$30 vs $500 vs $5k Violin Bow Review & Comparison

[@michaelvann]

Brilliant as usual Timmy. My wife and I have known him for two decades. He and his brother showed their extraordinary talent from a very early age.

[@timmychooi]

Hi Mr Vann! It was a pleasure. Your bow has made milestones through my career and has played a huge on stage role to important collaborations with orchestras and iconic stages around the world. The best!

[@hankemory5883]

instablaster...

[@srikantiyer8131]

To me, you sounded best with the third bow. I thought maybe that was the most expensive one, but turns out that's the one you've played with the longest!

[@amyx231]

I liked number 1 and 3 best. Three almost felt too soft, not enough edge. Hard to describe. 2 was a bit too…shallow?

[@TomFrajer]

exactly my thoughts :)

[@cweeks5211]

Dude, you made a bow that's not even half or even a third of the cost of a professional rehair and ... you made it sound amazing. Bravo!!!!

[@nickdrake1984]

It's the Paganini Caprice 24 that shows the difference the most. The first bow is like skating the ice with perfect fresh ice, the two others are with some grass and snow on the ice. Thank you so much for the upload, learned a lot.

[@timmychooi]

My pleasure. Thanks for stopping by!

[@johnalexander301]

Violins and bows seem to increase in sound and performance quality incrementally with large disproportionate increases in cost. There’s a big jump in quality from the $30 to the $500 bow. But a more subtle difference from the $500 to the $5000 bow. I’m sure the player can feel the difference more apparently. It is amazing how a talented professional can make almost any instrument sound great.

[@timmychooi]

Definitely. So much of it is more about our own comfort of the bow in our own hands. I use the $500 and $5000 constantly and find that they serve their purposes. Thanks for your comment!

[@aachoocrony5754]

@ahh thats just grand 🤔 hmm...

[@gaborkorthy8355]

It takes a very good player to play a lower end instrument or bow well. I think a less skilled player the difference in quality may be more obvious.

[@keithgardner5818]

I think it was Jacques Pépin who famously demonstrated (years ago) that you don't need a high-end kitchen to create amazing food, by preparing a gourmet meal over a simple hotplate. What you say is true, that a talented professional can do that. Nevertheless, as you also point out, "the player can feel the difference." And that feeling can very well come through into the performance. The player's whole psyche, in the performance moment, is influenced by the tools they are using. So my statement here about Pepín should not be taken to say that, well, then they should just use a hotplate (or a $30 bow) and call it good. If I think about something as basic as how I feel when I know I'm "put together" today, as opposed to feeling that maybe I should have ironed my shirt or something, it's not hard to extrapolate to grander gestures, such as performing Paganini in front of an audience.

[@feathercheng4250]

I like the last one best 😅😅 (I’ve always prefer lighter bows though😶

[@timmychooi]

I’ve used that one a lot and I keep coming back to that one as well. :)

[@srikantiyer8131]

Exactly my thoughts! I guess lighter bows work best in the kind of indoor settings he recorded these videos in. He mentions that he uses the first, heavy bow in large concert halls, to get the sound projected.

[@lucaross5345]

Still one of my favourite concerts I’ve gone to was when you performed Tchaikovsky at the NAC. That was the first time I’d ever seen a standing ovation after a first movement 😂

[@timmychooi]

That’s amazing. I still remember that concert. One of the best ones yet. Thanks for watching again :)

[@wendyshell8679]

Wish I could’ve been there for that!❤️

[@wendyshell8679]

Timothy is such an awesome violinist, and I’ve only ever seen his video’s!❤️👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@laurencelance586]

I too liked #3 the best. It seemed like you were the most comfortable with that bow.

[@matthewharvey8755]

You gave me cold chills dude. Your hand movements are so fluid.

[@samsam3499]

Michael taught me bow making at the Victoria Conservatory about 12 or so years ago. Very generous man with his knowledge. Because of his course I've had a great retirement hobby job and spent many pleasant hours in my woodshop. I still talk to Michael from time to time. I think he is retired now and his daughter has taken over the business.

[@DuaLeaD]

As a musician of 30 years, fantastic playing! Wonderful listening to you.

