Material Choices for Bows:

• Brazilian Pernambuco Wood Bows: A very dense, yet elastic wood, is preferred for all high quality bows.

• Brazil-Wood Bows: Also a very dense, Brazilian wood, is used mainly for better student bows.

• Various hardwoods of European or Asian origin: Such woods are used mainly for mass-production of very low prized, but usually useless objects looking from a distance like bows.

• Fiberglass Bows: Very durable and affordable. If fitted with horse hair, they are used by many school systems and entry-level teaching. They are far better than the hardwood bows mentioned above, but tend to be slightly heavy.

• Composite/Carbon Bows: Fairly new on the market, but gaining popularity because of higher quality than fiberglass bows, but still available at relatively low prices.

• Graphite Fiber Bows: The ultimate bows for discerning artists. Made by artisans in many places by marrying traditional bow-making techniques with high-tech material sciences. Extraordinary high quality bows result and are now made without dependency on rapidly shrinking pernambuco wood supplies. Available and affordable!

• Bows for Folk Instruments: Kemenche, Rebec, Vielle, Bowed-Psaltery, and other specialty bows are made of various traditional materials.


All bows offered by us are fitted with genuine horse hair, except for kemenche bows, which are available with nylon hair, or custom-fitted with horse hair.