Well, okay...some people actually do need a pernambuco bow. Read on.
In a recent article, Making Sense of the New Carbon Fiber Bows, I expressed a strong preference for the new generation of braided carbon fiber bows, for violin, fiddle, viola and octave violin (sometimes called baritone violin) for meeting the needs of the modern player.
Considerations I covered in the previous article were:
- Whether or not the bow is to be used to play violin/fiddle or octave violin/fiddle, concluding that the octave violin or fiddle player should use a viola rather than a violin bow
- Do you need a “forgiving” bow or does your playing demand a “race horse” bow?
- Are you a fiddler or a violinist? (a minor consideration really)
Considerations NOT covered in depth in the previous article:
- Cost, as the best high-performance modern carbon fiber bows are all in the $400 to $900+ range, which is FAR less than the cost of a good wooden bow
- Situations for which the player actually needs a quality wooden bow…that will be covered in this article
Our Conclusions About High-Performance Carbon Fiber Bows:
- The CodaBow Diamond 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 Diamond 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 Diamond GX is our recommendation for the professional fiddler or violinist, owing to its aesthetic beauty combined with stellar performance in the hands of an expert.
Who Needs a Wooden Bow, and Which Bow do they need?
Re-enactors of earlier music genres have a legitimate need for a good wooden bow and the wood should be pernambuco. Like Francois Tourte, credited with the invention of the modern reverse camber bow (bows actually evolved for many years and Tourte got the invention credit), I have totally rejected snakewood as a suitable alternative for anything but a Baroque bow. A modern bow of snakewood performs about as well as a $40 fiberglass bow.
So…Which Bow for Whom?
Don Rickert Musical Instruments sells carefully-selected collection of pernambuco bows. In accord with our strong support of IPCI-USA (International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative-USA) (www.ipci-usa.org), we have selected three makers of pernambuco Master Bows, all of whom happen to be German. Being German had nothing to do with our decision. All three have passed our ethical standards review.
- Georg Werner Workshop (part of the famous Doerfler Workshop, Bubenreuth, Germany)
- Sebastian Dirr (Erlangen, Germany)
- Herbert and Christian Wanka (Baiersdorf, Germany)
The bows of all three of these Master Bow Makers are imported to the U.S. by the highly-respected Connolly Music, suppliers (i.e. wholesalers) of musical instruments and related products to bona fide Dealers such as us.
The Pernambuco Bows We Have Selected
All are Master Bows, and NOT Intermediate or Student bows. They all be seen at Don Rickert Musical Instruments.
At the lower end (everything is relative!) of the price range are two Master Bow models by Georg Werner. The prices of these bows is a bit higher than the most expensive carbon fibre bow that we sell, the CodaBow Diamond GX.
- Both of the Geoge Werner bows play at least as well as the CodaBow NX and possibly the CodaBow SX.
- They draw slightly sweeter tone from a really good violin or fiddle.
- One has a round shaft and the other has a stiffer octagonal shaft.
- These bows are targeted to advanced amateur re-enactors of 1860s (i.e. Civil War) music as well as traditionally-minded players of early 20th Century “Roots” music, which we now call Old Time fiddling.
- Either bow is also suitable for the serious late 18th Century pochette (strung with either synthetic or real gut) player, such as the Neil Gow II pochette by Don Rickert Musical Instruments; however, the Transitional Bow by Sebastian Dirr (described below) on real gut strings is more period-appropriate.
Bottom line is that they are both pretty good pernambuco bows priced about as low as you will ever find a decent pernambuco Master Bow. We DO NOT consider either of these to be contemporary fiddle contest bows, although people have won competitions with far lower quality bows.
- Georg Werner Master Violin Bow Round Shaft, Germany (slightly less than $1,000)
- Georg Werner Master Violin Bow Octagonal Shaft, Germany (about $1,000)
The essential bow for the mid to late 18th Century violinist of pochette player
There was not a sudden jump from the Baroque bow to the “modern” reverse camber bow for which Francois Tourte gets the invention credit. There were all sorts of transitional bows in use throughout the 1700s.
Master Bow Maker (Bogenbaumeister), Sebastian Dirr makes a superb transitional violin bow based on the type used by the violin virtuoso, Wilhelm Cramer.This type of bow was particularly popular from about 1750 to 1785.
The Cramer bow is immediately recognizable by a head that sweeps both forward and backward, something like a battle axe. Compared to a modern bow, the Cramer is lighter—56 grams compared to an average 60 grams today—with less camber and a taller head and frog. The band of hair is slightly narrower, with a lighter-weight, open-trench frog. Dirr’s copy is beautifully crafted in pernambuco with ebony frog and mastodon-ivory tip and adjuster button.
While the Cramer Transitional Bow was developed to allow violinists to perform the short, bouncy strokes required for the then new music of Haydn and Mozart, the intended user of this bow from our standpoint is a player of our Neil Gow Pochette or similar late 18th Century Pochette.
While Sebastian Dirr’s bows are renowned for excellent tracking, settling quickly into the string, releasing effortlessly, and producing a rich and focused tone, keep in mind that this is a meticulous replica of a 250 year old bow…not a modern bow.
- Sebastian Dirr Wilhelm Cramer Transitional Violin or Pochette Bow ($2,000+)
Two Pernambuco Bows for the Seriously Committed Musician (with $3,000+ to spend)
We have pair of Herbert Wanka pernambuco bows, very similar except that one has an ebony frog and the other a horn frog. These pernambuco bows perform as well or better than a high-performance carbon fiber bow. They are Tourte bows, which are historically legitimate for late 18th Century music and instruments, as well as mid-19th Century, early 20th Century Old Time fiddle or even modern fiddle or violin.
These bows are definitly suitable for high-level fiddle competition or professional use, as well as orchestral use (Note: Professional orchestral violinists usually have much more expensive bows...tens of thousands of dollars for a bow is not unusual for someone playing on a $100,000+ violin!). We do have more expensive ($3,500 - $6,000 range) Wanka bows if you need them. Call us...see the "Call Me" widget at the end of this article.
Both models from Herbert Wanka are Master Bows from carefully selected pernambuco. Round or octagonal shaft with mammoth ivory tip plate.
- Herbert Wanka Master 24A Bow, Horn Frog, Round or Octagonal Shaft, Germany (about $3,000)
- Herbert Wanka Master 24B Bow, Ebony Frog, Round or Octagonal Shaft, Germany (just under $3,000)
It is worthy of note that both Herbert (dad) and Christian (son) Wanka contribute a lot of money as well as other volunteer efforts to the IPCI (International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative).
I hope that this article cleared things up a bit with respect to pernambuco bows. If you have any questions, please feel free to use the Google "widget" below for a free phone call. If you do not have Adobe Flash installed, our phone number is 404-828-0136. If you wish to argue, use the comment feature instead.
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