[@hannesfrischat7138]

Thanks for sharing. For me, I heard the quality of no. 1 immediately, then came 3, then 2. However I can relate why people like no. 3 as well. There is a slight unsteadyness in long notes compared to no. 1, but since Timothy can control it so well it just adds a little bit to the liveliness.

[@EFoxVN]

From behind the scene I could not tell the difference between the $30 and $500 bow, but I guessed the $5000 bow correctly. The simple reason being I watched how hard you had to work with your bow arm, and also how easy the bows produced certain special kinds of articulations. The Vann bow handled that Sibelius superbly.

[@keithgardner5818]

In all three segments, I was right about which bow was which! And I came here as a non-violin playing "how could a bow make that much difference that it could be worth $5,000?" nay-sayer. I learned a lot. Basically, what I think we're saying is that it matters whether we're making the bow out of "wood" or "pernambuco" or "that specific piece of pernambuco." And every other decision, from the specific geometries used in the construction, to the horse hair chosen (perhaps one breed is better than another, and perhaps a particular horse is best of breed!), to the rosin to the... everything. In short, I can understand how the increased level of specificity (and the extra care that would go into the crafting of something based on decisions so carefully made) would lead to a higher price. Thank you for this video. It's always good to learn something new!

[@cweeks5211]

I thought the first one was the mid-range bow, followed by the nasally second and finally the most expensive. I think because you've played that last one so much you made it sound like a million dollars! Well done!

[@johannaschreiber1243]

Yeah, I guessed correctly! Thank you so much for posting this video, I've been considering upgrading my bow for a while, but wasn't sure how much it would actually influence the actual sound or experience while playing.

[@timmychooi]

Hi! It was a pleasure to film this video, and I hope it was informative. Good luck with upgrading your bow. I think the bow is more about the player's personal comfort more than anything. Let me know if you ever have any questions!

[@gracesviolin]

Yay I was right!! 🥳 But, wow, I think I need to work on my bow strokes. Off to practice... 😅

[@timmychooi]

Congratulations! You can do it. :)

[@mellissadalby1402]

I must say that you are a truly masterful violinist. I have been playing on cheap $25 Chinese mass produced bows (because I didn't know any better). Then my teacher let me try her bows... I couldn't believe the difference! I had no idea how much difference a bow could make in my ability to play.

[@liamnevilleviolist1809]

So I did all my commenting down below in real time while watching the video. This comment is now to say: holy cow.... I prefer the $30 bow in both tone and function (function being that you don't look like you're fighting it to get it to work, as a low-priced bow would suggest). That is incredible. As for my input and why I hope you can appreciate it - I myself am a professional violist, luthier (10 years), bow maker (3 years) and sound engineer (10 years)! So I'm not just some guy who works at a Target store and plays shoot-em-up video games all night, I *am* experienced! I'm familiar with Vann's work - he made a bow for a friend of mine and it is brilliant: both tonally and to look at! I believe the frog is made from a type of buffalo horn and there are synthetic (or real) opal accents? Anyway, it is a gorgeous bow. Lovely playing Timothy!

[@Greg07623]

Happy to see some focus on bows, as opposed to just the violins. I was friendly with a number of violin and bow makers from the 60s, 70s, 80s and it gave me an appreciation of the art of bowmaking I otherwise might never have acquired. BTW, your intonation is just spectacular.

[@wendyshell8679]

I got it right! I liked the first and third bows-they sound the best,.The first one had the biggest sound!

[@timmychooi]

Yay! Congratulations. That's amazing :)

[@NaturalthinkerNet0]

Same here. The first had the most amazing resonance, and the second was noticeably damped and muted. The second bow was obviously less stable and bounced roughly. I was surprised how lovely the third bow sounded, knowing it was relatively inexpensive.

[@wendyshell8679]

@@NaturalthinkerNet0 I might be able to buy a bow like the third one. I’m sure tempted!

[@NaturalthinkerNet0]

@@wendyshell8679 Me too. I would like to know the brand and model and rosin.

[@zubinbehramkamdin]

Thanks Timothy. The 3rd bow sounded the best and the cleanest sound - and I see many people thought the same. Maybe in a concert hall No. 1 projects better.

