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Help me choose a bow!
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Fiddle4Fun

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May 20, 2012 - 8:54 pm
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I gotta say, bow straightening is about the most terrifying thing I have ever done.  It is closely followed by replacing an eyelet and, as a distant third, sanding an ill-fitted slide.

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NoirVelours
Quebec

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May 20, 2012 - 9:13 pm
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Does it require fire like for shaping a bow?

"It can sing like a bird, it can cry like a human being, it can be very angry, it can be all that humans are" Maxim Vengerov

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Fiddlerman
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May 20, 2012 - 9:18 pm
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Requires heating the wood.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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Fiddle4Fun

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May 20, 2012 - 9:25 pm
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I was using Fiddlestix's method from this thread:

 

https://fiddlerman.com/forum/t.....le/page-2/

 

To it, I added a magical incantation, "Don'tcrackdon'tcrackdon'tcrack." laugh

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Mustang
Minnesnowda

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May 20, 2012 - 11:23 pm
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Fiddlerman said

Mustang said
I would go to sharmusic.com and look at the bows they have. They even let you try them out before you buy. :)

How do they do that? They have to send it to you, also they need a deposit in case people don't return the bow. In principle that is the same thing anyone who has a decent return policy does. If you buy a Fiddlerman CF bow and do not like it you can return it for a full refund.

Yeah, they do need a deposit. They send you the bows you want to try out and you can compare them, then send back the ones you don't want and buy the one you do want.

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dionysia
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May 21, 2012 - 12:03 am
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Fiddle4Fun said
I was using Fiddlestix's method from this thread:

 

https://fiddlerman.com/forum/t.....le/page-2/

 

To it, I added a magical incantation, "Don'tcrackdon'tcrackdon'tcrack." laugh

I take it the incantation worked?

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Fiddlestix
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May 21, 2012 - 6:45 am
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F4F...... I hope it worked for you. It will be easier the next time.

I just straightened another one of mine last week.   I forgot to put in that thread that you need to unscrew the frog and just let the hair hang or roll it and put it in a plastic bag to protect it from heat. DO NOT try it over an open flame, such as a gas stove.

Electric works but I found that the heat surface is too big to get a comfortable grip on the bow stick, you burn your hand's.    smile

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Fiddle4Fun

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May 21, 2012 - 8:29 am
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Fiddlestix said
I just straightened another one of mine last week.   I forgot to put in that thread that you need to unscrew the frog and just let the hair hang or roll it and put it in a plastic bag to protect it from heat. DO NOT try it over an open flame, such as a gas stove.

That would be a good way for the whole project to go up in smoke. smile 

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Dee Major

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Oliver said
Going price for bow straightening ............ $15.    (Outside of violin "boutiques"smile

Good information to know. I assumed the price to be higher, and it was not that expensive a bow, so didn't pursue that route. In fact, the nearest luthier that I know of in the next county specializes in very pricey violins (in the thousands) and might be considered a violin boutique.

Fiddle4, thanks for posting that link. That is exactly where I got the info from Fiddlestix to straighten a bow.

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Fiddlerman
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May 21, 2012 - 9:17 am
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Does anyone know if you can bend a carbon fiber bow the same way? Theoretically you should be able to right?

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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Kevin M.
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May 21, 2012 - 10:00 am
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Carbon fiber bows like fiberglass are mostly resin that is strenghtened with carbon fibers. When you heat it the resin will start to melt and get pliable but it goes from pliable to melted instantly.  The badly made bow I purchased from you has come back to shape by itself. It isn't perfect but it is good now. When they are made the shape is set into them unlike a wood stick where the shape is put in to a straight stick.

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Fiddlestix
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I have 4 bow's, 3 wood and one fiber glass. The wood bow I have the most problem's with is the Pernambuco bow. One of my wood bow's was well over $200.00 usd, 15 yrs. ago, have never had to straighten it. The fiber glass bow was $25.00 usd, a student bow, no problem's with it either and the other wood bow came with my el-cheapo violin, it also stay's straight. It's as if the Pernambuco has a memory and keeps going back.

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Fiddlerman
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May 21, 2012 - 11:03 am
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Kevin, when you say badly made bow do you mean the bow that was haired too short in which I sold at a lesser cost?

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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dionysia
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Some interesting links on bow straightening etc:

http://ask-a-luthier.com/quest.....ion_20.htm

http://ask-a-luthier.com/quest.....ion_88.htm

Strings:

http://ask-a-luthier.com/quest.....ion_45.htm

Bridge:

http://ask-a-luthier.com/quest.....on_129.htm

and to finish with Finish:

http://ask-a-luthier.com/quest.....on_126.htm

I am going to see how much he charges to rehair a bow, as I will be in town next month.laugh

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MarkB
Beaver Falls, PA, USA
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May 21, 2012 - 12:16 pm
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I like the looks of this one.

 

PRESTO™ PERFORMANCE SERIES
OVATION Violin Bow – CPV146
SRP: $289

 

I'm putting that on my wish list.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
May 21, 2012 - 3:24 pm
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$205.00

Special price for you my friend. LOL

I actually write that with an accent.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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NoirVelours
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May 21, 2012 - 5:42 pm
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Pierre, please go back to the end of page 1 and tell me if you have a dealer for the carbon bow I am showing there! I would prefer to buy from you but I am dead set on that frog ornament.

"It can sing like a bird, it can cry like a human being, it can be very angry, it can be all that humans are" Maxim Vengerov

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Fiddle4Fun

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dionysia said

I take it the incantation worked?

Hah!  It did indeed.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
May 23, 2012 - 7:55 am
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@ NV,

I have. What kind of material do you want.

Here is a Chinese Pernambuco violin bow, silver mounted with silver thread wire grip. Fully lined fleur di lys ebony frog, three-part button with faceted inlay that lists for $125. I'll get you an exact price if you like.  Probably around $100

1092VN.jpgImage Enlarger

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"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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NoirVelours
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May 23, 2012 - 3:45 pm
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Yay! Well everyone seems to prefer carbon fiber so I trust their review! Do you have the same with ebony frog and silver wire? And how does it weight because I'm trying mostly to get a lighter bow :)

"It can sing like a bird, it can cry like a human being, it can be very angry, it can be all that humans are" Maxim Vengerov

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