Dear all,

How much does your violin bow weigh?

The reason I ask is because someone gave me a bow quite recently and despite my best efforts and practice, I still find the bow bouncing and skidding quite a bit. So I've reverted back to the previous one and suddenly, I'm back in control.

For some reason I had the idea of weighing them on my kitchen scales. My old favourite is less than 50g whereas the new one is over 60g. But a bit of research on the web seems to indicate 60g is not that heavy - many bows are heavier.

So what do people's bows weigh generally? Am I playing with an extremely light bow, or do I need to get down to the gym?

Best wishes, Paul

(studying for Grade 6)

My bow is considered a heavy one, as it weighs 63grs., but it's what I like...!

One thing, Paul, do you play a full size violin? if so, you may consider a quite heavier bow, as less than 50 grs. I would consider it too light. But there's only one rule: play with whatever you're confortable!

Best wishes also,
LO

This may sound insulting but you would be surprised how often I see bows with hardly any rosin on them, and the players (even good players) struggling rather than actually putting rosin on. Are you sure it's well rosined?

Liz

I'll try and remember to weigh it tomorrow.

I'd say balance was also an issue - a bow can be a pain if its balance is off no matter how light or heavy it is.

I've just measured mine. The one I use most is about 75g, then my other two which I use when the other is being rehaired or if I fancy a change weigh in at 70g and 60g. My scales arent very accurate and I'm a bit confused as the one I use most is Carbon Fibre, but its still the heaviest. I think it is a balance thing. The frog on the CF is silver which I think must add weight to it. I dont know.

May 'main use' bow is about 58 grams and extremely well balanced. It's an English bow made by Arthur Bultitude in the 1970s.

Some of the older French bows can be quite light (52 grams or less) and I tend to find them a bit too light for comfort. I don't always feel as though I'm in control

Lighter weight bows tend to need a bit more welly putting behind them too, especially for fff orchestral music. Then you can start debating on whether the stick might be too flexible to put that much power behind it......

I guess you really need a selection (a couple of Voirin, a Sartory and maybe a Kittel for good measure) and you choose which one to use depending on the music you are playing Hmmm, keep buying the lottery tickets.

I find that I am happiest with the one I use most of the time, and it takes some time to adjust to a different one. Sam and I sometimes swap bows (and violins) in the quartet just to have a go on something else, but it takes a while to adjust.

I can dream. As for the lotto tickets, hmm, I think there's more chance I'll find a rich 'sugar daddy' who just loves music so much he won't be able to help but buy me something of everything........ del Gesu, Strad, Pierre Simon bow, Pressanda, Amati ..........ad nauseum..............

Where most women collect shoes and clothes, I'd be collecting violins and bows. One for every musical occasion and of course I'd need plenty too, because like WAGS and their party frocks, I simply couldn't be seen out twice with the same violin!

This has got me thinking - do bows get better as they get older like violins, or do they deteriorate? It's never occured to me but my bow is quite old now (I mean about 30 years old not antique old). Do bows have a shelf life? I thought it was just a matter of getting them re-haired ever so often. Am I wrong in this?

Panic stations.

Panic ye not. My "new" bow, which is beautiful, and which plays far better than I do, is over 100 years old. It's been rehaired relatively recently and I'm thoroughly delighted with it.

It depends on how they have been cared for. If a bow has been frequently overtightened for playing or has often not been loosened after playing, then the stick can warp. 30 years is not old for a bow at all.


My violin bow weighs 63g and is very old, but plays beautifully.

50g does seem a bit light for a violin bow. Your problems with your new bow may be just because you are not used to using a different bow, or it could be because the stick is not stiff enough.

The permambuco one I have is 68g and the CF one is 63g. I prefer the heavy bow than lighter one, guess because I am more used to viola bows which is heavier, and I seems to control my bowing better with the additional weight.

I agree with Sarah-flute on the balance issue... I am more comfortable using my "lighter" viola bow (69g) vs the "heavier" one (71g) because the balance is set bit more toward the frog on my lighter one. Which incidentally is the same maker as my "heavier" violin bow.

Some older bows can be a bit whippy, but that's down to the makers trend, not the age of the bow. If a bow stick is too flexible, it will bend too easily and the wood will constantly be coming into contact with the bow hair and the instrument strings, making ff passages almost impossible to play.

Conversely, a bow stick which is too stiff tends to need a softer touch if the player is to avoid constant fff.

Too stiff or too whippy will make bowing techniques difficult to achieve.

The ideal bow is one that feels totally balanced in the hand, ie. not pulling or tipping in a particular direction, and one that allows the player to achieve dynamic range and whatever type of bowing required. Bows are as personal as violins, but most players will generally agree on whether a particular bow feels balanced or not, even if it doesn't suit their style of playing.