Need a new bow - NYC

[Cosmos]

Hey - I've been looking for a new bow for a couple of years. I live in NYC so there are a few good places, but I can't seem to find anything I really like. The bow I have now is alright, but I'd really like to get a new one before I go to university next year.

Anyone have any suggestions as to where to look in NYC or how to go about ordering from other places, etc.? Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[sibass89]

What is your price range?

David Gage has those Raposo's for around 750 which are good bows for the price. Also, I got a G. Werner bow there for about 500 and its taking me through college right now.

That's the quickest though but price ranges would help.

[Jake]

I just bought a new German bow for around $600 from David Forbes. It's made in Brazil by V. Schaffer. I showed it to one of my old teachers a little over a week ago and he thinks it's better than the old Kolstein bows that go for $2500. Also, Rumano Solano, the luthier, told me that he thinks it's better than all of the bows that are around $1100 at Lemur Music. Forbes makes his own bows, which are awesome by the way ($4500 though), and he also sells these Brazillian bows. He keeps both French and German models in stock. I am pretty sure he does trials by mail where you can keep the bow for a week or so to see how you like it. He is located in Gainesville, Florida and his telephone number is (352) 375-2609.
You may also want to try the bows Ken Smith (kensmithbasses.com) has in stock. They're made from good pernambuco and I've heard good things about them. I'm pretty sure the nicest ones go for around $700-$800. I hope your search goes well and you find the bow that you need. Keep us posted.

BTW, if you have a lot of cash, there is a TB member selling a Bultitude classic French bow in the TalkBass classified ads. Also, Rubino up in Maine is known for fine German bows. I really like Reid Hudson bows and all the good French bow players I went to school with like his French bows a lot as well especially for orchestral playing. I dig Steven Riley bows, too. Finally, a lot of guys in Houston and Philly like Grunberger bows so you might want to check them out as well.

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Cosmos

Hey - I've been looking for a new bow for a couple of years. I live in NYC so there are a few good places, but I can't seem to find anything I really like. The bow I have now is alright, but I'd really like to get a new one before I go to university next year.

Anyone have any suggestions as to where to look in NYC or how to go about ordering from other places, etc.? Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Have you tried Paul Biase's shop in NYC? Is this for a French or German style? Price range?

[Cosmos]

Hey,
Thanks for all your help so far! I'm a French bow player and I'm thinking of buying a bow for not more than $1500-$2000.

I've tried Paul Biase's shop. I actually bought my bass from him and am very happy with it. I went by his shop before the summer started and tried a few bows which were terrific but completely out of my price range. Anyone have any opinions on David Gage's bows?

Thanks again for all the help!

[Dave Whitla]

I was in David Gage's shop a little over a year ago, so his stock could be quite different by now. But I played everything he had then between $1000 and about $3000. He had a lot of bows which were very different from each other, and quite a few bows that I didn't see because they were on trial and I couldn't go back later. I found one that I liked which was actually one of the less expensive ones, but that's just according to what I was looking for personally (didn't but it though). I'd say with the range of different bows he's got you'd find something close to what you want if you have a reasonable idea of what you're looking for (in terms of stick density, balance, camber, etc.).

Also, I wouldn't buy anything without taking it on trial for a few days first. Any decent shop should let you do that.

[Cosmos]

Dave,
Thanks for the help - I actually haven't been back to Gage's in a while so I might want to look there. They have a ridiculous number of basses and bows, so at least I'll be able to find something to take on trial.

I played the most beautiful bow at Paul Biase's shop (42nd & 6th Ave) but it was about $40,000. Incredible bow, but if I'm going to spend that kind of money, I might as well just get a new bass!

Thanks again!

[sibass89]

Did you ever look into Prochownik bows? Great bows and not that expensive. Very light and very versatile.

[Arnold]

This is probably not what you want to hear. However, since you're going to unniversity next year and you have a bow that you like, don't do anything! Find a safe place to invest your bow money for a year and then have the teacher that you are going to trust with your musical education help you make that decision. Some teachers have strong preferences, some don't care, but if you don't know, why buy something and then have to try to sell in a year when your teacher isn't happy with what you have. Only my opinion, take it for what it's worth.
Peace.
ASG

[Cosmos]

Thanks for your help, everybody.

I went around to Gage's and Biase's today just because they're close by. From Gage's I got a bow for $2500 (don't know the maker) and a Metropolitan (which my teacher invented) for $840 to trial. From Biase's I got two Lucchi bow's - one Cremona for $2200 and one Bologna for $2000. I like the Lucchis the best.

The Metropolitan is a great bow, don't get me wrong, but I'm not too keen on getting a carbon-fiber bow. I don't know why. It's a good bow and inexpensive, but the carbon-fiber puts me off.

I'll just have to wait and see what my teacher has to say in our lesson.

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Cosmos

Thanks for your help, everybody.

I went around to Gage's and Biase's today just because they're close by. From Gage's I got a bow for $2500 (don't know the maker) and a Metropolitan (which my teacher invented) for $840 to trial. From Biase's I got two Lucchi bow's - one Cremona for $2200 and one Bologna for $2000. I like the Lucchis the best.

The Metropolitan is a great bow, don't get me wrong, but I'm not too keen on getting a carbon-fiber bow. I don't know why. It's a good bow and inexpensive, but the carbon-fiber puts me off.

I'll just have to wait and see what my teacher has to say in our lesson.

I used to own 2 of the Lucchi bows which I retired thru Biase (from whom I got them from) when I retired myself from playing full time. They were great Bows and my back ups to my Sartory. I wonder if the Bologna made Bow was mine. Paul would know as he had one of them a few years ago.

Giovanni Lucchi is a great Bow maker and I have met him several times personally here in Pa and in NY.

[Cosmos]

Thanks, everyone, for your input. I did an empirical assement of all 5 bows I have now (including the one I own) yesterday, and I decided that the bow by the maker I couldn't remember - Roger Lotte - is the best. It's the most expensive, but it plays really well. The sound is very clean, you can't hear any breaks in the note when changing strings or anything, and it's of good weight and balance.

Anyone know anything about Roger Lotte?

Thanks again!

[AdaGio³]

Originally Posted by sibass89

What is your price range?

David Gage has those Raposo's for around 750 which are good bows for the price. Also, I got a G. Werner bow there for about 500 and its taking me through college right now.

That's the quickest though but price ranges would help.

Yeah I own the Raposo nick is talking about, great quality bow for the price. I'm loving it right now, the Gage hair was horrible though, but once I had it re-haried it sounded great.

[Cosmos]

I GOT A NEW BOW! I bought a Bryant from someone I know in the BSO. It's a fantastic bow. I'm in love with it.

[MonetBass]

Originally Posted by Cosmos

I played the most beautiful bow at Paul Biase's shop (42nd & 6th Ave) but it was about $40,000.

What, was the bow platinum-plated??? Good grief, that's a ridiculous price.

[GriffithLea]

Originally Posted by OKStateBass66

What, was the bow platinum-plated??? Good grief, that's a ridiculous price.

I'd be afraid to even pick it up.

[Cosmos]

Haha
I don't remember the maker or anything, but I was told that the guy who made it made all violin bows besides this one bass bow...It was a really fancy bow and I like mine more.

[HaroldBass]

A good bow store is salchow. I tried the raposo bows, they are good, but the bow I am trying from salchow is better (germanstyle). And its 50 dollars less, but they are a little heavier than normal bows