Which is better, a carbon fiber or wood bow?
It’s a question I’ve received a lot, so…
Here are my thoughts!
As many of you may have noticed, I actually play both a carbon fiber and wood bow. While it’s essential to try out a bunch of bows at your local luthier to find what YOU personally enjoy playing, I think I can help point you in the right direction using my experience!
Carbon Fiber
While technology hasn’t really improved upon the perfection of violin design from the last few hundred years, it certainly has improved the quality of reasonably priced, high performing carbon fiber bows. You can usually find them for a few hundred dollars, and they play like many wooden bows 2-4x that price.
Because the material is synthetic, bow manufacturers can be really specific on the weighting and balance of these bows, making their quality extremely consistent. In contrast, different cuts of wood have different densities, so quality can be hit or miss in the low to mid price ranges.
But on top of playing fantastically, carbon fiber bows are practically indestructible and totally immune to the elements (temperature, humidity, water). Take it from someone who performs 90% outdoors, these bows can take some punishment unlike their wooden counterparts.
If I could only own one bow, a nice carbon fiber bow would be my choice. They play extremely well and will last a lifetime.
JonPaul and Coda are two brands that make really nice carbon fiber bows, but there are many others. Here’s my JonPaul Bravo:
Wooden (Pernambuco)
If you happen to have a sizable budget (at least $1000) and want something absolutely luxurious that can bring out the best in your violin, I recommend you play some wooden bows at your local shop and consider this big upgrade. The subtlety and nuance of a masterfully made wooden bow feels like a dream.
But make sure the wood type is pernambuco, which is a sturdy and dense, yet very flexible wood which the HIGHEST quality bows are made of.
But be warned, wood bows can be fragile to heat, humidity, accidental water damage, and warping (i.e. leaving your bow tightened for a long time so it loses its natural curve). Keep that in mind if you are set on buying a wooden bow and treat it with care!
Here’s my German Heiko Wunderlich bow, which plays like driving a Ferrari.
Choosing what’s right for YOU
You really can’t go wrong with either option as long as you enjoy playing it and the bow feels amazing in your hand. I’ve played hundreds and hundreds of bows, and I can tell you that there are amazing carbon fiber AND wood options spanning across price ranges. You just have to seek them out.
Make sure before you purchase a new bow to play it on YOUR violin to make sure you like the sound. And even if you’re not in the market for a new bow, head on over to your local shop sometime and try a bunch out, from cheap all the way to high end, just to feel the difference and get an idea of what you may want if you decide to change or upgrade in the future.
I hope my answer helps you guys out! Leave a comment below with your thoughts on violin bows and what kind of bow you play. I’d love to hear your opinions!
More answers to questions and updates coming soon!
When I got my current fiddle about 30 years ago, I also got a new bow from the same dealer. I asked to try a bunch of bows, without knowing the price, and was prepared to pay a lot. The dealer gave me a few to try, I found the one that I liked best, he gave me a few more, etc. When we found one that (we both agreed) sounded best, he told me that it was one of his cheapest bows, around $150 at the time. I joked a bit about how he should try to talk me into a more expensive bow, but he just grinned and said he preferred to have happy customers that would keep coming back. The bow was wood+horsehair, and I eventually did return for a fiberglass bow for outdoor use (festivals, Morris dances, whatever).
There really is no such things as a “best” bow; it depends on your taste and your instrument, which should all be matched. Price may have a little to do with violin quality, but not so much with bows, which can be really variable. This makes the choice difficult for novices, who should probably take along a friend or two who can give their opinions. When you know the music you like to play, you’ll probably want to do a bit of shopping to find the perfect bow for your instrument (and taste). That one may turn out to be expensive, but not necessarily.
(That dealer/repair guy died about a decade ago. A lot of fiddlers hereabouts miss him.)
Last August, after a fantastic week at Augusta’s Old Time Music Week in West Virgina, I came home determined to upgrade my fiberglass bow. My violin shop owner asked my price range and insisted I take three bows home to play on my violin where I practice which is in our quest room. It was a tough choice between the $500 pernambuco and the $300 carbon fiber. I chose the pernambuco. I probably would have been happy with either.
But the real surprise was how much more I enjoyed practicing – how much more I enjoyed playing my fiddle. It’s like what happens when you get new strings. I’ve decided that I will get new strings and rehair my bow at the same thus knocking my socks totally off.
I really enjoyed your blog. Comment, if you haven’t already, on strings.
Hi Dave!
Isn’t it great when you’re playing on quality equipment?? I feel like so many fiddlers get discouraged and quit because they have unforgiving equipment that would make even the best violinist frustrated. That’s why I’m such a huge advocate of renting something quality from a local shop instead of buying a $100 VSO.
That’s so awesome that you found a bow you love! You did exactly the right thing and tested out a few and made a great choice. I wonder how many people would have your increase in enjoyment if they upgraded to something with a little more quality?
