Ibanez upswing UB804

[JimmyN2]

Hi, my band members are wondering when I’m getting a bow for this brilliant bass. Not sure why I’d want one as it’s a swing jazz band. 

Having done a little research it seem I have a choice - French or German style bows, or resist buying one altogether.

Has anyone else git experience with this Bass and which bow?

Jimmy 

 

[Beer of the Bass]

I play German bow, purely because there was one with the bass I borrowed as a teenager and I've stuck with it. It seems classical players in the UK most often play French bow, but a jazz player doing the old "last note of a ballad" arco or practicing with the bow for intonation might go either way.

[tinyd]

One thing to note is that German bow technique tends to involve a straighter arm and I'm not sure how that might affect its use with the shorter scale on the Ibanez. In one of the official videos on their site it's being played with a German bow and the contact with the strings is very close to the bridge but maybe that's fine. Just something to be aware of...

[JimmyN2]

On 27/08/2020 at 10:22, Beer of the Bass said:

I play German bow, purely because there was one with the bass I borrowed as a teenager and I've stuck with it. It seems classical players in the UK most often play French bow, but a jazz player doing the old "last note of a ballad" arco or practicing with the bow for intonation might go either way.

Thanks for that. 

[JimmyN2]

I have been to the local violin etc. shop and took both on a week’s trial.  I’ve watched  the official Ibanez video and also a video on how to hold them.
We’ll see after a few days !!  I remember our oldest daughter trying a violin when at school (nearly 40 yrs ago) and the cat jumped up at her because of the squeaky sound 🤣. Hmmm !!

[knirirr]

On 27/08/2020 at 10:22, Beer of the Bass said:

I play German bow, purely because there was one with the bass I borrowed as a teenager and I've stuck with it. It seems classical players in the UK most often play French bow, but a jazz player doing the old "last note of a ballad" arco or practicing with the bow for intonation might go either way.

As such a player, I did indeed go the other way.
The French bow seemed more fatiguing on the hand and it was uncomfortable to use for a longer practice session; no such problem with the German. The hair on the Thomann £50 German bow isn't great but it works well enough for the purposes mentioned above.

[JimmyN2]

I’ve returned the 2 bows to the shop, a bit too pricey for me, and ordered  a £51 bow with German frog from Thomann.  I found that the two types were more or less equal in my hands but the German style has a deeper frog which means it hangs off the back of the Bass’s stand and quicker to grab. Win, win.