# violin bow



## Hazel

How hard is it to re-string a bow? Or, is it "re-hair" a bow? Whichever, how difficult is it?

Thanks.


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## Polednice

I believe it is actually impossible. The finest minds at CERN haven't cracked it anyway.


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## Ukko

Hazel said:


> How hard is it to re-string a bow? Or, is it "re-hair" a bow? Whichever, how difficult is it?
> 
> Thanks.


OK, are you ready for this _Hazel_?

...

It's relatively easy, if the horse will stand still.

:tiphat:


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## Hazel

Hilltroll72 said:


> OK, are you ready for this _Hazel_?
> 
> ...
> 
> It's relatively easy, if the horse will stand still.
> 
> :tiphat:


How about a Missouri Mule? They stand still because they are too lazy to move. :lol:


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## Ukko

Hazel said:


> How about a Missouri Mule? They stand still because they are too lazy to move. :lol:


It's odd to see a Missourian malign the Missouri Mule. It isn't that they are lazy, they just don't see what the rush is with that wagonload of borax.


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## Hazel

Hilltroll72 said:


> It's odd to see a Missourian malign the Missouri Mule. It isn't that they are lazy, they just don't see what the rush is with that wagonload of borax.


In other words, typical Missourian - "What's the big rush? Slow down and breathe a bit."

Back to the bow, though. How hard is it to repair one? A friend needs to know. She thinks it needs to be re-strung and someone told her it is cheaper to just buy a new one. That might be, depending on what new ones are made of.


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## Ukko

Hazel said:


> In other words, typical Missourian - "What's the big rush? Slow down and breathe a bit."
> 
> Back to the bow, though. How hard is it to repair one? A friend needs to know. She thinks it needs to be re-strung and someone told her it is cheaper to just buy a new one. That might be, depending on what new ones are made of.


Well, it ain't like I know anything about it, but I suspect you need a jig. the hair is under tension in the finished bow, so you need something that holds the bow, ah, unbent. I'm also guessing the the hair length needs to be all the same, and fairly precise. Color probably doesn't matter though - you can mix Palomino and chestnut.

Please, no effusive thanks.


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## Delicious Manager

Re-hairing a bow is part of general maintenance and becomes necessary when the hair loses its frictional properties. The frequency that a bow needs to be re-haired is directly related to the amount it is used. Some professionals will need 3-4 re-hairs per year. This is NOT something you can do yourself, but is a relatively cheap job to have done by a violin repairer or luthier.


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## Hazel

Hilltroll72 said:


> Well, it ain't like I know anything about it, but I suspect you need a jig. the hair is under tension in the finished bow, so you need something that holds the bow, ah, unbent. I'm also guessing the the hair length needs to be all the same, and fairly precise. Color probably doesn't matter though - you can mix Palomino and chestnut.
> 
> Please, no effusive thanks.


The hair doesn't stay under tension. That much I know. The player puts it under tension when he is going to play. Whether or not he leaves it that way depends on a lot of things. There are times and reasons that the tension will be released while the bow is not being used.

That's the end of my knowledge from my childhood experience. The rest I'd guess at. I am guessing the bow wood would have to be a bit flexible but not too much. I dread the day someone tells me the bow is now made of plastic. Isn't everything? :-(

I didn't mean the question to get so complicated. I was hoping there was a violin player here who would know. Maybe I can find a violin maker in St Louis and see what he says. Thanks much.


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## Hazel

Delicious Manager said:


> Re-hairing a bow is part of general maintenance and becomes necessary when the hair loses its frictional properties. The frequency that a bow needs to be re-haired is directly related to the amount it is used. Some professionals will need 3-4 re-hairs per year. This is NOT something you can do yourself, but is a relatively cheap job to have done by a violin repairer or luthier.


Oh, thank you. I didn't see your reply. That is good news for my friend. Not too expensive. The entire (inherited) violin is going to need work. So, fixing the bow is only a small part of it. Thanks again.


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## Polednice

Hazel said:


> Back to the bow, though. How hard is it to repair one? A friend needs to know.


Sure, your 'friend', eh? ...


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## Hazel

Polednice said:


> Sure, your 'friend', eh? ...


True.  Actually, she is quite excited and I am excited for her. It was her father's violin. He received it from his uncle when he was a child and it was used then. So, it is quite old and has not had good care over the years. She wants to get it fixed up. She has dreams of playing it. I wish her luck.

As for me, I gave up violin many years ago. A beautiful instrument and I did enjoy playing it but I cannot any more.

Just reminiscing.


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## Lunasong

^^I'm excited for your friend as well. Is this related to your old violin thread?

I have two old violins from both sides of the family: One is by Robert Glier of Cincinnati, OH dated 1885 and one is a beautiful Hardanger fiddle (Norway) dated 1882. The signature on this one is so ornate I can't read it.


