Double Bass Bowhair sellers

[kolera]

I recently purchased a black bowhair from my local music store, in Belgrade, Serbia. The maker is Gewa. First thing was, the price was really affordable, 12-13 euros, so I bought 2 packs. When I brought it to my luthier, he said that the hair was surprisingly thin for bass bow hair. And, maybe I am now influenced by his words, but the overall grip I get is now less then I had with previous hair, wich was well used. I am by no means a virtuoso player, and I mostly play folk music, but I cannot escape that feeling every time I play. I have searched the Thomman, but they sell only white hair, so were could I get black bow hair, preferably from seller in Europe? I know there are some, but I cant find them, or, should I go for almighty Aliexpres?

 

[Jon Stefaniak]

Dictum in Germany sells black hair.

Bow hair - Accessories | Dictum

It says it is out of stock until April

 

[MikeCanada]

Why are you supplying your bow rehairer with hair? Do they not work with bassists, period/folk/fiddle/metal/other genre upper string player who want black hair? Do you also supply white hair if you get a rehair with white hair?

Most shops or independent makers/restorers/rehairers are quite picky about the hair they work with. Good hair has become quite expensive, and many suppliers and dealers have lower stock or back orders than they typically do for a lot of compounding reasons right now. If they rehair bows regularly, they will be going through fairly large quantities of it, and ordering hair anywhere from a few times a year to every few years, but even if they do not usually work with black hair, they should have a source for it that they are frequently in contact with, and they should be able to get black hair from them. Likewise, most of the reputable suppliers sell in large quantities and selling one bass bow worth of hair might not meet their minimum order, or will be quite expensive for what you are getting, but they would be far more willing to "throw one in with your usual order" for someone who they often work with and are already shipping to.

I would be concerned with a rehairer who is asking me to provide hair, or who does not have access to black hair and wants you to solve that problem for them. Many rehairers are very hesitant to use hair provided to them, unless they know the source and approve of it.

This is coming from my extensive experience across North America, but also the norm in Western Europe, Japan, Korea, Austrailia, etc. although I do not personally know anyone currently working in Serbia.