The bow is just as important, and in some ways more important, than the instrument it is used on. There are different kinds of bows for different instruments. For example, a bow for a viola or octave (baritone) violin or fiddle is heavier, with a different balance point, than a bow for violin or fiddle. The playing characteristics any specific bow makes it more or less suitable to the playing style of the musician.
Bows for Violin or Fiddle (Price range from about $400 to $900+)
- CodaBow Diamond Series NX Violin Bow
- CodaBow Diamond Series SX Violin Bow
- CodaBow Diamond Series GX Violin Bow
- Glasser Braided Carbon Fiber Octagonal Violin Bow
Bows for Viola or Octave (Baritone) Violin (Price range from $400s to about $1,000)
- CodaBow DIAMOND NX Bow for Octave Violin or Viola
- CodaBow Diamond Series SX Viola or Octave Violin Bow
- CodaBow Diamond Series GX Viola or Octave Fiddle Bow
- Glasser Braided Carbon Fiber Viola or Baritone Fiddle Bow, Octagonal Stick
Deciding on a New-Generation Carbon Fiber Bow
Deciding on which bow is right for you can be bewildering, as they all are so-called “braided carbon fiber” and look pretty much the same, except for color and appointments, such as gold inlay, goldfish abalone, etc. on the most expensive models.
All models are made of an “acoustic core” (such as Kevlar), encased in graphite fabric saturated with a hard resin (e.g. epoxy). Only the new generation of braided carbon fiber bows has this acoustic core. Fiberglass and other composite bows are hollow and solid carbon graphite bows are made completely of carbon fiber strands bonded together.
The composition of the bow’s acoustic core definitely makes a difference in the way the bow feels and plays, and even the quality of timbre…a better acoustic core actually makes the instrument sound better! Little is known about the underlying science of bow acoustic cores, as the makers keep this highly proprietary information very close to the vest.
Making an Good Decision on the Right Bow for You
Is your instrument a violin/fiddle, a viola or an octave (a.k.a. baritone) violin/fiddle?
The first decision is easy, and is based on whether you are going to use the bow to play a regular violin or fiddle or an octave violin, tuned an octave lower but with the same string length as a regular violin (or a viola). Unless you have some reason to play an octave fiddle with a violin bow, such as Darol Anger does, the heavier viola/octave violin bow is highly recommended.
Most players need the extra power of a viola bow to effectively pull notes from octave violin strings, which are quite large in diameter (i.e. fat). They should NOT use a violin bow to play an octave fiddle just because that is what Darol Anger (maybe the best octave violinist and fiddler in the world) does. Darol has a unique percussive jazz-bluegrass fusion style that he has developed over decades and he needs a lighter bow than a viola bow to make it work to his satisfaction.
Do you need a “forgiving” bow or does your playing demand a “race horse” bow?
The next decision is not so easy. Do you want a bow that is more forgiving…a bow that performs like a pretty good wooden (Pernambuco) bow or a “race horse” that allows you to do amazing things, but requires well-developed bowing skills.
High-performance carbon fiber bows generally perform better than all but the finest Pernambuco bows, costing thousands of dollars. I have never played a Pernambuco bow that even comes close to a high-end carbon fiber bow…and I have played some very nice Pernambuco bows.
If you want a kind and relatively forgiving carbon fiber bow, there is only one choice, the CodaBow Diamond Collection NX. I like the viola version of the CodaBow NX for playing an octave fiddle better than the violin version, which is a bit too bouncy (just like a wooden bow) for my taste. That being said, the CodaBow NX violin bow is the most popular among our customers. We have even had customers exchange higher-end CodaBows (the SX and GX models) because their responsiveness highlighted every nuance, including mistakes.
The rest of the carbon fiber bows from CodaBow and Glasser that we sell are responsive beyond belief, range from stiff to super-stiff and afford very fast playing, such as might be required in a competition Scottish Strathspey or Jazz.
I will return to a comparison of the various “race horse” bows from CodaBow and Glasser, but let’s take a look at feature and cost comparisons first.
Feature Comparisons of the Various Bows
All CodaBow Diamond Collection (the NX, SX and GX) as well as the Glasser Octagonal Shaft bows have the following features in common.
- They all only come in 4/4 size
- A shaft made of graphite diamond weave fabric around an acoustic core
The diamond weave fabric pattern is clearly visible; indeed, it is part of the aesthetic of these bows. The following illustration by DragonPlate, the premier maker of braided carbon fiber products, illustrates the visibility of the fabric pattern characteristic very well.
- Frogs by Walter Paulus
- Nickel Silver (a.k.a. “German Silver”) fittings
- Simulated Ivory tip plates (CodaBows) or nickel silver tip plates (Glasser)
- Hand-cut wooden wedges and plugs
Features that Vary
The table tells us very little useful information except color and what the fittings and decoration are made from. I am not even sure what CodaBow means when they refer to the “Blended Kevlar” acoustic core of the NX bows vs. the Kevlar core of the NX and SX. Glasser’s acoustic core is a trade secret. Does anyone actually know the difference between Silver Medal Horse Hair and Gold Medal Stallion Hair? We know that the NX bows are brown, the SX and Glasser bows are dark gray and the GX has a reddish brown tint that CodaBow calls “Pernambuco”. There is also a wide variation in price.
How They Perform (The Proof is in the Playing!)
From our experience, advanced amateur fiddlers favor the CodaBow NX. Advanced Level Competition fiddlers favor the Glasser and the CodaBow NX bows, which seem to play almost identically. The CodaBow NX may pull a slightly better tone from a really good instrument; therefore it seems to be favored over the Glasser by violinists.
From what we can tell, the CodaBow GX plays about the same as a CodaBow SX. The $200+ difference in price between the GX and SX is more than just for thegold inlay and other aesthetic attributes. The CodaBow GX just plays better! Professional violinists seem to be willing to pay that extra $200+ for the Pernambuco tint, thus allowing them NOT to stick out like a sore thumb among their fellow musicians playing with old Pernambuco bows. There is an incredible childish snobbery about Pernambuco bows in the orchestral world (those who wish to argue--bring it on!)...never mind the fact that bow-making is one of the contributing factors to the Pernambuco tree being almost extinct (there is currently a Pernambuco moratorium going on and Pernambuco exportation from Brazil is in most cases illegal).
Bottom Line
The CodaBow NX is the way to go if you desire a really nice but forgiving bow. The Glasser Braided Carbon Fiber Octagonal Shaft is the best buy for a fiddler in need of an extremely high-performance bow. The CodaBow SX is our second choice FOR FIDDLERS in the high-performance class owing to its higher price than the Glasser, but our first choice FOR VIOLINISTS in the high-performance class owing to its observed ability to draw a slightly better tone from a really good violin.
The CodaBow GX is our recommendation for the professional fiddler or violinst, owing to its aesthetic beauty combined with stellar performance in the hands of an expert.
There you have it.
If you have any questions about the bows discussed in this article and which one is right for you, visist Don Rickert Musical Instruments.
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