Violin bow recommendations for beginner

[mathnerd]

I am going to start learning to play the violin. I am an adult beginner. I have my son's old Scott Cao Student model violin to use. It is a 4/4 size violin. I will be taking lessons with my son's teacher for 30 minutes every week. She is a classical violin teacher and teaches in the traditional style. I am sure that I will take quite a few years to get to the intermediate level because this looks like a hard skill for me. I can sight read well, and that is the full extent of my musical abilities.

 

I need a new bow to start playing. What should I buy? I see listings for brazil wood and pernambuco bows on amazon. I would like recommendations from anyone who has experience buying beginner bows. Thanks in advance for your help.

[East Coast Sue]

I'd recommend visiting a luthier to try out different bows. We have found that it saves us from making big mistakes and doesn't end up costing more than what I'd pay online for similar bows or strings. Our luthier tunes up my son's instrument every 6-8 months when we get the strings replaced and it only costs about $35-$40 total. He's quoted us about $70 to replace a bow but it can vary based on the bow.

Have fun with learning the violin! I'd love to do that too!

 

 

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[rainbowmama]

Our violin teacher always helps us pick these kinds of things, but there is a lot of differences in preference. If you are a brand new beginner, there's no way for you to test it out, so I would probably defer to teacher preference. 

[wintermom]

If you know you'll be doing this for years and your goal is to reach intermediate level, then indulge in the most expensive bow you can afford. It can be re-haired when/if needed. A good bow will make the violin sound better, make it easier to do more advanced techniques, and it's the cheapest of the 2 (between the violin and bow) so you can put in a few hundred $ and really improve your playing experience. 

 

So, in terms of dollars, get a $200 - 300 bow. If you have more to spend, $500 is the next jump up in price usually.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I'd recommend visiting a luthier to try out different bows. We have found that it saves us from making big mistakes and doesn't end up costing more than what I'd pay online for similar bows or strings. Our luthier tunes up my son's instrument every 6-8 months when we get the strings replaced and it only costs about $35-$40 total. He's quoted us about $70 to replace a bow but it can vary based on the bow.

Have fun with learning the violin! I'd love to do that too!

 

 

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I don't understand this recommendation.  How can a beginner actually test out bows?

[SparklyUnicorn]

I bought a bow off of Amazon for around $50.  No not top of the line.  It was a rather random pick.  I have no complaints at all about it.  If you buy one and after awhile don't like it, buy a new one (which isn't painful if you don't spend too much).

I am an adult learner myself.

 

 

[EmilyGF]

I would ask the violin teacher for a recommendation. (Our violin teacher was quite opinionated!)

 

FWIW, my daughter's flute teacher gave us a very specific list of flute brands and levels that were OK. I then found one of them basically new on ebay for a big discount. So I would try to do the same with a violin bow.

Emily

[Doodlebug]

I'd buy from a local shop first.  If that's not an option, I'd buy from a string retailer like Johnson Strings, SHAR music, etc.  I see horrible hair jobs come from Amazon.  

 

You want natural horsehair... nothing synthetic or bleached.  

 

Type of wood won't matter to you...

 

I prefer the stick to have an octagonal shape... but that's just my personal experience with round bows warping.    

 

 

[East Coast Sue]

I don't understand this recommendation. How can a beginner actually test out bows?

Going to a violin shop gives the option of trying different bows and allows a professional (luthier) to give advice specific to the student & their instrument. Conferring with your teacher is also a great suggestion.

 

 

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[SparklyUnicorn]

Going to a violin shop gives the option of trying different bows and allows a professional (luthier) to give advice specific to the student & their instrument. Conferring with your teacher is also a great suggestion.

 

 

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No, but as a beginner, one can't "try" anything themselves.  I can understand going there to ask about it, but when you don't know how to play a violin there is nothing to really try.

[Jaybee]

For a beginner, there are plenty of less expensive bows that will last a long time. I can't find the one I ordered, but my last one was about $89, and I believe it was a carbon fiber bow, maybe Glasser brand. It was perfect for what I needed. (adult learner) If you get a composite or cf bow with real horsehair, you can get a much better bow for your money than the equivalent price in wood would be. They don't tend to warp like the lower end wooden ones might. I believe the ones I bought my girls were about $25 (I think cf?), and they worked well too. Do make sure they have real horsehair, though.

