The hair on my bow is sort of going black at the bottom. Just wondered if there is anything i should do?

Many thanx
Francesca xxx

Get the bow rehaired. If it's gone black at the frog end, then the hair has definitely been on the bow far too long.

The black bit is a result of dirt sticking to the hair from where any grease on your thumb has rubbed onto it. Generally speaking a bow should be re-haired twice a year if it's getting quite a bit of use, since all the little barbs that the rosin sticks to, wears away and leaves it smooth. Smooth hair, no matter how much rosin you use, will never pull a good sound from the violin. Get it re-haired and you'll notice a marked difference/improvement in the sound you get from the instrument.

Twice a year? Eeek! I didn't know that! Hmm, perhaps that explains the lack of sound coming from my instrument...

Thanx a lot I have had the bow just over a year now and i haven't got it rehaired

Francesca xxx

Very possibly. And old bow hair combined with old strings would make things even worse. A bow re-hair is likely to cost around £30. Not much when you consider the improvement it will make to your playing

Would most music shops be able to send it away for re-hairing? Or does it have to go to a specialist?

Joyjoy, if you're thinking of getting your own bow rehaired, and you're still using the one that came with the Antoni, then honestly don't even consider it. Rehairing a bow that costs less than about £50 is totally uneconomic - and most shops won't even contemplate it for that reason. You could get a substantially better bow for less than the cost of the rehair.

Of course, if you're using an upgraded bow, or you're just asking out of curiosity, then ignore what i just said.

Liz

I don't use my Antoni one, I use a Yamada one, which I got with my electric violin. I feel that it produces a better tone. I was just asking by the way ...

Some music shops have a repairer that they will send work too. However, be prepared for the bow to take 1 to 2 weeks for a rehair by this method. If you took it direct to a luthier, then they will usually do a rehair in 24 or 48 hours. Usually best to phone in advance, in case they have a back-log of bow rehairs to get through.

Thanks for asnwering my query

Eek. twice a year? How much does it cost to rehair a bow?

eeek, twice a year? I've had my violin for 6 years and haven't had my bow rehaired. And i've only just got a new set of strings.

I've never had a bow rehaired either. I think a lot depends on, ahem, how much practice one does.

Liz

£30 is roughly the going rate. Depends who you go to.