Double Bass Which cheap bow are you using?

[Hrafinn]

Does anyone have experience with the carbon/composite bows by Alfred Stingl (Höfner) as available from thomann.de (items 207816 and 207787 in the online catalogue)? And/or as alternative: does anyone know where to get a Shen Ophelia bow from Europe (to the Netherlands more specifically)?

 

[Aryah Zyx]

I don't have much experience with bows, but I can tell you that I like the Chinese pernambuco bow I bought for $50 (Plus $40 shipping) off ebay worlds better than the carbon fiber one I got as part of the beginner package from Paige's Music.

 

[nicechuckh]

I'm not good with the bow but using a Glassen german, which works but the french bow that came with my bass was actually better, but it got broken. I'd probably do best with an e bow tho lol

 

[Blakewdm]

I have used an Eastman French bow for almost my entire life, it doesn't work in orchestra that well on a high level, but when tightened to a super tense point it works very well.

 

[LouisF]

For a variety of strange reasons, I've wound up with sort of one of each of these: String Emporium brazilwood ($150 shipped), youbow $100 carbon fiber, Yita music "Vienna style" snakewood German ($150 shipped).

The ST brazilwood was around while I was auditioning an $1800 Steven Reilly bow. It felt nearly as good and played nearly as well for @ 1/10th of the price!

The snakewood bow is loud and strong, a little rough around the frog, but well balanced and great in orchestra work.

The youbow is the least satisfying of the three, but, again is comfortable, well balanced and totally functional. But the Ophelia certainly sound worth looking into (I've gone the Gage-Carbow-Arcus route and never fell in love with the sound of any other, including the Finale - although that was a very nice bow for the money.)

These bows (above) are all very serviceable. Remarkable given their price points.

Louis

 

[Aidan Terry]

I use a no-name German brazilwood bow, and I love it! $65 shipped from eBay. I use it for everything. I'm thinking about getting another bow soon. Perhaps a Gollihur bow.

 

[chuck norriss]

How are those cheap bows on ebay from China? Worth the risk or forget about it?

 

[Raka]

I have the yita carbon fiber german bow (don't recall the name, but it was the top of the line one, at about 122EUR), and I have just bought a dorfler at 350EUR including a ver y nice case for 2 bows. I know the price gap is there, but the dorfler sounds much better, being the yita nasal and scratchy, and the dorfler warm and woody. I also have to say that I had the chance to bring home two dorfler of the exact same line, and I finally kept the one that had a slightly better sound.

 

[mtb777]

Does anyone know about a bow maker named Alfred Knoll. I found a couple of German bows by him. One is round shafted and the other is octagonal. What are the different characteristics between the two generally? I cannot review them and would have to get them sight unseen. I now have a cheap French bow that I picked up from Sam Ash that seems ok but I think the German grip will be better for me.

 

[MK1]

I tried an Alfred Knoll and it was OK. The one I tried was pernambuco, the balance was decent, but the spiccatto was really lacking, I had to go almost to the middle of the bow to get a decent reaction out of it, and by that point you lose a lot of power. I also thought it sounded very bright, which could be good for your bass but it wasn't for mine. I ended up with an unstamped brazilwood bow, from the Guarneri house in the end. But I must say the Knoll was leaps and bounds better than the S. Eastman I tried.

 

[noetical1]

I have the $130 Upton workshop German bow... it seems to be a pretty decent bow for a beginning double-bassist like myself.

 

[noetical1]

I have an old Alfred Knoll German bow, too. Seems to be a pretty decent bow.