Choosing a good bow does not require trying it in a concert. A few assessments can be made comfortably at home. In particular, we recommend testing grip at the tip under the most demanding conditions:
- Pianissimo
- At the tip, using the final 4 cm
- On an open string, without vibrato, which helps the string begin to sound
- On the fourth string, the hardest to set vibrating
- Near the bridge, where only bows made from excellent material perform well
It is often assumed that a bow with a heavy head grips the string well near the tip. This is entirely mistaken: some bows are very light at the tip and have wonderful grip, while others are heavy and lack it.
If we test grip along the entire bow, we find that contact is fairly easy to achieve at the heel because it is so close to the hand.
As we move away from the heel, we can feel the bow’s characteristics more clearly. Towards the middle, the quality of the wood, the taper of the stick and the type of camber all come into play. At the middle we therefore experience the combined result of these components.
At the tip, these components become even more important. The entire stick, its full camber and all its graduations are put under strain. Any imperfections therefore reveal more weaknesses than when playing in other parts of the bow.
When testing all five conditions above together, listen for grip on the string rather than tone quality. Only a bow with good wood, a perfect camber, appropriate stick graduations and good horsehair can provide better grip.
An experienced specialist can recognise these parameters simply by examining a bow. Musicians, however, are often attracted to features that do not determine its quality, such as the colour of the wood or hair, the mounting and other details.
It is essential to tension the hair as the bow requires. While playing, the stick must not touch the hair, but the gap must not be excessive either, as this would distort the qualities of both bow and sound.
These brief guidelines help musicians establish whether a bow can meet the high technical and acoustic standards required for their performances. Excellent grip at the tip means that the sound will carry, reflecting from the walls before returning to the performer as sound feedback.