Double Bass Hybrids - do they exist?

[padmavyuha]

I've just started learning, and due to a minor disability, I'm having to compromise at the moment with a German grip (for my hand's sake) using a French bow (for the extra length, as my bow arm is shorter). That's not a great problem at the moment, but a proper German-shaped frog would be much more comfortable and easier to hold in the long run, of course. So...

I know bows vary in length anyway, within their French/German-ness, but has anyone seen extra long German bows - do they exist out there in a similar length to French bows?

And just to forestall any 'useful advice' about my decision , I've settled on this compromise on the advice of my teacher.

 

[Baloeb]

German bows are almost always longer than french bows. See if you can get a few to try out.

 

[Jake]

There are hybrid bows. Paul Ellison uses one as well as David Moore of the LA Phil. To hear more about it check out Contrabass Conversations episode #128 with David Allen Moore at contrabassconversations.com. The hybrid bows he and Paul Ellison us are made by Jean Grunberger.

 

[MDEbass]

Here's a picture of Ellison's hybrid bow: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[padmavyuha]

German bows are almost always longer than french bows. See if you can get a few to try out.

Really? Every single German bow I've seen so far has been shorter than every single French bow I've seen so far in terms of hair length - hence my question. And everyone I've talked to in shops (and my teacher) says 'oh yes, German bows are shorter.' But your words give me hope .

My archetier buddy in Ireland has given me a couple of leads - he reckons my best bet is to ask around a few German makers, because that's where the action is in Europe re German bows. He mentioned Jean Grunberger in France - and also Stefan Krattenmacher in Germany.

I guess I'm going to have to decide how much money I want to throw at this - but a good bow is always going to be sellable later on, I suppose (even a long German one). The quest begins!

 

[padmavyuha]

Hmm... I've just looked at Gollihur's site after doing a Google search on bow lengths, and their brazilwood German bows are indeed longer than their French.

This might be a lot easier than I thought - their hair length is 57cm, my French bow's is 59cm, so that's pretty close. I'll keep looking, and thanks Baloeb for challenging my 'certainty'.

*update* bows do seem to come in a vast range of lengths - it might not be hard at all for me to find a long German one. In fact, a suitable Pfretchner could be mine for a mere £3500 . There's a fairly local shop I've just found out about that claims to have a large bow selection - I'll go and check 'em out, and if I find a suitable German, I'll see if I can do a trade-in on my Frenchy.

 

[marvin spangles]

My archetier buddy in Ireland

Apologies for temporarily derailing your thread. I'm from Ireland and I am curious to know who your archetier buddy is.
regards
peter

 

[padmavyuha]

Noel Burke in Carlow. We were at college together learning to make clarinets back in the 80's - so much for that plan...!

 

[DavidMP]

You could try contacting Link Removed and inquire about his "Alsatian" bow

 

[robobass]

I'm surprised you are looking at such expensive bows if you are just learning. If money is of no consequence, then go for it. But, it will be very many years before you know exactly what you want. If you buy a really expensive bow now, you will be less likely to trade around and try alot of different bows in the coming years. A bow is a very personal thing, and you need to play a lot of them over time to decide what works best for you.

I started with a $150 bow at 18, and traded through maybe five bows through my study years. Only when I finished my masters did I go out with $2k in my pocket in search of a really good bow ($2k was enough back in 1991). The bow I chose is still my main bow today, but I would never have found it had I not been the informed shopper I had become (This also goes for basses, btw). Moral: play as many bows and instruments as you can before you go and drop the big bucks.

I don't know what to recommend in the <$1000 category, but I'm sure there are many decent ones. I recently played a Gage Metropolitan German model, and found it quite nice at just over a thou.

 

[padmavyuha]

I was never looking for expensive bows - I was just getting expensive suggestions from other posters . In my ignorance, I thought that the only way to get a long German bow was maybe to have one made.

But this was all before I discovered that German bows come in 4/4 size - up until then I'd only ever encountered 3/4 bows which were a lot shorter than my French bow. I'll be picking one up from my local shop soon - brazilwood, probably cost around £80 ($130).

Meanwhile, it'll be a little while before I can play my bass again, as I've strained a ligament in my left wrist. Sigh - still, plenty of opportunity to practice open-string arco.