What use would be a good bow stringed instrument without his loyal bow? The magic wand to a great musician, the bow needs to play out every sound the player imagines. It must be quick and accurate on every tone colour. Choosing a bow is a most unique quest, and I am here to help you fulfilling it – by making your own bow.
Bow making
I think having your bow made is the best way to get exactly what you want. To do so, I need to understand and analyse how you play, what kind of music you play, and on what instrument. Indeed, trying to pick a bow that might suit you best among hundreds of others would be a loss of time and of money (the prices for antique French violins are most of the time extremely high). At my workshop, on the contrary, you will have a say on every step of the making, thus helping to create a bow made for you only.
My bows
Customed bow making
You are looking for a very particular bow? Feel free to get in touch with me so that we can discuss your project.
Steps of bow making
Making a bow is putting together various pieces of wood, metal, and other refined materials. Here are a few steps of how a bow is made at my workshop.
Choosing the stick
A modern bow is usually made of Pernambuco. A stick from this Brazilian Wood displays great playability, a rich sound, and has a nice tone. Still, wood is a raw material and, as such, it takes a careful selection to find the best piece. It is however possible to guess what character the stick will have once it has been carved. Here is how I rank them:
- Mechanic-wise, from the stiffest to the most flexible stick.
- Tone-wise, from the clearest to the darkest tone.
- And how good they look – it is important that the wood be pretty and flawless.
Planing the stick
I shape the stick with planes and then carve its head with knives. I can also use ebony, ivory, or metal to veneer the head, in order to make it stronger.
Planing the frog
The frog is a complex feature. It is made of various materials put together to ensure the player has a good grip and to conceal one end of the hair. The frog is mostly made from ebony. Then I carve it and veneer it with pearl and metal.