[Jen500]

Just order something from Shar (or similar music store) that's in your budget.

If/when you want another bow, you'll have a better idea then about what you want.

After ds dropped his bow and it needed a repair I bought him a CodaBow.

[wintermom]

No, but as a beginner, one can't "try" anything themselves.  I can understand going there to ask about it, but when you don't know how to play a violin there is nothing to really try.

 

At the luthier, I'll have the staff play the bow for me and I can hear the sound. I still have no idea about the feel and responsiveness of the bow myself, because I don't play. But in general, the more expensive the bow the better the quality. There are various levels of costs with jumps in between. The "plastic" or carbon bows for less than $100 are fine for a back-up, but for everyday playing, you want to spend at least $100 - 200. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I agree.  Just order something.  Not top of the line.  Not the $10 bow.  Just something in between.  Maybe look at ratings.

 

Some of this will become personal preference.  The violin I bought came with a bow.  It was not a horse hair bow (whereas the one I bought separately was).  I hated that bow.  But at that point I had been playing a little while (I rented at first).  So I had developed a preference and got a sense for it.  But as a beginner you aren't going to go there and test stuff out.  That's just not going to happen.  That's like telling someone who is about to learn how to drive to go and test drive cars.  Uhhhh...  Of course you want a car that works for when you are learning to drive.  But you don't need to buy a brand new Porsche either. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

At the luthier, I'll have the staff play the bow for me and I can hear the sound. I still have no idea about the feel and responsiveness of the bow myself, because I don't play. But in general, the more expensive the bow the better the quality. There are various levels of costs with jumps in between. The "plastic" or carbon bows for less than $100 are fine for a back-up, but for everyday playing, you want to spend at least $100 - 200. 

 

Maybe, but I still don't think you'll have enough to make an informed choice.  The people who tend to jump on this are those who have been playing a long time or play at a high level.  And I get it, they know a lot, but they forget what it is like to be a beginner. 

[Jaybee]

Maybe, but I still don't think you'll have enough to make an informed choice.  The people who tend to jump on this are those who have been playing a long time or play at a high level.  And I get it, they know a lot, but they forget what it is like to be a beginner. 

 

True. Mine wasn't "plastic," and it worked very well at my level for quite a few years. (It would still work, but I haven't played in awhile--need to get that back out!) I had played with wooden ones before too, but they were not top of the line, and I preferred mine to the others. Of course, a professional would probably have preferred a more expensive bow, but I read a lot of reviews before I bought mine, and was very pleased with it.

 

Okay, so I honestly don't know the full chemical components of cf, so perhaps it is technically plastic--I have no idea. But it didn't feel that way at all; it had a nice weight and feel to it, good balance, didn't warp, and I used it for probably five years, and would still be using it if I would just get the violin out of the case. It took me from early intermediate to early advanced.

[SparklyUnicorn]

True. Mine wasn't "plastic," and it worked very well at my level for quite a few years. (It would still work, but I haven't played in awhile--need to get that back out!) I had played with wooden ones before too, but they were not top of the line, and I preferred mine to the others. Of course, a professional would probably have preferred a more expensive bow, but I read a lot of reviews before I bought mine, and was very pleased with it.

 

Okay, so I honestly don't know the full chemical components of cf, so perhaps it is technically plastic--I have no idea. But it didn't feel that way at all; it had a nice weight and feel to it, good balance, didn't warp, and I used it for probably five years, and would still be using it if I would just get the violin out of the case. It took me from early intermediate to early advanced.

 

Yeah I've been playing 4 years now and still use the same bow.  It wasn't top of the line, but it's fine for my uses.

 

I figure as long as I'm not frustrated with it, who cares?  I don't play in an orchestra or heck even for family members.

[wintermom]

Maybe, but I still don't think you'll have enough to make an informed choice.  The people who tend to jump on this are those who have been playing a long time or play at a high level.  And I get it, they know a lot, but they forget what it is like to be a beginner. 

 

I have purchased a lot of violin "stuff" for my 2 dc over the last few years. They are past beginner level, but I can remember what I bought them 6 years ago. I don't have tons of extra money to spend on violins, as I also have 2 dc playing guitar. So I tend to stick with the cheapest options, but in the case of bows and violins I will spend money on quality (within reason and budget).