[@OtamatoneTony]

I couldn't tell with my phone speaker about the bow, but your violin sounds amazing!!

[@timmychooi]

Thanks for watching :) it can be hard to hear sometimes

[@tracyzhou]

Haha I guess it's because of you I got this video recommendation

[@bobsgoodlife]

Tim, so many positive comments from your viewers! First, YOU make each sound great. What I learned about bows, though, has been so informative. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and looking forward to many more such videos by you!👊

[@timmychooi]

Hi Bob! I also agree. We have a very positive community here now :) thanks for stopping by.

[@dangandee3184]

Watching you play with each bow seems to be the best way to tell the difference. I could definitely see and hear the affection you have for your $500 bow.

[@peterwimmer1259]

Boy, you sound terrific with ALL of those bows! Chapeau!!!

[@milchpuder]

Quite difficult to tell on phone and laptop speakers. Put my HD6XX on and the the 1st and 3rd bow had a much clearer, precise sound. The 2nd doesn't even bite the string properly! I must say in the blind test I preferred the sound of the 3rd bow though :P

[@timmychooi]

Thanks for the analysis. I have been playing on the third bow for the longest, so maybe that explains why.

[@lukelandmesser9331]

You play so well. I couldn't hear a difference. I guessed the 3rd bow was the cheapest based on the color of the varnish. I had absolutely no idea based on sound alone.

[@JianZhouVA]

My judgement was #3 > #1 > #2. I like how well you handled the 3rd (not surprisingly).

[@paulhammer1363]

Wonderful video, very informative! At first I thought the third bow was the most expensive, because it's livelier. Thanks for this!

[@bzurison6913]

I guessed your "old faithful" was the most expensive one, because I could see a smile on your face when you used it! I could tell it was LOVE. So cool to find out how it really is a part of you! Great playing btw.

[@AuntieMoMo05]

Fantastic video! Yes, I heard the difference exactly as you described. Michael Vann makes incredible bows. Well done!

[@timmychooi]

Yes! He’s the best

[@MaggieBoy12345]

Bows are generally hard to differentiate from one another because so much of it revolves around how it feels to the performer. Still, the first one seemed to catch the string much better than the other two, and the up bow staccato in the Paganini had less bow noise than I heard in the other two. The sound of it was also more consistent overall (probably a function of grabbing the string better), but it really takes a trained ear to hear that level of detail. I think that telling bows apart is usually not as much about the sound as is the case for violins (and when it is, it's hard to capture that over video) but more about how easy it is for the player to consistently get a golden tone. Cheaper bows tend to produce uneven tone quality, and I definitely heard more of that in the second and third bows.

[@jpod2000]

Wonderful compilation. You play all the pieces extraordinarily well with all three. I really needed your personal perspective to appreciate the differences. Thanks for doing this!

[@iheartsnape]

Nice comparison! I guessed the first and third bow wrong, thought that bow #3 was the most expensive and bow #1 the $500 one. But I was right in thinking that the first one looked like a tank and sounded so powerful, and the third one looked most comfortable in your hand. The second one just looked so hard to control, the spiccatos looked all over the place and it must've been so hard for you to control it for the rep your played. You made them all sound amazing though. Thanks for this video!

[@aljacobsen6877]

Great video Timothy! Tony Muir recommended I check out some of your videos and I'm glad he did! Very well done. I was able to tell the second bow was the cheapest one. But wasn't sure about 1 and 3. Best of luck and hope to see you again in the future!

[@timmychooi]

Hi Al! Very nice to see you here too! I hope that you're staying safe. Thanks for watching my content :)

[@terencehealy5110]

Well just today I've bought my first carbon fibre bow I think for anyone starting out £500 is a lot of coin because the £30 did sound good so it's a case of finding the right bow for the player glad to hear you have had the £500 for a long time though let's not have a throw away society

[@josephtramacchi6834]

Hi Timothy, your first bow had the fullest tone and brought warmth to the violin. It felt satisfying and rich like a good meal. The second was also pleasing and resonant with more of an intermezzo timbre. A bit of clear spritzing to the table, Both seemed well suited to staccato. The 3rd sounded fine though not as responsive to staccato and fairly one dimensional by comparison with less resonance. Still good to listen to which is a tribute to your bowing.

