Your cart is empty.
Your cart is empty.4/4 Violin Carbon fiber bow, white hair, ebony frog
Susan Call Hutchison
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2018
I wanted to try a carbon fiber bow - and this was the Amazon Choice recommendation, and cost a bit less than the one I had my eye on. I'm glad I purchased it, and I use it fairly often, but not as often as my slightly lighter Brazilwood bows. The hair on this Crescent bow is course, and rather kinky. And there is a lot of it. So I removed (cut out) a lot of the kinkier strands, and used a dark rosin, and it works pretty well as a grippy fiddle bow. But for some reason, I get a whistle from it on my higher strings that I don't get when I use my older bows. Not sure if it's the extra weight I haven't adjusted to yet, or if this bow is still in the process of getting well-rosined. I'm curious if I would have had the same issues with the higher-priced carbon fiber bow. I may have to get one, to be able to compare.
DavidXJ
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2017
I have had no issues with this bow yet. Here are my reactions (I am a 42 year old, intermediate player... good musical talent with poor work ethic):For 30 bucks, I was willing to risk that this would be crap. I don't have a lot of money and didn't have a backup bow for playing weddings or church services. This bow was not as bad as I expected.Quality: Yes, it's just a little less "precise" than the $600 bow I own that I have had for 25 years. By precise I mean the fit and finish. It's a very subtle difference, but it's there. Nothing that an experienced player would be able to notice unless they picked it up. Some reviewers had the tip let go of the hair, and yes, that white piece that holds it on seems a bit thinner than my expensive bow.Performance: One other reviewer hit the nail on the head... this bow is not quite as bright. BUT... therefore it is more forgiving. Because I'm not completely professional and don't practice very often, I don't always have the bow control I would like in order to make things sound as smooth and mellow as I'd like. Because of this, I find myself grabbing this bow when I want to play slow, dreamy sounding pieces because it helps mellow out any squeaks or bobbles. But if I want a fast, loud, upbeat sounding song (especially fiddle), I reach for my older, higher priced bow because this one is just a little bit less "lively."Still, the difference is so subtle that I bet you could find a high-priced bow that has a less "lively" feel also. When I used to take lessons, my teacher often had me try different bows to see what I might prefer... some were heavy, some were lighter, some were bouncier, some were more mellow. So I wouldn't let a slightly different feel stop you from buying a bow that performs plenty well for such a low price.Besides, I have a friend who had a $300 bow and the tip/hair piece popped off, just like in some of these reviews, right before he was supposed to perform and he didn't have a backup. In fact, that is EXACTLY what prompted me to take the risk and buy this as a perfectly acceptable backup bow. If you don't have a backup bow and you also don't have a lot of money like me, you should get this bow.Another note: Because this thing is carbon fiber, it adjusts tension a lot differently than my wood one. A couple of cranks and it goes from very loose to plenty tight. A nice side effect of being carbon fiber... it tends to be less finicky with the temperature. The tension I set it on is the tension it stays throughout a performance.
Lindsey Wasco
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2017
Not "100% as pictured." Grip is not as pictured - it is essentially a cheap rubber grip like you would find on a pen, even on the metal portion in the picture. I'll have to weigh it to see if there is honesty, but seems rather heavy as well. Not that I was expecting frills for $30, but I expect honesty...
Deb A.
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2017
I got this bow about six years ago. I played violin and viola many years ago and had decided to take up violin again. A shoulder injury got in the way of practicing, and then a neurological disorder kicked in (hey, I'm 73--stuff happens). In the last couple of months I've experienced improvements in arms and hands I am thrilled with, so hauled out the violin again. Without getting too clinical, the neurological problem means I don't always have exquisite control, especially given the protracted practicing hiatus. I reached first for my pernambuco bow. OMG, the sound was too reminiscent of grade school days! Then I took hold of this bow, and wonder of wonders, the sound was musical! One of the reviews I read said that this bow doesn't translate every little muscle movement into sound. I can confirm that! I am so pleased that I can enjoy playing again, though still possessed of a bit of neurological instability.
Customer
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2016
I bought this to be a rugged bow to go with an electric violin, itself purchased for travel/durability. I purchased this bow, and another (), and of the two of them, I vastly prefer this one. It is light, durable, and plays smoothly. I particularly like the combination with my , it is responsive and a bit on the bright side. It took some time to get enough rosin on it for it to play well. I have to say, I don't love the combination with my antique acoustic violin and much prefer my "real" bow with that fiddle, but for the price and the durability I would feel much more comfortable taking this one out of doors or, as the case may be, on the road. Honestly, the bow is cheap, you really can't go wrong.
Z.
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2016
I am a beginner - I am not sure if I could tell the difference between a good bow and an absolutely fabulous one. I can tell the difference between a pretty good bow and a not so good bow. This one is (at least) pretty good. I am very pleased and glad I didn't have my old bow restrung and to have purchased this one instead. I believe it get's sent directly from china - it took exactly a month to arrive. Tracking said after 6 days it was in nyc. then it took 3 weeks and 4 days for the remaining 200 miles. Packaging was unusual... it was bubble wrapped with a piece of vinyl pipe next to it for stiffness/protection... that worked well. I would absolutely recommend it!
Recommended Products
$60.08
$ 24 .99 $24.99
$48.95
$ 22 .99 $22.99