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FM's Carbon Fiber Bow (A Review)
Topic Rating: 4.7 Topic Rating: 4.7 Topic Rating: 4.7 Topic Rating: 4.7 Topic Rating: 4.7 Topic Rating: 4.7 (3 votes) 
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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
December 13, 2012 - 7:20 pm
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Thanks telltom smile
I appreciate it.

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

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Alex

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December 14, 2012 - 4:13 pm
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Just got my carbon fiber bow today and I liked how it came with a pencil.  There seems to be plastic that is wrapped around the binding, I assume I can remove that correct?

 

Pretty happy with how it sounds, I'll say it's smooth a lot smoother than my old bow and a lot less bouncy.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
December 14, 2012 - 5:32 pm
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I'm not sure that you can remove the plastic.... I've actually not tried it. Has anyone here removed that? I've been wondering about that too. LOL
I should know since we have sold many hundreds of these bows.

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

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Kevin M.
Nicholson, Pa
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December 14, 2012 - 6:27 pm
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Don't remove the plastic.  First it continues under the leather grip.  Next thing is with wood bows a finish is applied to the stick first and when the bow is wound the wire cuts into the finish helping to keep it in place then at the end the wire is soldered.  On CF bows there is no finish to help keep the wrappings in place so if you remove the plastic the design will fall apart unless something else is applied to keep it in place such as a varnish.

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Alex

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December 14, 2012 - 6:54 pm
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Good thing I asked before fiddling with it.  Thanks Kevin.

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Feathers
Colorado, USA
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December 14, 2012 - 10:53 pm
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Wanted to add my review.....

I received my carbon fiber bow yesterday, as well as the 3in1 clip on tuner and a free pencil - Thank you FM.

Now on to the bow, I absolutely love it!

It arrived well packaged in the famous PVC tube, and was rosined up ready to go.

Right away it made a positive difference in playing.

It's extremely well balanced, not bouncy, and feels good in my hand.

The hairs are well placed and not too loose, so it's easier to tighten up to the recommended pencil space.

I've only tried a couple of other bows, one is semi on the heavy side - it came with my student violin, is much fatter in diameter, and not sure what it's made of, the other a light weight wood which is very bouncy. As far as I can tell, the CF bow sits just about in between the two on weight.

With the others, I always felt like I had to control the bow more (both with my pinky and index finger) if that makes sense, but with this one, I can mostly take my mind away from it and just play.

It really is extra nice, reasonably priced, and it looks great too!

Thank you again FM for such a top quality product smile

"Music is what feelings sound like." ~ Author Unknown

 

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
December 15, 2012 - 11:59 pm
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Thanks Feathers. I love to hear how much people love the FM CF bow :-)

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

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jasiones
Los Angeles

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December 28, 2012 - 5:54 pm
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as a new player with his first violin (cecilio electric CEVN 1BK) will i benefit from this while I learn? or should I use the bow that came with my violin until I get the basics down?

Brand Spanking new violinist rocking a cecilio CEVN-1BK electric.

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Fiddlestix
Michigan, USA

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December 28, 2012 - 6:33 pm
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If you mean, should you use the new CF bow while you're learing ?

By all mean's, use it,  it will enhance the sound and you will enjoy playing more than if the thing sounded awfull. The better the instrument sound's, the more apt you are to practice.

Make sense ?   

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ratvn
Kent, Washington USA

Honorary tenured advisor
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March 31, 2013 - 11:10 pm
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After more than a week playing with FM/CF bow I would like to add my review/observation.

My practice bows are 2 inexpensive pernambuco, along with 3 brazilwood and one braided CF, which originally costs 5 times as much as the FM one. I'm looking for a better bow as my bows do have some performance/response problems due to their balance, control, damping characteristics and response throughout the range.

I was in the search for a more neutral bow which I could learn to develop my technique rather than trying to compensate for a poor performance bow, analogous to bowing a dead string.

FM/CF bow is very impressive, very neutral in control and response, and equally impressive in tone production being a carbon fiber one (typically thinner and brighter), very rounded and full, only a bit behind my expensive pernambuco (which is so much more expensive) and even a bit ahead in term of fast action.

For a beginner (or even a more advance player) who is looking for a excellent and inexpensive bow to learn, hardly anything in this price range would beat the FM/CF bow, and FM/Fiddleshop service is top notched.