[@rogberube6422]

Excellent review, Timothy. Thanks for sharing.

[@amyx231]

I could hear the difference. Woh. Mind blown! I thought it was all the same, as long as it’s comfortable for your hand. The hair can be changed to the quality you want and all.

[@abigailcrossman3373]

Amazing playing that you made the cheap bow sound acceptable! It sounds weak compared to the other two, and I did prefer the first bow, but it’s a surprisingly close call between the first and the third to my ears.

[@jcthejfreak]

My first guess was correct. On the last piece I though I was wrong with the order of #2 and #3. I never has doubt with the #1 because it just looked so stable and produces very clear sound. The other 2 are kinda wobbling.

[@kxkx8243]

The editing (and playing of course) was on point! Would be interesting to see you try carbon fibre bows :)

[@timmychooi]

Challenge accepted

[@boogiewoogie9770]

It's all about the bounce! 1st most controlled and responsive. 2nd less controlled. 3rd in between the other two.

[@megfrisco]

I was thinking of getting a new bow to improve responsiveness, but after watching this maybe I just need to practice more and stick to my $100 cheapy. 😅 you are amazing.

[@piedpeter1]

Sound the same but that's KZbin for you. As an ameteur I have a cheesey $20 bow that holds up close to my main $200 bow. But I am going to try some bows up to a $1000 to see what's the best match for my violin. I played an old German bow once ($1000) and it made my $1200 violin sound like a $5k violin. M cheaper $20 bow sounds solid core surprisily good tone and consistent, my $200 pernumbucco bow has more depth especially when you lean into it. A local violin shop owners wife plays for the Los Angeles philharmonic and just spent $30k on her bow! The bow really does make a huge difference in tone IMHO. This guy makes a noodle sound good! ;-)

[@Aliseelike]

I can hear and even see the difference of the second one comparing to the other two. Looks heavier and it reacts differently when u play staccato Merry Xmas btw! Great video!!!

[@timmychooi]

Indeed! You got it correct. Happy New Year!

[@float32]

I want to see a comparison with the same hair and rosin used on all. And then compare hair, and then rosin. Like a proper “change one thing at a time” comparison.

[@robertbagley9445]

They all sounded great. Perhaps the skill of the artist is most important.

[@mikesmusicden]

Great playing, but honestly could not tell the difference between the bows. Nice job with Caprice 24, BTW!

[@guitargygax]

I thought the 3rd one was better on the first piece but there was less of a difference on the Sabelius. Thank you for this, you are just too great and adjust to get the best tone as you play.

[@BenniArt]

That's a fun video, though it's hard to tell which bow's better when you're playing a violin so great that all of them sound good! ;) I did get the most expensive one right, but I was way more certain about which one was the cheap one and was wrong. Great playing with all of them!

[@timmychooi]

Thank you so much for your insight. I agree, it can be hard to tell, because it isn't the sound producer, but more about control. The more control I have, the more variety of sounds and colors I produce :D

[@BenniArt]

@@timmychooi Yeah, the giveaway should've been how the bows handled on the Paganini, despite the seemingly fuller sound on the Elgar. The tone felt just slightly flatter, but that's not the most important thing. The handling is definitely what I miss most when I have to give my good bow away for rehairs ^^

[@markcdeyoung3118]

I D I D notice the $5K bow had more dynamic clarity and smoother MORE brilliant projection to it ... You're pretty awesome with that violin by the way ! 😁👍

[@theedmee]

I just recently lost my bow I've had since age 15 (old age/humidity). The replacement inflation at age 40 is unfortunate 😄- I had a German-made pernambuco bow. I replaced it with a German-made pernambuco bow (my viola is old, picky, and stubborn on a good day, but I love her).

[@alexsaldarriaga8318]

Enjoyed this very much! I did guess the $30 bow, but not the other two. Please keep up your great work. Hope to see more of your videos and learn some of your insights. Thank you!

