what qualities make a great bow?

[jrlynch]

ok, in the stupid question department: i've an inexpensive bow i use for practice ... it works ok ... the question is what qualities define a great bow? a great instrument, it's pretty obvious: fabulous tone, playability and such, but what makes a great bow stand out? what should you look for? what should you avoid?

jeff.

[reedo35]

A Loaded question indeed, as a lot of the answers are based on personal preference. But the number one priority to me is balance.
If it is unbalanced anywhere across the stick, it will not play as well as it should.

[Johnny L]

Originally Posted by jrlynch

...what makes a great bow stand out? what should you look for? what should you avoid?

Really, a great bow is whatever one that gives you (at that particular time in your playing) good feelings and makes you happy with your sound and expression on the bass. I agree with reedo35 that it is very much a personal thing, ultimately.

If the stick has balance problems or is inconsistent across its length you will feel it when you play it...you will notice certain discomforts or concerns as you play it and "get to know it". You will also notice it in the sounds you produce.

The perfect stick may be $150...or it could be $3500. Price is an issue for most of us for sure (I'm not exception), but you should try as many sticks as you can in all price ranges because, really, bows don't care how much they cost. They are what they are and I've never heard one complain it was too expensive or too cheap for its worth. Being open-minded is smart. Your body and playing ability and adaptability to the tools you use will inform you whether the stick is right for you...and you'll definitely hear whether you sound good or not because you listen to the great players and those you admire and you already know what sounds good and what sounds bad...right?

If you don't that's o.k. In that case, you should have someone whose taste you respect help you choose.

[Machina]

Many different ways to approach this answer

1. Materials
The materials of the bow will have a large impact on the quality and the types of sounds that can be produced. Pernambuco and Snakewood are the most highly sought after woods and the most expensive. Snakewood, my favorite, is a denser, heavier wood that was common in the Baroque era and has come back into fashion. Pernambuco has been the standard and continues to be.

The "extra" materials, such as the ivory or buffalo horn that make the frog and tip do seem to be just ornate finishings at first. However, they do make playing easier in my opinion and are worth the price.

Materials will also make the bow look and become a work of art.

2. Obviously balance, weight, and proper construction are important.

A bow must be balanced. Weight is a matter of preference. I am a follower of the New Dutch School and a german bow player, so I use a 156gr Snakewood E. Wilfer bow. (Which is actually too light of a bow for the Dutch technique) This bow is tipping the scale however for most players. Most germans prefer around 142gr. Most french bows around 132gr (I believe)

3. Player, Bow and Instrument
Certain players match certain bows better. Certain bows match certain instruments better. It is a combination of the 3 to achieve the highest quality of sound. A $3500 bow in the hands of a novice will produce a good sound, but not a great sound. Likewise, it will need an instrument that is comparable to truly reveal full potential.
The instrument and bow can be modified in many ways to achieve a certain sound - bow hair type and string type will produce different responses and sound qualities.

[GriffithLea]

Here's an anecdote for you. My own bow, a French-style pernambuco octagon stick, recently went in for a rehair. The luthier lent me a very similar-looking (and similarly valued) bow to use while mine was "on the rack" . It felt the same in my hand away from my bass. However, playing with it was an incredible chore. It just had no "power". I finally quit using it, and just waited for my own bow to be ready. The loaner bow was killing my wrist (because I was trying to get the same amount and quality of sound out of it as I could with mine).

Two bows, to all appearances the same, but completely different. I'm not saying that the other bow was bad, just that it didn't work for me.