Choices of String Bows

The Bow Stick

The most important part of a string bow is the stick. It can be made of wood or a synthetic material, most cheaper wooden bows use brazilwood; more expensive bows are made of pernambuco. Pernambuco is a harder, and slightly reddish type of wood. Pernambuco bows can last more than a hundred years and still play as well as they were new. Instead of wood, the stick may be made of synthetic material – carbon fiber or fiberglass, these bows are designed mainly for beginners as they are durable and don’t need much attention. The bow stick can be round or octagonal, some violinists fell that an octagonal stick makes a bow play better, as they may be a little stiffer or more stable than round sticks, especially to those beginner players.