Best violin bows are as important as a violin to play the best possible tune with the instrument. Every serious violinist prefers to have a set of good violin bows. A good violin bow is a must, otherwise a scratchy, fizzled out will generate bad quality sound.
If you are a beginner or your bow is broken or are thinking of having another bow for your set, you must look out for the ones that fulfils the criteria of good violin bow. Let’s delve into the topic, understand what is a violin bow, some of the best violin bows, and buying guide for choosing the correct and most suitable violin bow for yourself.
What is a Violin Bow?
A bow is a stick that is made of high-quality material for a durable and responsive playing of the violin or the other string instruments from the violin family. This tensioned bow stick has hair which is usually horse hair and is coated in rosin. The other materials used on the bow other than the specially shaped stick, forms a ribbon that is stretched between the two ends of the stick. That stretched part is used for stroking the strings to generate a sound.
How to Evaluate a Good Violin Bow? – To evaluate whether the bow is good for you or not, you must play a violin using that bow, it is said that a right bow will always encourage you to play more. This is because of the most suitable bow weight, balance and size. These factors differ from individual to individual. Hence, it is recommended to consider the most suitable one after using it once for playing the instrument.
Also Read: Best Violin for Beginners
5 Best Violin Bows Reviews
Choosing a violin bow can be simpler on the online front as well when there a several positive reviews about it and the ones that are suitable for all. Here, we have sort some of the best violin bows considering our own usage and the positive reviews we received from our readers.
1. Fiddlerman Carbon Fiber Violin Bow
Budget-friendly, light-weight and easy to handle are the top features of this violin bow. It is suitable for beginners as it has a good bounce and is well balanced at an affordable price.
The Fiddlerman bow is handmade carbon fiber material 4/4 bow with a nice arch for a good bounce. It is an embellished copper mounted bow with genuine ebony frog. It is made of Mongolian horsehair for a greater quality sound. The weight of this bow is around 60 grams which makes it easier to hold and play.
Pros:
- Good Bounce and Balance
- Easy to Handle
- Value for Money
- Carbon Fiber Material
Cons:
- Not of a Very High-Quality
2. CodaBow Diamond GX Carbon Fiber 4/4 Violin Bow
Beginners as well as professional friendly, this CodaBow’s product has medium weight, stylish look, powerful sound, subtle and resonate notes making it the right violin bow.
The Codabow Diamond GX Carbon Fiber violin bow is a master crafted bow that has a fine performance with high quality sound as it is made from carbon graphite. The company offers a lifetime warranty when you purchase it anew from one of their authorized dealers.
The product’s carbon fiber along with the Kevlar acoustic core, produces a robust and warm tone. This handcrafted product has a sleek diamond finish for expressive playing and high response.
Pros:
- Handcrafted Masterpiece
- Lifetime Warranty from the Seller
- Warm and Powerful Sound
- Projects Well
Cons:
- Expensive Specifically for Beginners
- It is Less Delicate
3. D Z Strad J.B. Vuillaume Violin Bow
Purchasing a product from a well-known, trustworthy brand is always superior then buying it from a completely unknown brand. D Z Strad brand is known for delivering good violin bows with incredible durability.
This Strad violin bow is a luxurious bow in terms of pricing, its stylish looks, weight and balance. The D Z Strad’s J.B. Vuillaume bow is known for the smooth sound it produces. The transition between the strings is seamless with this product. It weighs around 64 grams.
Pros:
- Luxurious Violin Bow
- Light-Weight and Easy to Handle
- Smooth Sound
- Incredibly Well-Balanced Stylish Looks
Cons:
- Expensive Bow
4. VINGOBOW Wood and Carbon Fiber Violin Bow
Vingobow is a brand that found an alternative material for white Mongolian horsehair, which is black horsehair. This reduces the expensiveness of the bow keeping the quality as priority.
The black Mongolian horsehair may look strange to some people but this is a revolutionary alternative to cut cost and maintain the product’s quality. This bow is more suitable to fiddliest than that of a violinist.
This is because the bow has great bounce stability which is required for a fiddle.
Pros:
- Light-Weight Product – 60 grams
- Well-Crafted and Well-Balanced
- Amazing Transitions Between the Strings
- Incredible Volume Production
Cons:
- Less Durable for Long-Term
- More Suitable for Fiddliest than Violinist
5. CodaBow Prodigy Carbon Fiber Violin Bow
Looking for a rich, broad sound for a mid-ranged pricing? Then CodaBow Prodigy carbon fiber violin bow is the answer to it.
The product is made from copper mounted ebony frog, carbon fiber, and Siberian horsehair. It produces clear and strong sound with its stiff bows. The bows are stiff but not very stiff that cannot be controlled.
Pros:
- Broad and Rich Sound
- Value for Money
- Easy to Play
- Budget-Friendly
Cons:
- Sometimes it Misses Subtlety
- It Misses High-Frequency Overtones
Also Read: Parts of a Violin: Anatomy and How Violin Works
Best Violin Bows Buying Guide
The 5 violin bows are the best in the market as per our research, use and reviews. You can choose the ones most suitable for yourself as per your requirements. For making it easier, here’s the entire buying guide for purchasing a violin bow.
How it Sounds
Sound is the primary feature you must look for while choosing a violin bow for yourself. There is no single bow absolutely correct for everyone. This is because some people might be looking for powerful sound, some might look out for smooth sound and some might look for both. So, as per your sound preferences, you can select a suitable bow for yourself.
How it Feels
The violin bow’s weight, softness in playing, holding are aspects that one must look for when understanding how the bow feels. An average violin bow weighs are 60 grams, more or less around that weight. The bow’s playing stiffness or softness is also a factor of choice when it comes to selecting the correct one.
A very stiff bow may give a tough time to play while a smooth bow will make the handling easier. The bows that are too bouncy or heavy might give a tough time in playing the violin bow due to the difficulty in handling the bow. Hence, correct bouncy, soft and light-weighted bow should be one of the basic requirements.
Types of Violin Bow Materials
A violin bow can be made of different material like carbon fiber, wood or other composite materials. There are even hybrid bows that are made of two different materials like wood and carbon fiber mixed. Carbon fiber material is the most recommended for its durability and grip. Better price, more manageable, temperature adjustability is some of the features that carbon fiber material bows have.
Also Read: Violin vs Viola: Similarities and Differences
Conclusion
With a clear understanding about the violin bow, the best ones in the market and the buying guide, this article must have helped you in choosing the most suitable bow for yourself or your kid. Do look for how you want your instrument to sound, how it feels and what type of bow material is suitable to you and select the one from the list.