I highly recommend this bow as I've compared and tested with quite a few of them.

Thank you Fiddleman and Fiddleshop for an excellent product and service.

Robert

thumbs-up

 

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
April 2, 2013 - 11:01 pm
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Thanks Robert. Love the review. smile

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

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Iaen
Magnolia, Tx

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April 6, 2013 - 2:06 pm
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Well might as well add my 2 penny's.  Just picked my new bow from the post box today.  I ordered it last weekend.  Received a shipping notice Monday morning.  It has been sitting there since Thursday.  So far it beats the heck out of the other three bows I have.  Weighed in at a perfect 60 grams pre-rosin.  2 less than the other 3 wood ones.  The difference in fit and finish is amazing.  You can tell which is the quality product and which are not.  Rosined it up and Gott im Himmel, the difference in sound.  Even with the mute on it was very noticable.  I didn't get the scratchyness on the E string I have been fighting before.  The rest of the strings sounded great.  Just ran a few scales with it so far but there is a difference.  I will be using this bow for a very long time I think.  As a beginner to other beginners, spend the money and get one of these.  Well worth the extra money compared to what may come with you fiddle to begin with.  Rated thumbs-up in my book.  Thanks Fiddlerman for great products and website.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
April 7, 2013 - 9:56 am
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Thanks Iaen smile

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

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wookieman
Tennessee, USA
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October 19, 2013 - 1:41 am
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I have to add my review of course:  I just got mine today.  I'm loving it so far.  Here's the official video review with what I thought was some humorous playing:

And I added some pics of it on my blog:

http://whateverhappenedtohonor.....gspot.com/

 

There is no failure, only results.

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Mad_Wed
Russia, Tatarstan rep. Kazan city
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October 19, 2013 - 4:10 pm
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Nice review. Liked "Wilhelm Tell" and your short notes =)

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
October 20, 2013 - 8:03 am
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Another great review. :-) Thanks

To tighten that frog on the other bow, remove the adjuster screw completely, lift the frog off the stick and put the adjuster screw in the nut that drives the frog back and forth. Give it a half turn (clockwise of course) then remove the screw and put the frog back on the stick. Put the adjuster screw back in to see how tight the frog is. If it's still too loose try another half turn.

I felt you had more control with the FM Carbon Fiber bow. :-)

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

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wookieman
Tennessee, USA
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October 20, 2013 - 11:54 am
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Fiddlerman said
Another great review. :-) Thanks
To tighten that frog on the other bow, remove the adjuster screw completely, lift the frog off the stick and put the adjuster screw in the nut that drives the frog back and forth. Give it a half turn (clockwise of course) then remove the screw and put the frog back on the stick. Put the adjuster screw back in to see how tight the frog is. If it's still too loose try another half turn.
I felt you had more control with the FM Carbon Fiber bow. :-)

 

Believe it or not, I did try that.  It's in as tight as it will go currently.  I just chalk it up to being a cheap/poorly made bow.  The fact is, I paid more for my FM CF Bow than I did my whole violin starter outfit (I know, scary right).  But it got me started.  So, I'm not complaining!  1st-place<<<<<------  That's me feeling like I won!

There is no failure, only results.

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wookieman
Tennessee, USA
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October 20, 2013 - 12:01 pm
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Mad_Wed said
Nice review. Liked "Wilhelm Tell" and your short notes =)

 

Thanks, @Mad_Wed.  I of course have to thank @Fiddlerman for helping me understand Staccato.  He was  quick to answer my questions via email!

There is no failure, only results.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
October 20, 2013 - 4:26 pm
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:-)
Any time.

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

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coolpinkone
California, the place of my heart
October 20, 2013 - 8:36 pm
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My next bow should be an upgrade.  I have a Shar fusion carbon composite bow that came with my violin. (Before I knew about Fm.com)... so my questions is this...  When I got to  upgrade my bow is the FM carbon fiber bow and equal match.. and I should try a more sophisticated / expensive bow... or should I get a carbon fiber bow.

I have put the FM Carbon fiber bow on my wishlist, but I want my next bow to be an upgrade... at this point I don't know if I will need more than  what I have or a FM bow for a long time.

Just some thoughts.... as Christmas is coming you know and that month marks the two year point for my first violin showing up at my house. :)

 

Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato

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