Many buyers put their whole budget into the violin and overlook the bow. Yet the bow has a large effect on tone and control, and deserves careful choosing.
Why the Bow Matters
The bow shapes how you produce sound — tone, dynamics, and the ease of techniques like legato, spiccato, and martelé all depend on it. The same violin can sound and feel quite different with different bows.
Stick Material: Three Types
- Pernambuco: the traditional fine bow wood, widely regarded as the best for elasticity and tone; expensive and limited in supply.
- Brazilwood: an entry-level wood bow, good value, suited to beginners.
- Carbon fiber: a modern material — stable, durable, and unaffected by humidity. Mid- to high-end carbon bows perform very well at good value, and have grown popular in recent years.
Weight and Balance
A violin bow weighs about 60 grams (a viola bow about 70, a cello bow about 80 — heavier down the family). But weight isn’t everything: the balance point matters more, as it shapes control. Try a bow in hand and choose one that feels easy, not top-heavy.
What to Check When Trying a Bow
- Straightness: sight down the stick from the frog to check it is straight.
- Elasticity: moderate spring is ideal — neither too soft nor too stiff.
- Bow strokes: test whether legato stays smooth and spiccato bounces back easily.
- Try it with your own violin: bow and violin work as a pair, so test with the instrument you’ll actually play.
Budget
A common rule of thumb is to budget roughly a quarter to a third of the violin’s price for the bow. When upgrading, a better bow is sometimes more rewarding than a new violin (as noted in our piece on when to upgrade your violin).
In Short
Don’t choose a bow on material and price alone — try it in hand, with your own violin, and feel the balance and bow strokes. The right bow lets your instrument give more.