you might as well. On my bow, you could tell that the button had come loose because the square part of the screw shaft was showing (it should be all the way inside the button). Also, you may want to try to tap the button back on without the superglue first, but in my case that didn't work. I'm no luthier, but this is what my luthier showed me how to do, and it has certainly worked.

**Basschair** · #7 03-14-2007, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by egbert

Normally I lurk but I had a similar problem that warrants posting about. Hopefully I have all my terminology right- I believe that the part of the screw that sticks out the end of the stick is called the button, correct me if I'm wrong. In my case, the button had started to come loose from the screw. All I needed to do was remove the screw from the bow entirely (meaning the frog seperates from the stick), pull the button off all the way, apply a drop of super glue (just one drop! less is more), and then VERY lightly tap it back on with a small hammer (use a wad of cloth or something to protect the end of the button so you don't break your mother of pearn inlay). This is a simple procedure to do yourself and you won't hurt anything by just taking the screw out to check so you might as well. On my bow, you could tell that the button had come loose because the square part of the screw shaft was showing (it should be all the way inside the button). Also, you may want to try to tap the button back on without the superglue first, but in my case that didn't work. I'm no luthier, but this is what my luthier showed me how to do, and it has certainly worked.

Excellent point: I really like your solution, as long as the inner ebony on the button isn't cracked. Anyone care to place a bet on the problem?

GriffithLea · #8 03-14-2007, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blazemourne

The screw gets tight and won't turn too early. Is there anything I can do or should I just go to a luthier?

It could be that the screw shaft is bent. This could happen if the screw end of the bow took a hit. You could try completely unscrewing and removing the screw shaft (take care not to get the hair tangled) and then spinning the screw shaft between thumb and forefinger. I would hold it by the skinny, unthreaded end, letting it hang vertically. The spinning makes it easy to see if the shaft is bent (it will wobble).

pat1151 · #9 03-22-2007, 07:43 AM

This just happened to me. It could either be that the screw is stripped, or possibly the hair is too long for your bow. I thought my screw was stripped until my luthier told me that the hair was too long which caused the bow difficulty to tighten properly. Whatever the case is, it's an easy fix.