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Double Bass college bow vs "a keeper' bow

N

najcross

Sep 5, 2009
34
0
33
WV
Disclosures
student
#1
I've gotten some contrasting suggestions when it comes to purchasing a bow. I have been told that I should spend anymore than 1200 on a bow for college. This is because I haven't yet developed my skills enougn to pick a good bow and my desires will likely change. I have also heard that I should spend as much money as possible on a bow and get the best one I can afford. Which one is it is my question.
Jeff
 
#3
A bow is not a disposable object. Buy a decent one and if your taste changes, whether it's in a month or four years, sell it and buy a different one. 1200 can get you a decent bow, certainly something good enough to play as an intermediate to advanced student. I can suggest some things to look at if you don't already have something in mind.

Spending "as much money as possible" may not get you the best bow, but it will get you an expensive bow. Play a whole bunch of bows, and buy the best playing and sounding one that fits your budget. In my experience, you don't find a "keeper" by spending lots of money, but rather by looking around carefully and having a reasonable budget.
 
#4
For college? Depends on what college you're going to, I guess. I'm still using an Upton Workshop bow that I got 3 years ago (back when they were still $100) and I'm in college. I can't honestly say that I'm satisfied with it, or even happy, but it gets the job done. I had to put all money towards the bass itself and tuition/books and everything that comes along with being a college student. As long as it has real hair and you have some decent rosin you should be fine.
 
#5
Bows can be an expensive hobby. Price is never a guarantee of anything. I have played really expensive bows that couldn't hold a candle to more economical options. The best advice would be to improve on the arco skills before you consider looking at anything too pricey at this point. Good luck with the hunt.
 
#6
If you already got one I would say wait... but if you really need one.
Try to find a bow maker that is not that well know, what I mean by this is that you might pay because it is M. whoever did it.

I bought one a year and a half ago for 500$ and even the 900$ didn't felt as good as the one I have and when I asked my old teacher what he tough about it he was amazed by the quality for the prize so much that he ask me where I got it so he could get one as a back up one.

So yeah try to find some bow maker(luthier) not that well know, you might be suprised... and something you can find a nice used one.
 
#7
fryBASS said:
For college? Depends on what college you're going to, I guess. I'm still using an Upton Workshop bow that I got 3 years ago (back when they were still $100) and I'm in college. I can't honestly say that I'm satisfied with it, or even happy, but it gets the job done. I had to put all money towards the bass itself and tuition/books and everything that comes along with being a college student. As long as it has real hair and you have some decent rosin you should be fine.
Click to expand...

I disagree strongly. The bow is half your sound in my opinion, the bass being the other half. A POS bow will make a beautiful bass sound like a POS.
 
#8
Thanks for the input so far. This bow is for college. As of right now I am using the county's eastman bow so I do have to get my own bow. I absolutely love the feel of it and can hopefully find something with a similiarly shaped stick. Right now I am leaning towards makers like Tom Owen and Marco Raposo. I guess the "keeper" I would be looking at would be more along the lines of a Prochownik. Any thoughts. Also I'm realy looking to go the used route for more bang for my buck.
 
#10
Im 18 years old,
and applying to colleges this year, hoping to start in fall 2011

I play german bow, and always have

When deciding what kind of bow you should buy, and budgetwise
I strongly suggest you try a newmodel of a Carbonfiber bow, I bought
mine for 500$ and it produces more sound then any wooden bow I have ever tried,
(I tested it together with bows worth 20-30.000$) in a big concerthall.
We were 3 people listening from different angles in the concerthall and
everyone said that the carbonfiber sounded more and clearer, so if
you are on a budget i suggest you try one out, they might work for you
they might not, I know people who hate them, and I know people that love them
(I have played several solos with symphony and string orchesters with my carbonfiber bow, and have never had a problem getting through the orchester)

by the way, you should try the potential bows out in a big and small room
and have people listen to you when you try them out, perhaps ask your
teacher or a friend to play a bit, so you can listen also,

Anyway good luck finding a bow
 
#11
najcross said:
Thanks for the input so far. This bow is for college. As of right now I am using the county's eastman bow so I do have to get my own bow. I absolutely love the feel of it and can hopefully find something with a similiarly shaped stick. Right now I am leaning towards makers like Tom Owen and Marco Raposo. I guess the "keeper" I would be looking at would be more along the lines of a Prochownik. Any thoughts. Also I'm realy looking to go the used route for more bang for my buck.
Click to expand...

I've liked the Raposo bows I've played better than the Prochownik or Owen bows that I've played. That said, I think that the latter two can vary a lot more than the Raposo in weight and shape, so it is largely a matter of taste. All three of those would be good choices, so long as you try more than one of each side by side to make the decision.
 
#12
Try as many bows as you can in the price range. Call as many shops that you can think of and have them send you things to audition. Spending a few weeks playing through dozens of bows will be incredibly educating in terms of what you want out of a bow. When you find a bow that really makes the sound blossom on your bass, it really is a wonderful thing. Just FYI, I've tried several Prochownik bows and one or 2 Tom Owen bows. Neither of the owen bows were that great, and the Prochowniks were just okay. As another poster suggested, the Owen bows can be really variable as he uses non traditional woods.
 

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