Properly maintaining a bow?

Blacksheep · #1 10-21-2007, 05:25 PM

What are some steps to take to make sure your bow stays in the best possible shape? Any help appreciated (still waiting for my bass

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Eli_Upright12 · #2 10-21-2007, 05:33 PM

the only thing that I can say is wipe down your bow when you done, I didnt and now its got some wear and oxidation on the frog stick and wrappings. but it now looks like a vintage bow so its kind of cool looking.

bassplayer57 · #3 10-21-2007, 06:45 PM

Loosen the hair after you use it!

**Basschair** · #4 10-21-2007, 07:41 PM

Okay, this is a totally personal belief and not meant to undercut any folks here in any way...

To me it is far more important to protect your bow structurally. Protect the tip, do not drop the bow, loosen the hair when not using it, and when it's time to get a rehair, take it to someone who knows what they are doing.

Blacksheep · #5 10-21-2007, 08:42 PM

Ok, how do I loosen hair? Keep in mind I have never even held a double bass bow....

What kind of cloth should I wipe it with? Are they're kits?

How do I take care of the hair?

**Basschair** · #6 10-21-2007, 09:00 PM

There's a button/screw assembly that will pull the frog back which tightens the hair. Turning it the other way loosens that hair.

Don't use too much rosin...your can wipe the hair with a clean cloth once in a while, though I rarely do. Touching the hair with your fingers can transfer skin oils onto the hair. I was always taught not to do this, though I've never been told just how detrimental it is. As for wiping the stick/frog, I believe a clean lint-free cloth (perhaps an instrument polishing cloth) would do the trick.

toman · #7 10-22-2007, 07:03 PM

What they all said. Get a regular rehair, like once a year. People never seem to realize that hair doesn't last forever... And, get a good hard case. Yes, its expensive, but it will last virtually forever and protect any bow you might get in the future.

shostkontrabass · #8 10-23-2007, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eli_Upright12

the only thing that I can say is wipe down your bow when you done

I started doing this religiously when I got my new bow 2 years ago to keep from getting rosin buildup on the wood. I just wipe it down with an old cloth when I'm done playing and have never had any trouble.

+1 on getting a bow case. As was already said, they are a very good (albeit expensive) way to protect your bow, and you can use them for any bow you get later. You can get double and single cases for French bows, German, or both.

shostkontrabass · #9 10-23-2007, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toman

Get a regular rehair, like once a year. People never seem to realize that hair doesn't last forever...

I completely agree. I have, however, heard stories about people who would take their hair off and actually wash it, then put it back on (not recommended, just interesting. Get regular rehairs if you can). Also, some people I know use a dry toothbrush or a fine-toothed comb on their bow-hair to prevent patches of the hair from sticking together and just generally clean it off.

toman · #10 10-24-2007, 10:07 PM

Yeah, people talk about cleaning hair, but I tried it and it just ended up being a pain, and didn't work too well. For me, its easier to just get a rehair, especially since it really doesn't cost much and you get the benefit of a luthier giving your bow a good once over, just to keep everything in line and catch any issues before they get worse. Kind of the same reason I take my bass to a luthier to get a simple open seam or crack glued up; sure, I could do it myself, but his eyes have seen a lot more basses than mine, and it'd be nice if he spotted something before it spoiled a gig. He also cleans and polishes my bass, which I never do because I'm lazy, so that's nice too.

spikesstickies · #11 10-28-2007, 09:19 AM

Just a question, how safe is it to store your bow in the bow compartment in the soft cases you get stock when you purchase your basses. Currently I don't have a hard case so I leave my bow out in the open, with the hairs loosened when I'm not playing though. It gets rather humid from time to time but it doesn't change drastically.

MingusAmongUs · #12 10-28-2007, 10:33 AM

Soft case protects the bow from the elements, but not from impact. It can actually be risky because if you forget it's in there when you take the bass out, you could end up breaking the bow in 2. You'd probably have to really bang it but still... just beware. I don't usually use a hard case but I'm very careful with it.

FYI, if you're not willing or able to get an actual bow case, you can use a case for a billiards/pool cue. Much cheaper, and while it may not be a perfect fit, you can add padding to keep it from moving around in the case.

Of course if you have a real nice spendy bow there's no excuse for not throwing down for a good hard case for it.

spikesstickies · #13 10-28-2007, 10:05 PM

Yea I probably will get one from Bob G. soon. Thanks for the response!

EJ_Dad · #14 10-29-2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spikesstickies

Just a question, how safe is it to store your bow in the bow compartment in the soft cases you get stock when you purchase your basses. Currently I don't have a hard case so I leave my bow out in the open, with the hairs loosened when I'm not playing though. It gets rather humid from time to time but it doesn't change drastically.

I would not store my bow in any dark place. The bow Moths do not like light.

I store my bow on my music stand, but transport it with my bass in the bow compartment.

I had my spare bow slip behind my piano, a very dark place, and when I finally got around to retrieving it, the bow Moths had eaten the hair. I had to get a re-hair.