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CF Bows 🤯 More Dreaded INDECISION!
...your thoughts?
Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 (40 votes) 
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ELCBK
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July 21, 2022 - 9:32 am
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I just found an mp3 app to use that I think sounds pretty true to what I hear, so decided to record a quick comparison of sound on these 3 bows before I send the 2 back today. 

Try to ignore my playing - if I decide to keep using this app, I'll either have to learn to ignore the extremely distracting ads, or give in to the cost of the ad blocker. 😕

🤔... A, B, C - how you think these 3 bows compare in sound? 

I played all 5 strings. 

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Gordon Shumway
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I can't tell from the recordings, but if you are combining a search for balance with an additional search for tone, then you are probably creating your own indecision by the complication. There's also the distinction between the tone you are getting now and the tone potential, which you probably can't judge except by the price-tag. I think you should leave tone out of it (how you rosined the bows might affect it) and just go by balance and flexibility and playability, and then develop your tone.

Andrew

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SharonC
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July 21, 2022 - 11:49 am
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I can't tell between the three in the recordings.  I concur with Andrew--go with what you think is the best playability match for you.

Characterize people by their actions and you will never be fooled by their words.

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ABitRusty
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July 21, 2022 - 11:58 am
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pick the one that feels best and youll be ok.   cant really tell much different but id rank B, C , A  overall but on thr low strings maybe a slight edge to C there.. slight.  theyre all so close.

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ELCBK
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July 21, 2022 - 5:37 pm
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@Gordon Shumway , @SharonC , @ABitRusty -

Thank you very much for listening!  🥰

These were recorded straight from my phone - I was hesitant about recording anything at all for this thread, but was curious if you could hear the differences.

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Gordon Shumway
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July 22, 2022 - 12:10 pm
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Gordon Shumway said
  tone potential, which you probably can't judge except by the price-tag.

Well, you can read reviews, but that takes a lot of care, as you have to read between the lines always.

Andrew

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ELCBK
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July 22, 2022 - 12:16 pm
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...I probably should say what I hear in these 3, because I thought the differences were important. 

A - it's kinda thin, not a lot of overtones (FM CF Weave VIOLIN bow)

B - focused, rich with overtones (Arcus P6 Octagonal VIOLA bow)

C - not as focused, a little richer/fuller sounding (Arcus P6 Round stick VIOLA bow) 

 

B & C were close with great sound, which was good - but not in handling.  They were close in balance, too.

What I was looking for was a richer sounding P4 Octagonal & I found sound (P6 was a huge difference), but I'm hoping it isn't always necessary to trade the balance I want for it. 

I've been known to chase rainbows... think I might be asking for too much & can't really justify trying anything more expensive, because I'm not a professional. 

If the balance had felt more toward the frog like the P4 Octagonal I tried earlier, I would have kept this Arcus P6 Octagonal Viola bow. 

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w1gUDmi4DL0/UzINi7xbk1I/AAAAAAAAFvc/Mr8q-LczmQs/s1600/Free-Vintage-Calligraphy-Banner-by-FPTFY-3.png

...one more trial. 

- Emily

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Gordon Shumway
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July 22, 2022 - 12:23 pm
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A question I've hinted at often (I forget where, prolly vcom) and never got a response is if you buy a new bow for its tone production, what are the chances the tone will be identical after it has been rehaired? @Fiddlerman?

Andrew

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ELCBK
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July 22, 2022 - 3:32 pm
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If new/good quality hair is even & engages the string easier, with less rosin than poorer quality or worn out hair - it makes sense to me that it helps the bow sound better.  

I believe Arcus supplies the measurement (under the frog) of how much hair is to be used for rehairs.

Btw, the brown FM CF Weave bow I've been comparing to any others is my newest one - and I always check over/remove nubby 'mutant' hairs (if any) from all bows I buy.  

...don't think the hair was a factor in my quick recorded sound test. 

I'd even be hard pressed to say there was more hair on the Viola bows vs Violin - not much & I don't use full hair contact most of the time, anyway.

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ELCBK
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https://i.pinimg.com/originals/63/68/63/636863987fb68eda5e8a5202557bc66f.jpg

 

Well, afraid this might be the end of the road for me... and I'm sooooo close. ☹

I inquired to try another Arcus P6 Octagonal, but was informed the distributor is out of stock. 

🤔... maybe a P5 is worth a try.

