New bow by Sue Lipkins

[Ken Smith]

Beautiful bow.. I haven't played many bows in my lifetime that can compare and those were classics.

[Eric Swanson]

Thanks, Ken. I feel very lucky. You inspired me.

When I was a young journeyman cabinetmaker, back in the early and mid '80's, I got "into" edge tools. I wanted the toughest, "best" chisels and plane irons.

I bought myself a few handmade Japanese chisels from Woodline, The Japan Woodworker.

http://www.japanwoodworker.com/categ.../Chisels.aspx?

When I brought them into work, one of the older Italian cabinetmakers said, "This chisel is better than you are." It wasn't something that pleased me to hear, but he was right.

On the other hand, the better tools inspired me and made a higher level of work easier to pull off. I had to grow as a woodworker even to hope to be worthy of the tools. While I'll never know if I did, or not, I tried and continue to try.

That's how I feel about this bow. It is better than I am, as a bassist. It inspires me to grow, to be worthy of it. If I can't play something now, it is my shortcoming, not the bow's!

Makes me want to play and practice. What is nice about it is that the practice time is more quickly rewarded.

As I get older, having something that makes my practice time more productive is helpful...

[Jeremy Darrow]

My former teacher came for a visit yesterday and brought his Lipkins bow, it was beautiful and put more energy through the bass than any other stick I have played.

Congrats on yours, I'm sure it's a killer!

[Ken Smith]

Eric, you will find as time goes that this will make it easier to play certain things that were before hard to play. Like my original old Sartory I played for 15 years in NYC, my Lipkins makes things that were once hard to execute a thoughtless process. As if, there is no problem now.

[Eric Swanson]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Eric, you will find as time goes that this will make it easier to play certain things that were before hard to play. Like my original old Sartory I played for 15 years in NYC, my Lipkins makes things that were once hard to execute a thoughtless process. As if, there is no problem now.

It certainly motivates me, anew, to practice! I am not yet as comfortable with the new bow as I am with my old one, which doesn't help sound production, of course...

I am sure that my nervous system's connections will get used to it, with a couple of weeks of focused work on the right arm/hand.

The bow has such a clear sound that it makes playing higher up on the A and E strings much more appealing; much less muddy there, now, which helps with certain fingering possibilities.

The bow's clarity also points up some left hand issues/slop that I haven't noticed ; the softer, more diffuse sound of my other bow was obscuring some poor technique, I can tell now.

After only a week, it is already kicking my playing (and awareness of my technical shortcomings) up a few notches. I am looking forward to the bow and I really getting used to each other.

[Eric Swanson]

More photos...

[Eric Swanson]

Three weeks into having this bow, I am just increasingly blown away by it. Ken, it is as you promised; I can play things easily that were harder, before. I hear things now that were previously hidden. I don't think about the bow; I just play.

Completely even in volume from frog to head. Loud, clear, warm, and articulate. Bounces immediately and effortlessly, yet lays into the string in the most relaxed, natural, soothing way.

Moreover, it is impeccably made, from my perspective as a fairly fastidious craftsperson. I enjoy it as a beautifully wrought object, not just as a magic wand for the bass.

It is more than I hoped for. It is a better bow than I could imagine, before I played it.

When I played Ken's "Ode to Sartory" bow it felt completely effortless. This bow has that, and still more for me. Sue made it for my hand, just as she made Ken's for his. It is starting to feel like an extension of my arm.

Consider me an overjoyed customer. This thing is just so good. I simply love it!

Gotta go play my bass...