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## Hazel

Lunasong said:


> ^^I'm excited for your friend as well. Is this related to your old violin thread?
> 
> I have two old violins from both sides of the family: One is by Robert Glier of Cincinnati, OH dated 1885 and one is a beautiful Hardanger fiddle (Norway) dated 1882. The signature on this one is so ornate I can't read it.


No, but I always get excited about violins. My friend's violin had been on a top shelf in a closet for some four years while she was overseas. I don't know where it was before that when her mother had it but, suffice to say, it wasn't being taken care of. Just up there atop other "stuff". My friend finally got it out a week or two ago and made all these discoveries about it. We are hoping it can be restored.

And speaking of same, last Friday I was in an antique shop in Clarksville (north of St Louis) and saw an ancient violin for sale. I forget the maker but it was made in Germany. Only $150. Such a temptation. It was in about the same shape - no bridge, no E string, one make-shift tuning peg and a bow that looked like the cat had been at it. But the basic violin looked fine.

Please tell me. If the wood is in good conditon or can be refurbished, isn't the instrument worth saving? That's what I tell my friend. If the wood is still in good condition and the body of the violin hasn't come apart, she has something worth fixing and taking care of. Yes?


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## Lunasong

I am no expert on this, but the best place to start is to have the violin appraised by a luthier to assess its condition and what will be needed to get it back into playing condition. This includes not only replacement of missing parts, but set-up. This link gives some basic info refurbishing older violins.

I forgot to mention above, and this puts the post more on-topic, that the bow itself can be valuable. Unfortunately, when I was getting the Hardanger fiddle ready for display, I did not think the bow was in good condition and I discarded it. Later when getting it appraised, I was told an original bow adds to the value of the instrument.
For those who don't know what a Hardanger fiddle is (_hardingfele)_:








The extra pegs are for drone strings which run under the fingerboard.








The back is also ornately decorated with rosing. The fingerboard and tailpiece are inlaid with mother-of-pearl and the scroll is usually carved into a dragon or lion.

Here's a link about a Robert Glier instrument appraised on _Antiques Roadshow_ that underscores the potential value of the bow.


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## Hazel

Lunasong said:


> I am no expert on this, but the best place to start is to have the violin appraised by a luthier to assess its condition and what will be needed to get it back into playing condition. This includes not only replacement of missing parts, but set-up. This link gives some basic info refurbishing older violins.
> 
> I forgot to mention above, and this puts the post more on-topic, that the bow itself can be valuable. Unfortunately, when I was getting the Hardanger fiddle ready for display, I did not think the bow was in good condition and I discarded it. Later when getting it appraised, I was told an original bow adds to the value of the instrument.
> For those who don't know what a Hardanger fiddle is (_hardingfele)_:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The extra pegs are for drone strings which run under the fingerboard.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The back is also ornately decorated with rosing. The fingerboard and tailpiece are inlaid with mother-of-pearl and the scroll is usually carved into a dragon or lion.
> 
> Here's a link about a Robert Glier instrument appraised on _Antiques Roadshow_ that underscores the potential value of the bow.


Thank you. That is interesting. I didn't know about those drone strings. Hazel


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## Lunasong

^^ The drone strings are more correctly identified as "sympathetic resonation" as they are not actually played.


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## Hazel

Lunasong said:


> ^^ The drone strings are more correctly identified as "sympathetic resonation" as they are not actually played.


Yes, I learned that in my reading. It's an interesting concept, isn't it? I try to imagine it happening.


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## hawk

Lunasong said:


> I am no expert on this, but the best place to start is to have the violin appraised by a luthier to assess its condition and what will be needed to get it back into playing condition. This includes not only replacement of missing parts, but set-up. This link gives some basic info refurbishing older violins.
> 
> I forgot to mention above, and this puts the post more on-topic, that the bow itself can be valuable. Unfortunately, when I was getting the Hardanger fiddle ready for display, I did not think the bow was in good condition and I discarded it. Later when getting it appraised, I was told an original bow adds to the value of the instrument.
> For those who don't know what a Hardanger fiddle is (_hardingfele)_:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The extra pegs are for drone strings which run under the fingerboard.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The back is also ornately decorated with rosing. The fingerboard and tailpiece are inlaid with mother-of-pearl and the scroll is usually carved into a dragon or lion.
> 
> Here's a link about a Robert Glier instrument appraised on _Antiques Roadshow_ that underscores the potential value of the bow.


I have no knowledge of bow's so I can't offer any help. I just want to comment on how beautiful this instrument is. Is the one in your post a historical one? Thanks for sharing it!


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## Lunasong

^^Thank you for your interest, Hawk. The one pictured in my post is not mine, but mine is very similar in appearance. It was my grandfather's and, as he emigrated from Norway to US approx 1920, it may have been his father's. It is dated 1882.


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## Vaneyes

For those interested, a bowmaker documentary.


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