A Late Bultitude, #3 (a keeper!) "Better Late than Never!"

[Ken Smith]

Ok, not bad for a blind guess huh?.. lol

On the Grip, I have rarely ever seen a French Bow without some sort of grip unless it was in the process of being repaired. French Bows as far as I know have grips, period.

Now for playing the Bow, give it some time. My first Bultitude that was made in 1962 was not new when I got it a few years ago but had not been played for some time. Within less than a year, it went from being my #2 at best to my #1 Bow by FAR. The Stick needed to be warmed up a bit. Once it was warmed up, it was smoking hot!

Play the Bow you have and let it re-develop. Maybe, start a Thread on your Morizot and I might be able to move all of this relative discussion over to that and keep it all in one.

[Ken Smith]

After waiting about 7 months the Bultitude is finally back from Sue Lipkins fully restored. The time factor was not at all her fault as she is booked up for the next 5 years making Bows to meet orders. I just sent it there immediately so she could get it done as her schedule allowed.

She made a new Ebony/Silver Screw/Button for the Bow and copied an original Bultitude Screw to do so. Other than her beautiful figured Pearl in the Button which is not at all the material Bultitude used, the Screw looks as original as my other two Bows I owned in the past that were 100% original.

The Bow also has a new Silver/Leather Grip with a partial thin latex cushion grip as well as her typical high grade re-hair job.

This Bow with only a low grade whalebone imitation grip before weighed in at 142 grams. With the new grip and latex it's 152 grams in total, 147 grams without the latex. Stick wise, this is one meaty Bow. Same high grade dark dense Pernambuco as on my other two Bultitudes but this one comes in at 10 grams heavier. It's also about 1/2" longer than the others but the Head is closer in size to a German Bow. Despite its smaller Head it's actually on the Tip-heavy side believe it or not.

The Sound is huge with this Bow even more so than my other two Bultitudes from what I recall. It just doesn't look typical Bultitude until you look closely at the Stick and then you listen to the tone of the Bow when drawn across the strings.

[Robert Kramer]

Ken,
Do you prefer the French bow, or are there situations where using a German bow necessary?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Robert Kramer

Ken,
Do you prefer the French bow, or are there situations where using a German bow necessary?

I am a French Bow player, period. To me it's like either being right handed or left handed. It's not like Tea today and Coffee tomorrow. Playing the French Bow Classically is a life time study. I can't do anything with a German Bow at all unless I hold it like a French Bow so why bother.

Simply, I play French.

[Ken Smith]

While at the ISB this past week I showed this Bultitude to one of today's leading Bass Bow experts and was told it is 'not' a late Bultitude but rather a very early example. He pointed out the Cello like features of the head as well as some Hill'ish features as this was made just after Bultitude left Hill. The Bow is stamped in the normal way but it is not numbered like many of his other Bows. perhaps it was before he started numbering them. Either way, this Bow beside being a fantastic example is also Historic being one of the earliest known Bultitudes seen to date.

[Ken Smith]

Did I mention that this time, the 3rd Bultitude will be a 'keeper'?

Well, once again (3rd time), 'my' Bultitude has been snatched from my fingers. A professional player that knew I had it came by and bought it yesterday for a non disclosed fair market price.

Maybe when or if I ever find Bultitude #4, IT will be my keeper. Let's see..

[Anselm Hauke]

ken, i feel really sorry for you...


i think selling bows is very difficult, because it´s so special, everybody has different demands of what a bow should be like.
so, if the right buyer comes, sell it, before you wait a long time for the next one