Best quality hair

[masterbasss]

Hello,
I know everybody has own preferences, diferent bows, basses, but what do you think is the best quality hair for bass?
Mongolina, Canadian, Chinesse, Siberian......
Black, White, mix.

Much posibilities.
Thank you!!

[JimGullen]

Greetings!

Like so many things, I don't think there's any one "best" hair for a bow. For general orchestral playing, I like basic "mixed" black. It's not uniformly black (dyed).

I used to put on white mongolian when I was working on high thumb position etudes because it softened the sound a bit (was easier to listen to). As I've gotten better up there, I haven't found the need to do this. If I was going to be doing concerto work, I'd probably go back to Mongolian.

I've had Stallion hair on my bow. It is incredibly strong and works very well, but it is INCREDIBLY sensitive to humidity. I was having to adjust the hair length quite often...just wansn't practical for me.

As you know, there are other options. I think "fresh" hair is probably as big a consideration.

Best regards!

Jim

[nijlonn]

Though ter r diff types of hairs, Such as te remy, Non-remy, virgin n many more...Remy hairs r te best bcoz of their natural luk n their way of processing n manufacturing......try out guyz!!!!!

[John Sprague]

Originally Posted by JimGullen

I think "fresh" hair is probably as big a consideration.

Wise words there. Other than that, it's trial and error. Bass-specific shops will advise you best on what is working well for their players. There are so many variables with hair that a busy shop is likely to have the best intel on the hair scene de jour. I've noticed that the area teachers impact hair decisions, so I tend to sell this hair to one area and that hair to another because such and such prof likes it. Siberian Black and Siberian salt & pepper lead our bass hair sales, and then there are those mischievous little pockets of red hair fanatics lurking around also.

[toman]

In general, would a luthier consider it strange or inappropriate for a guy to bring in his own hair for a re-hair job? The shops around here and the guy specifically who works on my bows, because he works in a violin shop, doesn't get much in the way of different hairs, though his usual stuff is quite good. I'd like to try some of these different types, and though he does great work, my bow guy isn't crazy about bass stuff and isn't likely to go out of his way to find different hairs just for me.

[John Sprague]

I'll bet he'd go for it, especially if he doesn't want to invest in a pound just to sell one rehair from it.

[arnoldschnitzer]

Anybody know why stallion hair is preferred?

[basswraith]

Because they don't pee into their tails.
Its the angle of the dangle.

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by basswraith

Because they don't pee into their tails.
Its the angle of the dangle.

Or lack of one!

By the way, I like the Hair that Sue Lipkins uses for both her own Bows and Re-hairs. I believe she told me she gets it from China. It's the best Hair I have seen and had. Biase in NY also uses good hair on the Bows he's re-haired for me in the past.

I have also seen some of the worst hair from China as well. I guess it's not a 'one horse town' then..lol

[arnoldschnitzer]

Sue uses the top-grade hair sold by CSC products exclusively. You're welcome, John...