By Laurie Niles: Traditionally, bows have been made with wood - more specifically, the best ones tend to be make with a rare Brazilian wood called pernambuco. In recent years, this wood has become even more rare, and in fact it is endangered.
At the same time, carbon fiber bows - first introduced in the mid 20th century - have improved in quality and become much more commonplace.
![Carbon fiber bows]()
When it comes to bows for children's (fractional) violins, it's hard to argue with the price and durability of a carbon fiber bow. Plus - they do not put pressure on already endangered supplies of pernambuco wood.
Of course, not all carbon fiber bows are created equal - they range from absolutely beautifully balanced at the higher end, to a complete mess at the lower end.
My first reaction to carbon fiber bows was to reject the idea, but then I found a few carbon fiber bows that I liked very much. In addition to several wooden bows, I have two carbon fiber bows in my possession - a nice Coda bow that I use very frequently, and a generic carbon fiber bow that would probably make a better club.
Do you have a carbon fiber bow? And if you do, is it your primary bow? Secondary bow? Something that sits unused? If you don't have a carbon fiber bow, have you ever tried one, and would you ever consider using one? Please participate in the vote and then share your thoughts and experiences about carbon fiber bows.
Thank you to Susanna Klein for this idea for this week's vote! If you have an idea for the Weekend Vote, please e-mail Laurie! You might also like:
- High-End Composite Bows in a World of Endangered Trees
- Discussion: High Quality Carbon Fiber Bows?
- Baroque Bow Basics with Tafelmusik's Tricia Ahern
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