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Fiddleheads Violin Shop Testimonials & Feedback: Original Bow Reviews
Buy an Original Bow
[My Original] is my prized bow
I've owned a black Original Carbon nickel-mounted violin bow, medium, for several years. It is my prized bow and I prefer it to my other six pernambuco and synthetic bows ranging to $2000 in value.
It is the bow I play 90 percent of the time, and always when playing in public. Yes, I also like the fact I don't have to worry so much about its fragility.
I bought it in 2003. At the time, I compared it to Glasser fiberglass, Glasser composite, Codabow Conservatory, two Codabow Classics, a Musicary, an Original Carbon light 56.5 grams), and an Arcus Sonata.
Here are my original notes:
Original Carbon medium: 59 grams. Quick. Less bouncy than Codabow Conservatory. Fairly stiff, but not as stiff as the Glasser composite. Good dynamics.
Nice grittiness for fiddle tunes. Tracks really well. Great balance and handling. Bow is frog-heavy, which I like. A superb fiddling bow.
Thanks again for the great depth of information on your site, about your product lines and otherwise. It is way above average in that regard, and your pricing is also very competitive.
Your music samples of your playing are great and diverse. I'm a fiddler, and I like your upscale version of Growling Old Man...
- Keith, Lake Oswego, Oregon
Hi Rhi, I received the [Original] bow. I love it. thanks very much.
- Bob, Prince George, BC
The [Original] bow arrived the day after your message. It was definately the best of the carbon fibre bows Emily tried --the others were the Presto Impulse and CodaBow diamond GX--, and had a more focussed full sound than [an] old wood bow. Thanks!
- Ala, Winnipeg, MB
I received the Original bow yesterday. I took the time to try it. My first feeling about it is: excellent presentation, sound comparable to my very expensive $2500 bow, facility of playing greater than the Prism and my wood bow.
To be short: it's excellent and I am very happy about it. For now, it will be my primary bow. Thanks!
- Jean-Claude, Trois-Rivieres, QC
[The 3rd generation Original is] Quite similar, really, to the old [first generation] I have-- a good thing, except the new mountings are prettier, and the balance points are slightly different, both from each other and the one I have.
So I've given both bows a thorough workout, both by myself and with a band. The new [3rd generation] Original I find a very nice bow, and it pulls a sweeter tone on my fiddle than my [first generation] Original carbon. It handles very well despite being slightly heavier.
The extra weight and mid-range balance point (I measure it about 243 mm, excluding button with loose hair) allow me to do some things a bit better than with the old Original, so they'll provide a nice complement to each other. The elasticity of the sticks is very similar, just the right degree of stiffness for my taste.
I like the Original more than any of the Codabows I've tried, including the recent models. [Coda] seem to be quite the marketing juggernauts. Hats off to Kolasa [maker of the Original bow].
And thank you for the violin pin. My 21-yr-old daughter plays violin also, and I'm sure she'll enjoy having it.
Thanks again for your great service. The new bow and I are fast becoming friends.
UPDATE: I am enjoying the new Original, and it has been performing admirably. It seems to be losing hairs a bit faster than I like, but then I always go for top-quality rehairs. It's a fine bow.
- Keith, Oregon
"Original is Outstanding and Affordable Alternative to Expensive Wood Bows"
When I started learning the violin in 1999 I bought a German wood bow by G. Werner for a little more than US$400. It looked good: the camber seemed right and the inlaid fleur-de-lis on the frog looked antique and expensive. That little touch deceived me into thinking I was getting a quality bow.
Five years later I was struggling to learn sautille and my teacher suggested that I get a new bow. I looked at the prices for something a cut above and found it was going to cost me thousands. No way!
Recently another teacher allowed me to try a passage using her antique Hill bow, and I realized at once that my Werner bow was junk. Again, I was faced with an overwhelming expense.
By this time carbon fiber bows were becoming more accepted as replacements for expensive pernambuco wood bows, so I tried out the professional model "Original" bow.
Professional, yes, but it cost less than CAN$800.
Like the Hill bow, I found my high notes were much mellower where they had always been harsh with the Werner bow. Sautille is a breeze. It is astonishing how fast I can make it jump (if only my fingers would follow).
Looking down the back of the bow from frog to tip I can detect a slight bias towards the left in the middle, which is just right for maximizing spring and play. The tightened hair is shy of a centimeter from the wood and yet the hair never hits the wood, even when I dig in with a big sound on the G-string.
Finally, for years I've tried to solve the problem of my bow bouncing on long pianissimo notes, and with this new bow that is much reduced.
No question about it, the Original bow is outstanding and affordable.
Additional Note from Robert: Out of the blue this evening my teacher asked me to play the Massenet Meditation, and it went so well even though I hadn't practiced it for several weeks. The difference was in the bow. That last harmonic didn't wobble a bit.
- Robert Newton, Denman Island, British Columbia
I have not forgotten about sending a picture of me with the bow, and am attaching one now.
What or how to take a memorable picture though? So I took it to work with me along with my cheap electric violin for practicing in hotel rooms.
Not a very good picture of the Original bow I think. Maybe I should be pointing at something. FYI....this is the flight deck of one of Air Canada's Boeing 777's. Still love the bow!!!!
- Doug, Lindsay, ON
Professional Endorsements
"I customarily use a Pecatte and have access to a Tourte, so I was not really shopping for a bow. When I picked up the Tabary, however, I knew it was something special!
"Last month I was soloist in three concerts at the Hollywood Bowl, and played all on the Tabary. Next month I will use it for the Sibelius Concerto. It is perhaps the most comfortable, reliable, well-balanced bow I have ever played."
- Bruce Dukov - Soloist & Concertmaster, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
"I've been using the Tabary bow regularly in orchestra and it works great! I wouldn't use anything but a really comfortable bow for a Mozart symphony with our new music director, James Levine, conducting."