[@johnybaskin]

First has bestest sound! Thank you for your videos! I like to see them much!!!

[@timmychooi]

I agree! Thank you for taking the time to watch my videos. It means so much :)

[@johnybaskin]

@@timmychooi Can I ask you about violin bow which made from IPE wood, have you ever use it and what is your perception? Thank you!

[@Rheincomputer]

I liked the 2nd and third bow the best, I would even say the 2nd and 3rd sounded the cleanest. I would choose the third one for myself.

[@Skinny_Karlos]

I'd love to be able to afford an expensive bow. My German violin is worth about $3000.00au and I do need a new bow which I'll get soon, probably spending around $1000.00au. A $5000.00 American dollar violin bow would be really nice. I'd be thinking of getting around a 60-odd-gram bow for that bit of extra weight without being too heavy. Anyway, good video, Timothy. I enjoyed it.

[@Helz777]

I have a carbon fibre bow. I like it. If I ever get to your standard, then I think I can upgrade.

[@luftfa6035]

Of course none of that would matter if it wasn't for your wonderful technique 😅. Thanks for the content by the way. Im looking after buying a better bow and this video will be of great help. I wasn't expecting to guess them correctly, neither to hear such a difference between each one of the bows (specially through a video). Bows are very personal to the player's taste and technique, and the listener will most likely hear little to no difference between different bows. The bow should be comfortable and pleasing to the player, and we do very much feel a huge difference in our hands from one bow to another.

[@yellow_violin]

1 is brighter than 2 but 2 is cleaner than 1(when I heard you play Sibelius,especially) , and the sound of 3 is the cleanest bow I think(when I heard you play paganini) ,2 is the sweetest bow.

[@CrossingWolfi]

Very interesting video! For Sibelius I could hear almost no difference between the bows, but I felt like the more heavy bows had better bouncing qualities in the Paganini and a sweeter sound for Elgar. 🤔

[@derekchen7855]

I guessed it right hahaha....the first one sounded very smooth....second has a lot of harsh sounds....3rd has a great sound as well

[@nashihaa]

I don’t play the violin but I watch ur videos anyways hehe

[@timmychooi]

That means a lot! Thanks for watching my content :)

[@MarkWillits-s8m]

I think you made all the bows sound great I’m embarrassed because I thought the first bow was the cheapest. The middle bow was the most expensive and the third bow. I got right.

[@chrisebbesen5798]

HI, MY NAME IS CHRIS. THE ONLY NUANCES I CAN DETECT WITH MY FEEBLE EARS IS THAT ONE OF THE BOWS SOUNDS MORE DEEP, MORE LUSH. IN FACT THERE MAY BE TWO BOWS THAT HAVE THAT WARM WOODY LUSHNESS TO MY EARS. OTHER THAN THAT I CANT HONESTLY DETECT MUCH DIFFERENCE. YOU ARE A COMMENSURATE PLAYER! I WISH I COULD PLAY AS WELL AS YOU. I AM CURRENTLY RE HYDRATING AN OLD CHEC. BOW. I DID NOT HAVE THE SEALING WAX NOR THE SILK THREAD WHEN I THREW IT TOGETHER. I HAVE ONLY REHAIRED A VIOLIN BOW ONCE BEFORE WITH NATURAL BLACK HORSE HAIR, IT PLAYED WITH MUCH MORE POWER AND RESONANCE. THAT WAS BACK IN 1990S. I WORKED FROM A BOOK CALLED BASIC STRING REPAIRS AND IT WAS VERY HELPFUL. I JUST READ AND FOLLOWED THE PICTURES AND I COUNTED OUT 288 HAIRS AND STUCK THEM TO MASKING TAPE TO BEGIN. I HAD A BEATIFUL FULL HAIRED 1850S BOW, I MISS IT NOW IT WAS MY GREAT GRANDFATHERS. I AM USING TEAK OIL AND HAVE 5 COATS RUBBED IN. I MAY TAKE SOME QUADRUPLE AUGHT STEEL WOOL AND SMOOTH DOWN THE RAISED GRAIN. IM CONVINCED ITS PERNAUMBUCO BUT OF A COARSE VARIETY. LOVE YOUR VIDIO, MAKES ME THINK, AN THAT IS GOOD.

