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Old 10-24-2007, 05:39 PM
Rob Sicurelli Rob Sicurelli is offline
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Default Help! Deciding between two bows. Thanks!

Hey there. First post, so a little background: I'm a senior in High School and I've been playing bass for 8 years. I'm probably going to minor in music in college, but I'll be receiving my major in either Economics or Math or both. I play both jazz and classical. I currently play on a 1978 Pollmann. I'm now shopping around for bows. I currently have a G. Werner brazilwood bow but I'm looking for a higher grade, pernambuco bow. I've played many bows so far and at a local shop I've narrowed it down to two...

One stamped "Hannings & Rubino" and another stamped "F.N. Voirin A Paris"

The Hannings and Rubino bow... Now, I believe Lynn Hannings and George Rubino are split and no longer work together. This is a bow from their old partnership. It is currently strung with black hair. The bow is LOUD, and the frog is kind of large (no problem though). When tightened, the back of the frog seems to come off the stick. When the hair is loose, the frog is flush against the stick. The stick looks undamaged and is pretty thick. It seems kind of short. There is what looks like a small blemish, could be a chip on the stick that was repaired, I'm not sure...it could be a knot in the wood. The tone is very open and sounds very good to my ears (and my teacher's). It plays consistently, but the stick is pretty stiff. The bow looks like it has had a long history (relative to the Voirin): the bow is basically black on the stick above the frog compared to the brownish color of the wood near the tip. The frog is undecorated with the mother of pearl circle and the button lacks the pearl as well. Under the stick on the button side is stamped "Pamwall(?), Maine"

The second bow is a French "F.N. Voirin A Paris" bow. It has stamped "France" underneath the stick on the buttonside of the frog. The stick looks unblemished and kind of thin compared to the first bow. The hair length is longer than the Rubino bow. It is currently strung in brown and white hair. The frog is relatively small and fits flushly to the stick when the hair is loose and tigthened. This french bow has the mother of pearl dots on the frog and on the button, unlike the Rubino bow. The Voirin is also a lot lighter than the Rubino. Tonewise, the Voirin is warmer, but softer in volume. I personally think it is more comfortable to play, but the sound isn't as loud or full as the black haired Rubino. The stick of the Voirin is also more flexible than the Rubino. The bow, I notice, bounces very nicely and has a big camber to it. It seems to grip very nicely to the strings.

The Rubino is $200 more than the Voirin.

Any ideas? Opinions? Thanks.
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Old 10-24-2007, 11:08 PM
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Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
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Question Budget..

What is your budget for a Bow at this time?
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