best new Bow makers...?

Susan Lipkins, French Bow

 

From Toronto Canada, we have a very good bow maker named John Sirdevan who works at a shop downtown. His bows are excellent quality bows that orchestral players could easily use in their orchestras. They're selling now for something like $4250 Canadian though...

Just a thought.

 

a couple weeks ago i tried out a bow by robert dow on a recommendation and ended up buying it. beautiful german bow and very powerful.

 

Oh cool so you finally found what you were looking for too

 

I had owned 2 Giovanni Lucci Bows many years ago and have played some recently. They are nice bows. Yesterday I played a Sue Lipkins Bow and it is the best new Bow I have ever played. I own a Bultitude (English 1962) now as my main bow and owned a Sartory a long time ago. Sue's bows will be in the upper class of all great Bows as time goes on.

 

johnnyL, what did you end up deciding on?

 

I jumped enthusiastically on the Pfretzschner Andy sent me to try it was exactly what I was looking for.

 

Thanks for filling in your profile. Now, if possible can you tell us the Basses and Bows you have as well as the Professional Orchestra you play in. I am sure everybody will welcome a Pro Orchestra player on TB.

This is my favorite bow; http://www.kensmithbasses.com/DoubleBasses/Bows/Bultitude/Bultitude.htm
I don't know the length in CM, just inches. Also I played a Sue Lipkins bow yesterday the same weight and length as my Bultitude except it was a round stick Sartory style with a Vigneron style head and her own style low frog like the Bultitude about 27mm tall.

 

One of my favorites is Roy Quade. I tried one of his bows a few months ago, and I remember it being one of the most responsive bows I've ever used. Anything was not only possible, but easy. Next time I'm in the market for a new bow, I'll definitely give him a call.

 

First, I just got the Bow and it is very very expensive. A similar bow at Kolsteins is for sale for around 7k. I cannot imagine it being better than mine. I played a great Lamy bow today for the second time which is around 10k but I dont' think it's much better than my Bultitude. I will not sell it unless or until I find a better Bow but still, it's a keeper.

Inside the Frog we call Italian Grip and on the Stick we call French grip. I studied the Italian Style but use both as well and inbetween when I get lazy.. The previous owner of the Bultitude wore a spot in the frog so I thing he was a Strong Italian grip player.

 

Order now i think $5k...

 

I heard 5500 USD, and she has a waiting list.

Be a bit careful of Sue Lipkins rehairs. I had mine done in August and all of a sudden a couple weeks ago the hair is super tight, so much so that I sometimes need to remove the metal pin from the bow in order to get the hair loose enough. It is my suspicion that this is a seasonal issue. Still....

But yeah she makes fabulous bows. My old teacher bought one and saw its value quadruple in the past 10 years or so.

 

wow. when i ordered mine last year it was 4500usd then i heard just s few months ago it was 5000...business must be good.

 

Last quote I got from Steve Reiley was $3000 for a new bow

Never played them but know of them

 

I ordered mine last year right after Don Z did. I was quoted 5k and a 2 year wait. I just for the first time played one of her Bows and called to compliment her and discuss my Bow in comparison. She told me as well that she was now quoting $5500 and a 3 year wait for current orders.

This means that her order log has grown, more people accept the Bows than refuse them (if any) and they are willing to order one sight unseen. I think her reputation speaks for itself.