A violin bow is a necessity for playing after all it makes half the sound of the instrument. A good violin bow supports the sound of the violin by carrying the vibrations through the hair as well as the stick. This is why a violinist might aim to spend up to 1/3 the value of the violin on a bow as their technique develops.
Most new violins come with good quality student bows, but after a few years of playing your techniques will have evolved significantly and a better bow (and strings) make for an easy way to upgrade your instruments sound.
I have a good selection of violin bows, from student bow replacements (<$70) to intermediate and more advanced bows. These bows include the standard brazilwood as well as fine pernambucco bows. Also I stock a selection of carbon fibre and hybrid fibre-timber bows which can produce amazing sound for the price. When shopping for a new bow its important to bring your instrument and try a few out in your price bracket. Play testing a bow includes looking at its responsiveness such spicato, ricochert as well as its expressiveness and tonal qualities as well as how it works with your violin. For non classical playing doing lots of double stopping and chopping raw power might be something important as well. Sound production, together with how it feels in your hand are what will help you pick the violin bow that is right for you.
After trying a few bows you may find one that just feels right in your hand, and quite often its not the most expensive in your price bracket either and when matched with the right violin strings can make an incredible difference. Pull up a chair, bring your favourite and take your time…
A deeper dive into bows and how they make a sound