 

I'm not suggesting a beginner go out and spend thousands of dollars, but you definitely get what you pay for. A $50 bow on a $100 violin is going to be really annoying to play. If you spend $50/hr on lessons, and you put in hours of time practicing, then you want to have an instrument that will sound and feel decent.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I have purchased a lot of violin "stuff" for my 2 dc over the last few years. They are past beginner level, but I can remember what I bought them 6 years ago. I don't have tons of extra money to spend on violins, as I also have 2 dc playing guitar. So I tend to stick with the cheapest options, but in the case of bows and violins I will spend money on quality (within reason and budget).

 

I'm not suggesting a beginner go out and spend thousands of dollars, but you definitely get what you pay for. A $50 bow on a $100 violin is going to be really annoying to play. If you spend $50/hr on lessons, and you put in hours of time practicing, then you want to have an instrument that will sound and feel decent.

 

I bought something better than a $100 violin, but yep I bought a $50 bow.  Still using it and happy with it.

 

But sure you don't want something frustrating either.  That's true.  The violin I rented was supposedly a more expensive violin than what I bought (it was one of these situations where they offer to sell you the violin if you want it) and I thought the one I bought was far better once I got to a point where I could tell the difference. 

[wintermom]

I bought something better than a $100 violin, but yep I bought a $50 bow.  Still using it and happy with it.

 

But sure you don't want something frustrating either.  That's true.  The violin I rented was supposedly a more expensive violin than what I bought (it was one of these situations where they offer to sell you the violin if you want it) and I thought the one I bought was far better once I got to a point where I could tell the difference. 

 

Do you ever play staccato or spiccato? If you do, you'll appreciate a better bow. It will be much easier and a lot less frustrating.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Do you ever play staccato or spiccato? If you do, you'll appreciate a better bow. It will be much easier and a lot less frustrating.

 

Yes I have. 

 

It's not one of the easier techniques!

[laundrycrisis]

Get a Shar Fusion.  

 

http://www.sharmusic.com/Bows/Violin/Beginning-0--125/SHAR-Fusion-Carbon-Composite-Violin-Bow.axd#sthash.zTFAiryu.dpbs

 

I have a really nice (expensive) wooden bow, but I don't want to use it all the time.  I bought the Fusion as a backup bow.  For $50, I'm *amazed* at how nice it is.  It is well balanced and I can do all the bowing techniques I need with it.  And since it's carbon fiber/fiberglass blend and only $50, I don't worry about it. Its only downside is a little bit of the hissy sound that carbon fiber bows make - it doesn't sing as well as the expensive wooden bow.  But it's a great practice bow.   

 

Also when you order it, add some Hill Light rosin.  It's like $8.  I can't believe how nice it is.  I used more expensive rosin for years before I tried the Hill.  It made an immediate difference in my sound, even with the $50 bow. Just one of those things I wish someone had told me.  I put it on our sons' bows as well with the same result.  I love it !

 

While I'm handing out unsolicited violin advice, I will also recommend Pirastro Tonica strings.  In the realm of the less expensive string choices, after trying Dominants, two kinds of Warchal strings, and a Corelli string, the Tonicas are everything I want.  We have Tonicas on all four violins now, and they are great strings on all of them.  When we started, the rental violins all came with Dominants.  I always had a problem getting the sound I wanted from the D and G strings.  I thought it was me.  When I purchased an instrument and started experimenting with different string brands, I figured out I just didn't like those strings.  A lot of my frustration as a beginner came from me trying to get a sound that would never come out of the brand of strings on the rental violin. 

Edited March 20, 2017 by laundrycrisis

[wintermom]

Yes I have. 

 

It's not one of the easier techniques!

 

No kidding! I really wish I had invested in a better bow for my ds much earlier. His last concert song would have been so much easier for him to play. It was like night and day when he played his song with a better bow. Suddenly the staccatos were easier to control, instead of the bow hopping all over the place. 

[Sarah CB]

If any of you are near the Denver area, check out this bowmaker: http://www.ormanbows.com/  He made dd a pernambuco bow with green abalone fittings that is a work of art. 

 

Can I ask what the price range is for his bows?