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Looking for a great modern bow

From Raymond Paul
Posted February 28, 2007 at 05:46 AM

BTW, three more philharmonic players came to play the Needham that is here, all three thought it was one of the best violins they have ever played and all three agreed that it put out a thicker, more complex sound then what they were playing with (older violins worth a lot of money!). And when it came to presence and projection, well the Needham was, “unreal,” according to one of them.

Another side note: a concertmaster named Francis just bought a Burgess. He tried it in the hall they plain in, in Switzerland. He put it up against some million-dollar instruments that others owned in the orchestra. The orchestra liked the Burgess as much or more! I can get you the details, if you want, just email me.

Well, does anyone play on a great modern bow, if so please tell me about it, I would really appreciate it.

Ray

That is why I have more the two dozen bows.
There are many fine makers today.
I deal with LeCanu and Bigot which are superb (and they happen to be French).

Again as in the previous thread, it is a question of affordability.
If one is on a budget of under 5K, go for a new bow. There are many who also look into English and German bows in that price category.
There are options.
I always look at the investment aspect....(but we've had this discussion before, never mind).

BTW Raymond,
since you know what you want and you were specific (as you stated:I want something that is very well balanced, bounces well, puts out a lot of sound, is reasonably light, and has a full sound -not overly bright) - you should consider just commissioning a bow with your criteria. Just pick a maker. And since it is not like buying a violin, you can commission top 5 (or 10)makers, this way you can enjoy and be polygamous with your bows.

Who is the best modern bow maker that makes the best Peccatte models? I'd like to see a bow that plays like a light Peccatte(59-60grams).
Thanks

If you are in Germany, you can look up J. Tino Lucke and Daniel Shmidt. Their work is very fine as well.

Tell me more about this maker Emil.

Ray

I know Le Canu has one a lot of comps, has Bigot gotten the same kind of attention?

I think the price tag on those bows was very reasonable, though I don't think it my place to announce other people's price tags in a public forum. What if, for instance, his prices have gone up? But I'm pretty sure that you can locate him in Cleveland or ask HN for his contact info. As for investment, again I hesitate to offer an opinion that may end up being biased or misguided. I just speak as someone who played with Mohr's bows and liked them a lot, for all the reasons enumerated above.

Wish I could be more helpful, Raymond...

LeCanu (winner of 3 Gold Medals from VSA as well as 2 Silver Medals from Concours Etienne Vatelot), makes bows in his personal model.
Bigot prefers to make copies. He loves the old bows of the classic 19th century makers.
Neverteless, there are similarities in their bows.
They are "on top of their game".

In their field, choice of wood is critical, as well as superb craftsmanship.
ps: they have some fantastic wood, and their craftsmanship has been recognized worldwide.

But you should also try our Port Townsend makers, and see what you think.
Robert Morrow is the new kid on the block with 3 Gold VSA medals. Also Paul Siefried and Charles Espey mind you...

Master Bowmaker Keith Peck

as well as

http://www.stringsmagazine.com/instruments/Back_Issues/ST65/AmberBow65.html

Honestly, I do not think I could go from one bow to the other like that all the time. I know many do it, but at my age I have enough trouble playing well! I really do not know how many of you go from one bow to the other so easily, wish i could.

Ray

A great bowmaker whose work you can try is Francois Malo. He has bows in the hands of some very well reputed players and teachers, and he makes top notch examples.

Obviously I like Gilles Nehr as well since that's one of the bows in my growing collection.

However, I must say that I like older french bows. I have a beautiful Millant in gold and tortoiseshell, that I decided is too stiff and am now selling it. It's a shame because the wood is so beautiful, but it's just not the right bow for me.

But anyways, I think all the makers mentioned are very good. There's so much quality available with bowmakers that it's hard to buy a bad bow these days.

This bow this truly is a disease...

So, don't neglect to check out older "second tier" French makers.

BTW, if one is in NYC, do check out Isaac Salchow. I saw Jaime Laredo's bow, and it was excellent.

Ill suggest that u do try out some of his bows. He is fairly easy to contact as well.

ian

Finding the right bow for ones violin is realy finding a partnership between the two.
It could be an old bow or it could be a new one that suits your instrument.