[@sabrinalauenstein]

I thought the first one sounded best, followed by number three. Second one sounded worse to me. So my hearing was right 😊 I hope this will help me when I buy a new bow...

[@sharonlamsy]

The $30 sounded clearly different, but like you said, the $500 was lively, but the $5k was rich, and I couldn't figure out which characteristic was the expensive one in this case. I think your comfort with handling the $500 made me think it was the more expensive one!

[@elisaevans6371]

$5k, $30 then $500... Thanks for making this video, I wanted to check if I could tell as an amateur violinist/violist/cellist and it's definitely clear. You have excellent technique so of course all 3 sound impressive when you play your professional violin with any of them. However, you can see you have more control and you can hear a sweeter sound with the $5k bow. I can't justify top-dollar purchases as music isn't my day job, I like to believe that it's possible to sound professional by buying the best I can afford and investing the rest of my time in practising. I've been able to acquire professional quality instruments/bows by approaching living makers or at the start of their careers, top tip for bargain hunters - cut-out the middleperson and go direct, networking is everything!

[@kitsuneinu99]

My favourite bow was something that came with the violin itself 😭 It's almost 12am in Hong Kong now!

[@timmychooi]

😅😂 thanks for watching. Good night!

[@susanc9867]

You play so beautifully; it seems the bow does not matter!!!

[@MoesTube1]

I guessed correctly but you sounded fantastic with all of them.

[@rocknroller912]

I've just discovered your channel and was very interested to hear the comparisons of different bows, being an amateur bow maker myself. I managed to spot the best quality bow being in video 1 but got the other two wrong.

[@timmychooi]

Thank you for stopping by to watch my videos. I’m so happy that it provided value for you to learn something. Huge appreciation for commenting on here :)

[@genehuangviolin]

Before you revealed the prices, I guessed the order as $5000, $30 and $500. The giveaway was Paganini. #1 was the most clear and seemed to come easy, and #2 seemed like you were laboring more to produce the clarity.

[@seanleechild]

Have you heard of the Codbow Aspire? Is it a discontinued version of the Codabow Prodigy? Are they similar? Which is better?

[@davidguluarteviolinista1012]

and the double-stops? I think it would be a good option to listen in the different bows 😁

[@vesselinatp]

Thank you for making and sharing this video contribution... My inclination is to agree that individual music pieces are requiring a specifically (low or high priced) chosen bow to accentuate the unique style of each composition... I am most curious if someone had an opportunity to play with a P. Simon bow as a popular opinion is that the Pau Brasil species, used for making most of the 19th century bows became extinct in the 20th century.... Have a nice day everyone.... ☮️

[@timmychooi]

Thanks for sharing! I haven't had a chance, but perhaps I'll try it out one day. Thanks for commenting on here and hope this video helped :)

[@vesselinatp]

@@timmychooi Pleasure as always... 🎻

[@armin3620]

I actually I got all three right, my findings; the resonance are different. The first one has more fuller and vibrates with a crisp sound. The 2nd one has more of a rigid tone when played, like it was trying to hold back. And lastly the last one has some vibration, but not so much with the 1st one so I assume it's the middle price one.

[@JeanDeLaCroix_]

Video 1 > videos 2 and 3 I would have said quite clearly, but the 3 are good... the sound is amazing. Between 2 and 3 it's hard to say, feel like there are some kkkr with the 3rd so I would say it's the cheapest but not sure at all. 1st is a lot better, deeper sound and more powerful. Once again, you make the cheapest sound great Edit : my bad it was the opposite x) I must listen to it with headphones

[@robinstrauss4351]

So it's not the bow or the violin, but the man who play it.

[@bencze465]

Interesting comparison. I'm not trained musician but interestingly for the Sibelius I couldn't tell, even the cheap bow seemed best. Maybe because it's less responsive, so less twitchy, lol. For the others #2 was noticeably worse in sound or looking at it as well, I put expensive one at top for Paganini and the midrange one for Elgar.

[@timmychooi]

Thank you for your feedback! I get what you're saying.

