Handmade bows in the French tradition
Historical Bows As big name makers such as Sartory, Peccatte, Tourte, etc. are continually raising in value and are pushed out of the the price range of most working musicians. However, a repaired or incomplete example may be obtained for a fraction of the price. I anticipate that within the next decade we will see …
I have a huge passion for sharing with those working on bows around the world, especially those of atypical countries, and have made a wonderful connection with Jack Estephan of Lebanon. Though his country is in a dire state at the moment, Jack continues to pursue his passions in music. It’s an honor to have an international bow maker featured here sharing his insight on camber.
A violin bow was recently brought into the shop for some rehabilitation. Both holes for the screw and button, including the nipple, needed to be bushed and remade. The process is explained in detail here.
Over time, the eyelet in the frog can become worn out and needs to be replaced. After several replacements the threads in the frog that the eyelet screws in to can become worn out as well. This Bausch violin bow has been well loved and well used over the years and needs a frog bushing.
The following outlines the procedure for a headspline which reinforces a broken head with a thin strip of pernambuco inserted in the opposite direction of the grain in the stick. This type of repair when executed well can last indefinitely and restore many, if not all, the playing characteristics of the bow
Check out the video of this process at the end of the post! The old tip plate is removed before a new one is fit. Heat is used to weaken the bond of the old tip plate and liner material and then carefully sheared off with a knife. In this video you will notice how …
