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Master of the bow

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KindaScratchy

Massachusetts

January 10, 2013 - 12:53 pm

Member Since: March 14, 2012

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Thought folks might be interested in this article that appeared in last Sunday's Boston Globe about a bow maker who lives in Massachusetts. It's very interesting: he pioneered the carbon fiber bow and has invented a new kind of frog that's supposed to make the bow easier to hold.

Before he makes a custom bow for a musician, he watches and listens to them so that he understands their unique style and manner of playing.

I'm sure his bows are just a bit pricey for my budget, but it's nice to know that he paved the way for the Fiddlerman CF bow.

wink

http://www.boston.com/news/loc.....story.html

When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,

I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.

Picklefish

Merritt Island, Fla

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January 10, 2013 - 2:37 pm

Member Since: June 25, 2012

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Kim Kardashian is a violist? Holy Cow! Neat article Diane I shall have to read it more than once. No info about how to reserve my audience with this Yoda of bowmaking to get my own? bummer, I know thats my main problem...one of them....

"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.

cpiasminc

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January 10, 2013 - 8:18 pm

Member Since: June 1, 2012

Forum Posts: 36

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Interesting...

Looking at the Boston Globe article, there are a few pictures of that modified frog piece.

http://bostonglobe.com/metro/r.....story.html

One of the photos makes it look as if the design pushes the base of the frog deliberately off center from the shaft, but I think that may just be a peculiarity of the photo. The main two differences I see are the half vesica piscis shape to the thumb indent in lieu of a common half-circle arch, and what looks like this angular pinching in the cross section that narrows towards the front (I'm guessing it leaves room for the fingers to move in a little closer to the centerline?).

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April 7, 2013 - 11:09 pm

Great article, Diane, I don't know how I missed this thread. I have spent hour's searching the internet to find some information on what produce's and how the bow stick affect's the sound of the violin.

I know bow's are made of different type's of material, Pernambuco, Brazilwood, Fiberglass, Carbon Fiber, etc.....

My question is, does the sound produced by the violin travel the length ( one end to the other) of the stick and resonate through the fiber's of the wood that produce's the actual tone. I know that a more flexable stick will produce a softer more mello tone, (it's what I read).

Does the curvature / camber of a violin, viola,cello or double bass bow have any particular affect on the sound as opposed to the reverse camber of the boroque bow.

I'd like to get some input on this subject before I drill any sound carrying hole's in my FM / CF bow. Seeing his test on what the bow will withstand being bent, I think I noticed they are hollow inside and wondering if one or two hole's in each end would help carry the sound through the hollow of the stick to make it resonate more.

Don't get me wrong, I liike my CF bow, but it has a different sound than my Pernambuco or Brazilwood bow. Beside's, Pierre has a few hundred CF bow's in stock, so it can be replaced if I screw it up.