Nice tips! Especially about curve and balance. It helped me a lot to understand some struggles of mine and it will be my reference when I actually begin to play enough to realize the need of a better bow. Thank you, Ms. Sparrow!

Such a useful video! I am a cellist but almost all of these tips go for cello bows as well. Thanks for making the video

Very helpful! Thank you!

I'm buying my daughter her first bow (she's using my fist violin) and when I was a student and it was time for me to make the decision on my full size violin / bow my teacher had me choose blind. She played each violin and bow in different combinations until I picked my favorite of each them,then I played them. She wanted me to pick my set based in sound and feel rather than look or lable. And it was a very special experience and I have a special 💓 love for my violin and bow! Thanks for the video it has great information 👍

Perfect! I was looking for a bow but had no idea how to get one

Very helpful. Thank you.

Thanks for the updated version version of this, as well as everything you've done here over the years :3

Wow good video, it’s good to know that I should kinda just keep my cheap bow until I get better at the violin.

Very helpful indeed! Packs all the necessary information in the best possible way. Gonna re-watch this tomorrow just before I buy a new bow.

Thank you for freely providing these videos. Very timely for me.

Thank you so much, I'm looking for a new bow and this video is absolutely helpful

I'm going to a music shop this weekend to find a better bow. Thank you Alison!

Wow, Allison...You look marvelous!!!

Hello Alison - 12:50 That bow you described is one similar to the one that came with my $39 (US) violin set I purchased on Amazon in October of 2017. Along with the violin and bow, it came with the case, an extra set of standard issue steel strings, chromatic digital tuner, and a small cake of rosin. I play that cheap violin on average of twice a week for at least two hours at a time. The violin astonishingly stays in tune, and I have had absolutely no problem with the bow. The balance and weight and the feel of the bow works for me. I guess one person’s “piece of trash” is another person’s workable bow. 😉 However, in all fairness to you, you did give a disclaimer when you said, “But at the end of the day, the decision is yours. And folks this is exactly why I can’t tell you which bow to choose.” BTW: When I’m not playing that cheap violin…it does double duty as a decorative wall hanger. 😊 ♫ 🎻

This video was so helpful! Thank you, I learnt loads

Thank you so much !!! Your videos are super helpful

Great advice! The chance to take a few home to try enables you to switch back and forth every minute or so until you find there's one you want to keep playing with. Don't neglect looking at older bows, too. Sometimes it's possible to get a better bow for less money this way. (Also, where they are made is not particularly important; there are craftsmen and hacks everywhere.)

Perfect timing! This has been a great help! Thank you

Great

Thank you Alison, very helpful and great info!

Was getting ready to ask. But ran into this video. Let me take a listen

Great information, Allison.

This was very helpful, Thank you!

Your videos are very helpful!! 👍🙏 Thank you

Thank you for your video. As per pernambuco bows, could I know if they are made from pernambuco or not? Thank you.

Do you have any thoughts on using a 3/4 bow with a full size instrument? I am 5’5” and realize a full size bow is normal for me. I am mostly a beginner still. The full size simply causes me more aches to try to get to the tip and is a little harder to control.

Yes, it is a long video; however, the information is very helpful, thanks.

Hai, could you please make a video on setting up a violin bridge? please elaborate the bridge position, gap between strings, etc...

Good stuff, thanks again! G.

Thank you allison after i saw this video i found i have to go to buy pernambuco bow instead of fiber carbon one special that are both is the same price

In my early teens I bought a horrible guitar with 13 mm string height, because it was blue. It hindered my progress magnificantly and long term. Lesson learned. Currently I am choosing a bow. I have an 18th century Italian viola d'amore which was made from 16th treble viol, also Italian. Good luck, to myself, at that.

Thank you for an interesting and useful video. However, I have 2 questions, if you don't mind: Surely the laws of Physics says that if we hold the bow horizontal at the frog then it will fall down because of the weight of the bow due to the length of the bow? This leads into the 2nd question: Whilst I think it was a good idea to show us an example of a "bad" bow, wouldn't it have been a good idea to show us your "good" bow. I bought my 1st bow (pernambuco, 62grammes, centre of gravity 256mm) 5 years ago by the "eanie, meanie, minie, mo" method. When I try holding it horizontally it nearly breaks my little finger! I really need to understand !!

I got a bow with a pawn shop violin which I believe is permabuco, and I think it's a cello bow. It's by far the sweetest bow I've ever played 😀 Other than the strange appearance of a cello bow playing violin, is there a reason not to use it?

14:31 WOW thats so cool

Can you tell me what are differences between mendini 200 vs 300 vs 400. I saw your reviews and still dont know. I would like to buy my 1st violin. I am completely beginner. Can you help?

Would you recommend buying kinda cheap bows vs getting rehairs done on a quality bow? I live in a very rural area and unfortunately don’t have access to violin shops without driving for hours. I’m debating for a future plan whether to buy a really good bow or just fairly cheap ones and just replace once the hairs get in bad shape. I’m a beginner so don’t have a reference of quality bows and the ones I have are still new. One came with the outfit and the other is a carbon fiber one with synthetic hair (please don’t throw tomatoes 🍅, I got it just for giggles and it seems to sound decent for now.)

What about sandalwood? I seen on Fiddlershop they have sandalwood bows and I can't seem to find much about them.

Hi, I would like some opinion, my violin bow (hair) loosen while playing/practice for an hour or so, is this something normal?

I have the bow my acoustic/electric violin came with and a carbon fiber bow I bought off eBay for around $40. I might get a third one that's less than $100; I am not wealthy.

Until a bit of research, I thought you could easily replace a bow's hair like changing a string but apparently not.

I have a 4/4 Mendini 300 violin and bow, the violin is okay for student grade, but I think there's something wrong with the bow. When I tighten it, the hairs touch the middle of the wood instead of being a few inches away from it. Some of the hairs have snapped, even though I've stored it in the case and made sure to loosen it before putting it back. Do you think I just have a low quality violin?

Alison can the background music it’s distracting and not necessary!🙏

👍

u r amazing ... make more anime songs plz ^^

How should I really buy my violin if my bow is so horrible?? I have this problem though my bow and violin both are really cheap and not really good so I want to upgrade, but I never understood how I can buy my new violin while my bow it terribly bad.....

❤❤

Hi I am an adult beginner and I would like to give some constructive feedback. It's great that you put out teaching video's but I would appreciate you get to the point quicker :) This video is 21 minutes and that's very long. Or maybe divide your video in a few things we have to pay attention to. Thank you 🙏 😊

It would be helpful if everyone didn't stray off into inobtanium. I would say that an inexpensive carbon fiber bow would be better than an inexpensive brazilwood bow, but there are probably exceptions.

We have violin class

Music stores everywhere appreciate the do not practice there disclaimer