Advice sought on carbon bow

[benthos]

Hi All,

I'd like to try my hand at a bit of arco but don't want to spend a fortune on a bow. I have heard (via this forum, I recall), that carbon bows are good value for money and wondered whether something like this would be a reasonable starting point:

http://www.thomann.de/gb/alfred_stingl_by_hoefner_as_34_bf_carbon_bassbogen_34.htm

I understand that at this price point this is not likely to be stellar and that a bow's preferred characteristics will be a personal thing, however I'm assuming that for a while at least my frantic scrapings will be well within the bow's potential

Does anyone have any experience with this particular model, or indeed any other advice to pass on?

Thanks in advance, folks!

[Bilbo]

I don't know that make but I do have one of the Finale French bows (see below) which was a not dissimilar price (I think it came in at £175 with import duties etc). It's more than adequate for learning how to do it and would be perfectly good for professional gigs until you were able to upgrade (I woudl not know the difference between good and great at this stage anyway). Carbon fiber bows are generally getting a good press in terms of comparisons with similarly priced wooden bows. Wood is where the purists tend to go but, for us learners, I say go for the Thomann or something like this. I am sure it will get you started.

http://www.stringemporium.com/carbon-fiber-upright-bass-bows.htm

[fatgoogle]

The finale is supposed to be really good. Google Jason Heath and finale and a video will come up were he comes th finale to his $3500 bow. Mind he has the most annoying voice in the world.

I have a yita music carbon fiber bow off ebay. Nice bow to get going with and about £100. Its gathering dust now as i upgraded but im going to keep as its a light and quick and good as a back up or for cramped little folk gigs if i ever need to bring a bow.

[benthos]

Thankyou, Bilbo and fatgoogle.

Food for thought there and I have to agree both that the Finale sounds like great 'bang for buck' and the timbre of Jason's voice is quite a different thing to his arco

[stingrayPete1977]

I have a yita bow too, it's quite pretty but I'm terrible at using it

[benthos]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1377087577' post='2183152']
I have a yita bow too, it's quite pretty but I'm terrible at using it
[/quote]
I have absolute confidence that this will be my situation, too.

Challenge 1 will be generating any sort of coherent noise using the bow. I expect Challenge 2 will be to correct the revealed flaws in intonation I have carefully embedded

[stingrayPete1977]

Oh no dont worry you have ages yet to work out how tight to have the hairs and how much rosin to put on it and which rosin to use! Then and only then will you be able to begin your journey with the misery stick

[FLoydElgar]

Bass lessons!

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='FLoydElgar' timestamp='1377127302' post='2183866']
Bass lessons!
[/quote]
Struggling to find anyone local at all

[mtroun]

Tom Martin? Worth a 2 hour drive I reckon!

[Apprenti L'Artisan]

Where you based pete? I know of quite a few teachers, and can find out if there's any local to you if you want.

[stingrayPete1977]

Thanks, I'm near Stafford and don't mind a little drive.

[chrkelly]

I have a Finale & it's a great bow for the money. Handles really well & gets the string moving instantly. I've used it on many professional gigs. It sounds a bit cold compared my main bow but that one's worth about 3 grand. I've tried a couple of people's Yita bows and didn't like them at all. No experience with the ones from Thomann I'm afraid.