restoring bow

[Michael Holden]

I have a pretty old bass bow I was able to get my hands on very cheap, the owner had no idea what it was so he sold it to me for $5. I've decided to restore it just cause I like the feel of it and the look of the finish. I was wondering if you could all help me discern what wood the bow is. And if you think I should replace the frog or not.
I'm going to put in a very nicely figured abalone slide in it, bone tip, and gold wiring.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/WhatsAHonda/IMG_1979.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/WhatsAHonda/IMG_1978.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/WhatsAHonda/IMG_1981.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/WhatsAHonda/IMG_1983.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/WhatsAHonda/IMG_1987.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/WhatsAHonda/IMG_1986.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/WhatsAHonda/IMG_1977.jpg

[Jim Gullen]

Hi Michael!

From the picture, it appears that the frog was machined. I say this as it looks as if the back side of the slide channel is rounded as well as the the mortise. The slide channel is no problem, but if the mortise is, in fact, oval rather than rectanglar, that should be corrected...it's makes rehairing much easier.

I spent mucho hours fixing oval mortises on student bows that I was learning to rehair this past summer.

Of course, if you decide to replace it, you don't care! :D

Best regards!

Jim

[Michael Holden]

Yea I need to fix the mortise.I was more curious about the type of wood the bow is. Maybe giving it a lighter finish?

[Bob Branstetter]

I notice that the frog ferrule does not appear in any of the photos. If you don't have the original, have you located a ferrule that fits that frog? Also - Have you looked into the price of gold wire for bow wrapping? The only times I can recall using gold wire was for the replacement of the windings on a pair of gold mounted tortoise shell bows. Needless to say, the owner of the bows kept the old gold wire. IMO, gold wrapping looks totally out of place unless the bow also sports a gold ferrule and gold bow screw. A gold bow tip is not uncommon on gold mounted bows.

[Michael Holden]

I do have the ferrule I'm replacing it though. The ferrule was on so tight it took 1 hour for me to take it off, which in turn had me scratch it. I've decided I'm just going to rehair it, replace it with quality parts, and just sell it for the cost of the parts I put into it. I think I'm just going build my personal bow from scratch.

[Bob Branstetter]

I think I'm just going build my personal bow from scratch.I tried that a coupe of times and the end result was bows that looked bad and played even worse. IMO, it takes far more skill to make a good bow than to make a violin. I truly admire good bow makers.