I find that today, there are makers making superb bows, many are copies of old, some are based on personal models (inspired by the classics).

Generally, when we are looking to upgrade, we are searching for better tone production and most likely better handling. The sound of 19th century French bows is supreme for a good reason.
Choice of materials, strength, weight, model and flexibility.

The best of todays makers, try to emulate the past with that criteria.
The ones who are most succesful, start out with the best choice of wood to begin with.

BTW,
If it helps , in my violin case I carry a D. Peccatte, Maline, Y. LeCanu and S. Bigot. I use them interchangeably.
I honestly love my "modern" bows as much as my old ones. It does depend on what I am playing.

A lot has to do with what kind of instrument one plays, the kind of model the bow is made and what is ones criteria for getting a new stick that is very different from the old one.

In my mind, what sets some makers apart is the special design etc.

For me, there is also the investment in bows, and you know the rest as far as French bows go etc.

LeCanu and Bigot have a secret ingredient in their design, which makes for a very lush big sound, excellent balance and lots of reserve power yet supple as well, something Keith Peck was also doing in his personal model.

"Are Bigot and LeCanu the only ones with the secret ingredient?..."with this particular ingredient....so far yes."

Pieter, you'll never know till you try.

"Finding the right bow for ones violin is realy finding a partnership between the two.
It could be an old bow or it could be a new one that suits your instrument.

I find that today, there are makers making superb bows, many are copies of old, some are based on personal models (inspired by the classics)."

BTW Kristian, I love Clement's bows too.

I'd like to throw another bow maker's name into the ring, without implying any put-down at all of any other maker: D. WILLIAM HALSEY. I bought a bow of his last Spring, and the honeymoon is far from over. From 1992-2004 Halsey won 2 gold medals, 7 certificates of merit, and the Moller award at VSA competitions. He made my bow in 2005, and as far as I'm concerned this one would deserve a platinum medal, if there were such a thing. I'm not alone. I personally know 3 dealers in the NY area who are crazy about his work. Two of them have never had a bow of his for sale, and had nothing to gain from expressing their views. One of them is a bow maker, himself. He commissioned a matched quartet of bows from Halsey for his own private collection. High praise, inded, from one bow maker to another!

My particular bow (-he sent me 4 to choose from-) is extremely strong and focused. But it also has resilliance, spring, and a beautiful balance. I can play fortissimo, and still feel a reserve of power. But it's also fine for pianissimo, and every dynamic inbetween. It goes particularly well with my favorite violin, and draws out a broad spectrum of overtones, and has color and presence. It's penetrating, crisp, and very steady, with good bite and edge, which I like. It's a bow more typical for conceros than Bach chordal movements. It's excellent for all "technical" bowings as well as for long sustained bows and various nuances. My own collection includes an exquisite FR Simone, and I've tried many bows by top makers such as Tourte, Pecatte (admittedly not the best Pecattes), Sartory, Voirin, etc. I still like my Halsey best. The only bows, for my particular taste and style, that I've found to be on this level, each in its own way, was a gold fleurs-de-lis Hill in the Library of Congress that had belonged to Kreisler, and a superb Ouchard, belonging to a colleague.

It's visually very beautiful as well. This particular bow is gold-and-ebony mounted with gorgeous, highly-figured, 'ringed' pernambuco (-his bows aren't all like that-) and a most elegantly conceived head, frog and shaft.

If anyone would like to contact him, he's at billbows@midmaine.com You can mention my name - but he still won't give me a finder's fee :(

As has been mentioned before, there's a symbiosis of player, violin, and bow that's always unique. Good luck to all in their search!

Gilles Nehr is being featured in this months STRINGS magazine:
"Thinking Outside the Bow" - Gilles Nehr’s innovative tête-bêche sticks it to hundreds of years of tradition. By Patrick Sullivan.

He is an excellent maker with whom I've had a good longstanding business relationship.

Thanks, Ray

Morgan Anderson has moved to Rosalia, in eastern Washington
(509) 523-3628

Johnson String carries Fuchs's bows : sales@johnsonstring.com
800 359-9351

I believe Ifshin's is the only shop that Morgan works with.

