• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass Metropolitan Bow opinions

B

bassmastan

Guest
Jun 25, 2011
939
192
#1
So for the past 5 months I've bee playing on a Metropolitan Bow. I think it's pretty good, and its giving a good tone. However I feel like it lacks some volume, and some of the subtitles i have heard in Pernambuco.

My question is, is there a comparable bow for less $ than the Metropolitan, one that has a similar tone quality? I would be open to an alt. wood too, I just think the metro was too expensive and was disappointing.
 
#2
On the contrary, I think mine was great value, and you'd need to spent at least half as much again to do better. The main reason it lacks volume is the hair, which I don't mind because I don't need full power since I'm not doing any orchestra work at the moment. If I was playing in orchestras, though, I'd just rehair it.

My view is that the subtleties of wood bows are really inconsistencies, and you can do better by very deliberately putting some more subtleties into your playing.
 
#3
Andrew McGregor said:
On the contrary, I think mine was great value, and you'd need to spent at least half as much again to do better. The main reason it lacks volume is the hair, which I don't mind because I don't need full power since I'm not doing any orchestra work at the moment. If I was playing in orchestras, though, I'd just rehair it.

My view is that the subtleties of wood bows are really inconsistencies, and you can do better by very deliberately putting some more subtleties into your playing.
Click to expand...

I guess I am looking for a more woody sound that I am just not achieving. It needs a rehair anyway, what kind of hair do you recommend?
 
#4
If you are playing it with the original hair, a rehair will potentially be a great help for sound and feel.

As for hair, there really is a rainbow of options. If you have a preference for black or white, go with what you know/like. If you haven't developed a preference, do a search in the bow forum for "black vs. white" or "hair colour" or something, and you will find a ton of information.

If you have access to a local bow maker or bass shop that would be your best bet, but if not you can ship your bow somewhere and have it back usually in about a week.

Start there. Pernambuco bows and tons of other woods are great options, but in that price range a fair amount of time and luck is required to find something comparable.


Mike
 
#5
That's pretty much what I feel when I play my finale bow. Really lacks some complexity and subtlety in tone. I'm not sure if it's a good value but it is a good bow notwithstanding, since I could bring it to any gig and not be afraid opf breaking it, and the tone was acceptable. I have seen some bows that sounded way better and were less than $200 but they can fail in some situations that a cf endures.

So I think yes, the answer is there's a great amount of bows that sound better and cost less. In fact, the sound of cf bows is usually marketed as tolerable not wonderful.

As for the hair, I've got amber hair on mine, I was planning to rehair it black since I play black hair on most bows, but I actually never did that cause it felt ok. The previous owner told me he liked the now better with salt and pepper but it could be just him.

Cheers,
 
#6
I'm looking to pull the trigger on a Metropolitan this year…I got to visit Cincinnati Bass Cellar last year…played bows that were $6,500.00 and $9k. I don't arco enough to justify that kind of stick, but dang….any more thoughts on the Metro or other graphite bow? Thanks!
 
#8
i've been playing on a metropolitan since i think 2011 or so. mostly jazz work in professional contexts, but a ton of solo repertoire and 5 years of college as a music major playig in orchestras and such.

it's just a great bow. cheaper carbon fiber bows i'd describe as somewhat lifeless- still a great buy for how they feel, without a doubt. i wouldn't call my metro lifeless though, it comes across much more as a smoothness in the sound. not a bad sounding bow, but it certainly doesn't sound like a wooden stick.

about 1 month ago i had it rehaired. the luthier, who is an excellent violin maker, examined the bow closely and then placed it down on his workbench. he looked at me and said "this is a very well made bow!"

i've played bows up to $2,500 when looking around. some were quite nice, and some i really wanted. but whenever i'd switch back to the metro it feels like a sigh of relief in my hand, and makes me think "well, thats what a bow should feel like." after feeling that way i can't justify buying another bow- even if i do prefer the sound of several of them to the metro. but, when you can get a metro for something like $800, its a no brainer.
 
#9
I have the German version. It's a great value for the price. The difference in tone between it and more expensive wood bows is probably splitting hairs in most cases. Maybe not the bow of choice for orchestral solo work but it plays great in the section. If you're switching from a wood bow it might feel more springy and so you might need to compensate in your technique a little bit when you want to really stay in the string or for lighter spiccato.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back