Goodies Sale: Violin Bows

A local consignor brought in a batch of bows a while back and I've finally gotten-around to taking weights, measurements, and snaps of them. I'm giving descriptions here and they'll be available in the shop as soon as I confirm prices -- or just send offers if you get impatient with me -- whatever works!

First-up...

Here's a CodaBow Diamond SX from perhaps 5-10 years ago. These are roughly $600 new and this one is in near-mint condition as it was a "backup" bow for the owner's other CodaBow Diamond SX. The hair's good, it's straight, adjusts perfectly, and sounds neutral-but-good. I've been using it in the shop to demo the violins around here as it sounds good on all of them.

Unlike a lot of cheaper carbon fiber bows that you might snag on eBay or Amazon, these guys have a different kind of core. They're not hollow or over crud like most of the cheap "weave" bows. Instead, the carbon fiber weave is over a mix of kevlar/fiberglass core (as I understand it) which gives a sound more like wood. Whatever the construction -- it sounds and handles a lot better than the cheaper carbon bows, which I've been prescribing to newer fiddle players in lieu of the old Glasser fiberglass bows which are getting really outdated at this point.

The CodaBow is 62 grams in weight and 29 1/4" long.


Next-up is a 1950s-era Bausch bow, German-made, with a "medium" amount of hair left and a small twist at the tip when under tension. It handles fine, though, but could use more hair at some point.


It's 28 1/2" long and 58 grams.


OK, here we have a "Pecatte" bow that looks like snakewood. A"Peccatte" bow with two Cs would be more interesting, though! This one's a stamped-German-made knock-off with painted Brazilwood that simulates snakewood, from the looks of it. It sounds and handles nicely, though, despite that.


It's 58 grams and 29" long with "full" hair. I'm guessing it's a '50s or '60s bow but it could be earlier. The tip has a little nick out of its bottom plate right where you'd expect it -- at the end.


There are lots of old German-made bows marked Grimm and I suspect this one to be a '50s or '60s one of medium quality. The silver wrap's a bit loose and tatty but it plays fine. The hair's in good shape and the bow is straight at tension except for the teensiest twist at the tip.


It's 29" long and 62 grams.


Last-up -- this one might be "just for fun." It seems to be a 1930s-era Japanese-made Suzuki violin bow and it has the three-S "flower" mark. I suppose it could be a postwar one, but to my eye it looks like the older Suzuki style.


It's missing its grip and/or silver wrap and the hair is down to "medium-there." It's 29" long and only 54 grams. It tensions-up straight.

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