At least I know what I want I want to feel & hear, now. 🤗 

- Emily

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Fiddlerman
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July 26, 2022 - 12:27 pm
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Gordon Shumway said
A question I've hinted at often (I forget where, prolly vcom) and never got a response is if you buy a new bow for its tone production, what are the chances the tone will be identical after it has been rehaired? @Fiddlerman?

Personally, I have never been able to tell the difference after a re-hair. I usually get a re-hair when I've lost too much hair on my bow and for that reason, it feels better after I get the bow re-haired.

If I re-hair a worn hair bow, the same reward after a re-hair. I believe you have nothing to fear concerning a re-hair, unless your bow guy uses a worse quality hair.

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

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Fiddlerman
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July 26, 2022 - 12:52 pm
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ELCBK said

Well, afraid this might be the end of the road for me... and I'm sooooo close. ☹

I inquired to try another Arcus P6 Octagonal, but was informed the distributor is out of stock. 

🤔... maybe a P5 is worth a try.

At least I know what I want I want to feel & hear, now. 🤗 

- Emily

You would probably not notice the difference between the two. I doubt that I could.
Let us know if you want to try one out.

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

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ELCBK
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July 28, 2022 - 9:14 pm
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https://i.pinimg.com/736x/3c/cb/e1/3ccbe14e22cb8839a23dd75bdec00365.jpg

 

Getting excited... again. (lol) 

Expecting another delivery - tomorrow! 

Two of the same bows this time. 

 

Now if I can just get a little of this... a smidgen of that... and a pinch of the good stuff on the top shelf! 

 

...where's my Fairy Godmother when I need her?

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ELCBK
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https://media.allure.com/photos/57718cc92554df47220a4009/1:1/w_1600/beauty-trends-2015-02-cinderella-helena-bonham-carter-fairy-godmother.jpg

WOO HOO! 

My Fairy Godmother visited!!! 

Right off; both of the Arcus P5 Octagonal bows feel lighter than the P6's (which felt too close to my FM Weave), one feels a little lighter at the tip end, but the other one plays & sounds a little better to me.  

I still need to play both of them for at least a week before making any decision. 

I'm LMAO because it's kinda hard to do a blind study between the 2 bows when the screws are VERY different!?! 🤔 One is solid silver, so not so pretty. (lol) 

 

Arcus-P5-1.jpgImage EnlargerArcus-P5-2.jpgImage Enlarger

 

 

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ELCBK
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https://dncache-mauganscorp.netdna-ssl.com/thumbseg/947/947330-bigthumbnail.jpg

 

...I think I'm in heaven. 

🤗

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ELCBK
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Btw, I wanted to try the Fiddlerman PRO Viola bow, but it's heavier than I want - it's still lighter than some of the other Viola bows. 

AND, in case you haven't noticed, the Fiddlerman PRO bows look exactly like Arcus bows. 

The Fiddlerman PRO Violin bow was too light for me to consider for my Viola, but if I was in the market for a Violin bow - it would be THE bow I would have to try!  🤗 

 

...still may happen, not done with Mortimer - very interested in the pedal that changes EV to Cello, that Andy Reiner demonstrated in a 5-string Fiddle Hell workshop!

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ELCBK
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August 9, 2022 - 11:41 am
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Gentle Rocking Emoticons

I'm DONE!  

No more foolin' around! 

 

Hate having to make a decision, but my 1st impressions haven't changed on these two bows - one just doesn't have the full tone, power and agility. 

One P5 bow was closer to a P4 and the other was closer in sound to the P6, but pleasantly lighter in feel. 

My FM Weave bow and the 2 Arcus each have a slightly different balance point - the bow I chose is approximately a half inch closer to the frog than my FM Weave. 

I  feel like I could dance on the strings forever!

Just like Goldilocks... found one JUST RIGHT! 

AND, I don't have to pay as much as I thought I would have to! 🤗 

I'm now the proud owner of a VIOLA bow that is

lighter and more powerful than my VIOLIN bow! 

I'm ecstatic! 

 

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CZemcliEdbE/UTKMKS-PpKI/AAAAAAAADAs/jYuca_1j4hY/s1600/goldilocks-and-the-three-bears.jpg

Thank you, Fiddlershop! 

- Emily

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Gordon Shumway
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August 9, 2022 - 12:03 pm
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I still don't know which bow you bought.

Andrew

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ELCBK
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@Gordon Shumway -

Arcus P5 Octagonal Stick - Viola bow... the one in the photo with the nicer looking screw (which was not a factor).

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ABitRusty
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congrats!!   yes that top one does have nicer looking screw!  like the simplicity.

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