Over the past few years, I have had the wonderful pleasure of working with Eliot Heaton, Concertmaster of the Michigan Opera Theatre and Des Moines Metro Opera, and his bows. The way that Eliot shapes phases and uses his bow is inspiring to any bow maker and much can be learned from such high caliber musicians. We welcome him here on our blog, sharing some insight on how he draws insight from the human voice to produce thoughtful, vocal-like phrases.
Bow Bugs, Eww!
"Bow Bugs" are carpet beetles that find their way into your case. This article describes how to identify and get rid of them.
Measuring Camber
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.
Bowmaking Tools: Hand Planes
I've recently had a lot of people show interest in bow making tools. So this article is the start of a short series of an in-depth look at the main tools that bow makers use.
Starting a Bow with Rosin
I recently put together a video where I start a freshly rehaired violin bow with rosin. This article links the video and outlines the process.
Bushing the Stick of a Violin Bow
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.
Latest Bows – August 2019
This is a gallery of some of the latest bows hot off the bench of bow maker Anthony DiMambro.
Frog Bushing
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.
Top Articles of 2019
We've been busy creating some new and exciting content and can't wait to share it with everyone. In the meantime here are the top 5 of the most read articles over the past year.
Silver Winding and Leather Grip
The winding on a bow is designed to protect the stick and give the bow adequate weight and balance. There are several consideration when replacing a winding and grip.