Would I benefit from a new bow?

[Michael Holden]

I guess we are going to have to agree to disagree. A good bass player is not one that can take $100,000 worth of instrument and make it sound great. It's a person who can take any instrument and make it sound great. I agree with you, the key is to buy the best gear you can afford and keep it in good repair. But I do disagree with your previous statement.
I heard a great statement on another bass forum. "The bass is the canvas and the bow is the brush... you decide which is more important." Well give a 3 yr old a $10k canvas... then a $3,000 brush... let's see him do his best, then go to walmart.. by a $5 brush and $7 paint sketch book, and give it to DaVinci... let's see who's painting you'd rather have.
Now back to my point, if daVinci felt better painting with a $5 brush, would he be less of an artist? what if the expensive brush didn't "fit" him as well as the cheap one... would he not have been the artist that he was? Mr. Smith I don't know you, so I cannot point fingers, but I know string players who when shopping for a bow, will not touch a bow under $3,000. I disagree with their idea of bow quality, because they may like a $1,000 bow better then their current $3k... My opinion is... if your budget is $3k... try every bow from $600 - $3k that you can... the lesser priced ones may surprise you.