As for strings – I get a lot of questions about them so I will definitely do a post/email on them soon! I’ve played them all and I have my favorites 🙂
Thanks for reading,
Jenny
Isn’t it the bow hair and type of rosin used on the bow hair, the important element in producing the best quality of sound (types of violin strings notwithstanding) from the violin?
While on the question of bows, do you prefer them to stung with horsehair or man made fibers?
Definitely good old horse hair! Just make sure you get it re-haired by an expert 🙂
I have access to 4 bows. I say access because three of them belong to my wife. My bow is a beginner carbon fiber. My wife has a John Paul Bravo carbon fiber and a Manoel Fransisco wooden bow. She also has a family heirloom bow that was made by some great uncle in Europe around 1910. He also made a violin which she has that I will get repaired soon. I prefer the wooden bow because I am a purist when it come to wood. I have in he past done a lot of woodworking an appreciate the time it takes to make a quality piece, whether it is furniture, a picture frame or a musical instrument and bow. I am too much of a beginner to notice a real difference in sound between the John Paul and Fransisco. Maybe be Christmas and my next birthday (December) I can figure out which I like beer and graduate from my beginner bow.
dumb speel check better = beer well that’s actually true!
Can’t decide on getting a new bow or a baritone sax! Or a clarinet! See how confused I am!
I’m still pretty much a novice, I can now make noise on the instrument that is a reasonable facsimile to music, versus two cats fighting. I have played good wooden bows and good carbon bows and I definitely prefer the carbon. The stick doesn’t warp and I think they have better balance.
Just a novice’s opinion
Agree with Les. Since I play mostly outdoors (Civil War events), my carbon bow is a good as the day I bought it.
To Jenny and readers. Just became aware of Runrig (Scottish Band) who played Loch Lomond. Fell in love with the song – took 3 minutes to learn it by ear. Really gets a crowd to stomp their feet, clap their hands and sing along! Give a listen on Youtube.
Jenny!
This is spectacular! I learned so much! I am not a string player, but there is a violin at home so, who knows? We met at the Maryland Renaissance Festival years ago. That was also where I first met our dear Jay.
I was enchanted then, and I remain enchanted by you, your playing, your composing and your bands. I hope to see you again this year if you play anywhere in the mid-Atlantic area. Else I’ll travel down to Texas this year to see you in your native habitat, or perhaps to California?
True, but embarrassing, fact: When I read your question about bows, I first thought you had taken up archery. I have longbows on the mind because the Maryland Renaissance Festival starts in a little more than a month.
I would love to see you play there again someday. Safe travels wherever you journey. Peace, love and joy to you, and always music. –Eric English
Wow thanks for these kind words. Haha, I have considered archery and it does use a lot of the same principles of relaxation that interest me about the violin. I’m down for adding to my life bows of all kinds! 🙂 See you down the road!
Dear Jenny, I would like to ask you a question. If you were playing on a Stradivarius violin, what bow would you choose to play with?
are you actually playing with a stradivarius? wow..
Jenny
i agree with you both material (carbon or permanbuc ) are top and it is interesting to have both and change from time to time.
i would made an analogy with cycling : carbon is now a standard to ride outdoor and there are different brands of carbon, different shapes of bows on the frame of bike. I never sell an old bike because i can compare and i am glad to ride again on the top bike.
In bike the top of frame is Titane but not any Titane ( “life speed” american titan is better than the other brands) and it is life guarantee…
in bike you can try, but it is important to have a shop where a real coach measure you to have the accurate bike fitting to your anatomy. it is as well pragmatic as scientific and anatomic.
That have i not still found in violin, nobody takes care of how you physically and anatomicaly manage ur playing.Maybe is due to my low level……
So i agree with you go by the Luthier like Harry potter went in the magic stick merchant and try the bow that fits to you and to your violin even if it is pragmatic but less scientific as choosing a bike;-)
When I had played a couple of years (I started at 40 ove 20 years ago) I happened to break the tip of my wooden bow and I got a Coda Conservatory insead. My then teacher believed I would have had to pay three times as much to get a wooden bow that played as well.
Last year I had to opportunity to test some of Coda’s new models GX and SX I think ,and took them to my “guru” and asked him to play them on MY violin and what d’you know my old conservatory actually sounded tbe best, but on somebody else’s violin one of the others were the better.
-but still nowhere near his 10 grand pernambuco bow of course.
Fine by me. I’d be scared stiff of breaking the tip of it anyway.
Blow tradition, at my level a carbonfiber bow gives me more value for my money for more years.
Or you can always buy a hybrid (carbon fiber bow wrapped in pernambuco wood) like I did. It cost less than $100 and I seriously couldn’t tell the difference between it and several all pernambuco wood bows costing between $200-$400. It doesn’t sound like a carbon fiber bow at all. It honestly sounds like it’s all pernambuco. Only weighs 59g and I don’t have to be super careful with it. Darned if I know how they get the wood on top of the carbon fiber, but it definitely makes a difference. I feel like I got the best of both worlds!