New bow by Sue Lipkins

[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...

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by 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...

Eric, if we rave too much, Sue might raise the price!

All kidding aside, when ever I compare bows when practicing, it's so obvious what the better bow is and I have some other fine bows here as well. Just nothing as nice as her bows are.

[Eric Swanson]

Well, Ken, if the pricing goes up, is that a bad thing for those of us who are fortunate enough to be the stewards of these bows?

I don't mean to rave. I do want to find some way of describing what the bow is like.

Here's my best attempt at description, a month into the relationship.

This bow feels like a living thing. A very powerful, lively, intelligent, but never willful friend.

It is one of the very few bows I've ever played that feels literally as if it is alive when I play it, in the best possible way.

Sounds odd, but there it is...

If/when the price goes up on Lipkins bows, based on the ones I've played, they are still a bargain, in my limited, modest opinion.