- Ray

Morgan Anderson (509) 523-3628

I can't recommend more

Anyways, they are very bright bows that are generally light. I got mine when they were a tad cheaper many years, he seems to have raised his price. I suggest you try one, they tend work on many many violins.

Sylvain BIGOT (France)
Jeong Bong LEE (Korea)
Tibor KOVACS (Italia and Slovaquia)
Louis BEGIN, André LAVOIE, Richard COMPARTINO and Hubert CHAGNON (Canada)
Jean-Luc TAUZIEDE (France)

i would like to say that, me also, i took part at this prestigious competition of " meilleur ouvrier de france", i have a very good place,with 18/20 with my copy and restauration...

As I understand, the "Meilleur Ouvrier de France" competition occurs every 5 years. I don't think that there is such a thing as the best Silver medalist :)

Just because I am in Seattle...

As I said ""Meilleur Ouvrier de France" competition occurs every 5 years. I don't think that there is such a thing as the best Silver medalist".

You know, from reading some of your posts Pieter, you kinda sound like him.

BTW, for many v.commies abroad, it is a fantastic time for bargain hunting in the US (for American makers). The Dollar has fallen so much and will be going even further according to the FEDS.

I had a chance to see and hear quite a number of Quade bows, each one very different from another. One of his bows, a silver medal winner, was probably the best bow my son ever tried (although we felt too expensive for a modern bow). It was highly responsive and live. One of the Quade bows felt uncontrollable and one was especially gritty.

since you're posting anyway, why don't you just make it official and re-register with your real name?

Ah....so that's what the punctuation after Carol represents... lol

Where did I take that from?

;-)

There are new members on v.com joining everyday.
I am quite flattered with your comments, but I have only stated the obvious.

I have followed the many threads for a long time (and learned a lot), and decided to pay him a visit and see for myself.
Gennady was very generous with his time.
He spent quite a while telling me about the many makers he has met and worked with as well as telling me about the great old French makers.

The thread you are talking about is still there:

http://www.violinist.com/discussion/response.cfm?ID=11365

strangely the person who started it, is no longer a member? Natalie Palina

you know, I also notice that Emil Chudnovsky has been silent for a long time too?

What is that all about?

Anyway, since you're so close with Gennady - kind of like Clark Kent to Kal-el (Superman) - maybe you could ask him what he thought of that thread re Gerard Schwartz and the Seattle Symphony.

Gennady actually did not want to talk about it and changed the subject.

Raphael, thank you for the cute remark, but I don't run into him that often. I have heard him with his quartet (really enjoyed it), and have visited him to see his collection and have ordered a bow. He has some very nice samples of his group on his quartet website www.myspace.com/gennadyfilimonov

Other than that, I have my own life to live and tend to my husband and son.

Or, just fess up and come back! :)

Folks, you decide.

I really don't see your point.
Is my statement not clear enough, or do you want to be invited for dinner to meet my husband and son?!

There are many people on this site who prefer not to reveal their last names, or their real names. Some have fake made up "logos". Just scroll up. there are a few people without last names. I am not the only one. I prefer it this way.

On the other hand, it's one in the morning and I haven't eaten since before lunch, so take my sleuthing with a grain of salt.

Mara, didn't you used to be Maura?

Here's something you forgot.
Gennady always formats all his posts like this.
He also likes to list bowmakers in a certain order, and of course, plaster his websites everywhere.

Privet Gena.

other websites I enjoy visiting are: www.joshuabell.com, HilaryHahn.com and www.vanzandtviolins.com

David Van Zandt is a very talented Seattle Violin Maker who is popular with the locals.

ps: you folks sure know how to make a (recent) member feel welcome.

Hi Gena!!!

ya tak silno skuchal pa tibe!!!!

Zhelayu vsevo khoroshego.

S uvazheniem,

Petichka

?????????????????????????

Interesting analogy, as if there is only one person in the world using quotation marks.

Can you move off the subject.

Folks, please drop this charade, it's not funny anymore.

Gena, Angel moy;

Ya ischu devushku, kotoraya khochet lyubit i bit luybimoy.

Ti takaya neobichnaya.

Ti takaya krasivaya.

Ya mechtayu o tom dne kogda mee stanem odnoy semyoy.

Ya blagadaryu boga chto vstretil tebya.

Zhdu vashego otveta.

Petichka.