Bows

I have been making bows for over twenty years. I studied bow making in the French tradition with Lynn Armour Hannings (who has studied with Bill Salchow and Bernard Millant). All bows are hand-crafted by the French method from the highest quality materials available. I make bows for violin, viola, cello and bass (both French and German Styles).

All of my bow-sticks are made from Pernambuco. This is the finest wood to use for bows. Recently Brazil banned the export of pernambuco. All of my wood was purchased before the ban and is 100% legal. Please refer to the IPCI webpage for information on their pernambuco conservation efforts. The wood I use was cut in the 1940’s and 1970’s. It is exceptionally beautiful and straight-grained and makes bows with outstanding playing characteristics.

My frogs are usually made from ebony. I have a fine supply of Cambodian ebony that is very dense and black and makes for beautiful frogs. I will also make frogs from horn or mammoth tusk on request. Occasionally I will make cello frogs with mountain mohagony that I cut in New Mexico in the 1970’s. It looks very nice on cello bows, especially with gold trimmings. I generally use mammoth ivory for the tips and do all of the trimmings in Sterling silver or gold. Sometimes, in order to achieve the proper weight and balance, I will wrap the grip with colored silk thread or tinsel instead of silver wire.

I model my bows after the some of the greatest French makers. In 2000 I was fortunate enough to be able to go to the Cite de la Musique in Paris and take measurements and drawings from many of the fine bows in their collection. My favorite models for violin and viola are Sartory, Peccatte and Pajeot. I typically use a Peccatte or Voirin model for cello and Ouchard for the French Bass bow. I use a Pfretzschner model for the German bass bow.