[@hjdAG]

Thank you for the informative video! Violin matters, but playing it with a proper bow really matters too. There're stark differences among the three! Is a heavier bow more prefered usually? Then when a lighter bow is used?😲

[@timmychooi]

I think the heavier bow is better overall. It can be used for a variety of pieces, and even though when it's not ideal, it can still work. I use the lighter bow because it takes less energy from my arm to hold when I play smaller chamber music and for certain pieces that require specific techniques like in Paganini, I use the lighter one. It will be able to respond quicker and with less effort :) Thank you for stopping by!

[@hjdAG]

@@timmychooi Wow..The more i learn about the string insturments, the more it gots me wowed with its sensitivity. Up to each bow, the tone changes hugely even same tunes are played with thesame violin!😱 I didn't know that it'd make such big differences.😂 I learned a lot watching your video. Thanks again.👍 For me, 1st one is clear, deep, lively, reminding me of a lord or king. 2nd sounds rough like a strict soldier. 3rd is light like a feather reminding me of a small fairy, and sounds less attatched to the string overall compared to the former two! I prefer the first bow personally.😀 Thank you profusely for your kind reply and explanation!!

[@sionghchan]

Thanks Timothy, great video and excellent timing as we are currently looking for another bow for my son. Just another question if you get to read this, I have heard from some luthiers that the bow follows the instrument (violin) in that some bows may not work with a certain violin and the advice I was given was that one should purchase the violin first (which can be a significant investment) before purchasing the bow. The other way around, we may end up with a bow that may work with the current, say advanced student violin, and may not work with the next stepped up "hand made or commissioned" violin. In your experience, is there any truth to that? Personally, I have always thought that a bow is more of an extension of oneself, and it will or will not work based on your anatomy, more so than the instrument you are playing. Thanks! ps - I could pick out the $5,000 bow but couldn't tell the difference between the $500 and the $30 bow.

[@CarolineViolinMusic]

Wood will have density variants due to it being a natrual and pourous etc no 2 will balance or resinate evenly or the same. Carbon fibre woukd be even in weight and density. However its limit of resonation would shape the sound with a more even E.Q. But technique is the most important

[@violinijung]

yayyyy! so happy to see this! btw, this is I-Jung's channel, but speaking in mandarin. hahah

[@timmychooi]

Oh hi! I had no idea you had a channel. Can't wait to watch more videos of yours soon!

[@violinijung]

@@timmychooi Yes! I just started!! Hope I can have you on one day!! (maybe speaking in Mandarin haha)

[@elbeefo748]

I liked the third bow the most, I thought it was the most expensive one because it had more bounce, but thats likely cuz i have never used anything more expensive than 500

[@philipq6906]

For me I think the third is better than the first one , maybe because you are more familiar with it and it has better elasticity

[@timmychooi]

I agree. In some ways the last one has the most familiarity for me as I’ve been using it for all most 2 decades now.

[@samstiernhufvud1786]

I guessed right about the price levels, but what surprised me most was the small difference between 30 and 500 dollar sound. The 5000 dollar sound was easy to pick up.

[@HenJack-vl5cb]

Yo are such a high level performer that any bow and any violin will sound great in your hands.Wonderful video though.

[@JazzBear]

It was actually pretty easy to guess which bow was which. The difference was detectable because of the amount of control you had with each one. You sound great with any bow. But it appeared that the better the bow the less effort you were having to expend.

[@lynnieclayton4821]

My friend plays violin and she needs a new bow but her parents won't buy her one. Any recommendations for decent cheap bows?

[@brianspinos2589]

What violin brand/model is this?

[@Y2Jerms]

Honestly, when listening to the 3 pieces, it sounded better each time. And the way you talked about them, the 5000 dollar one that you'd play for specific pieces and special occasions, didn't sound as good as the other 2. The 30 dollar one is with you when playing anywhere and is with you more often than the 5000 dollar one. So you know that bow fairly well. And the 500 dollar one you've had for probably the longest amount of time and is considered YOUR bow. You know it so well that it's like a piece of you. That's why that one sounded better to me. But that's just my take on it. Great video.

[@bertybundela9642]

I understand from this different bows suit different pieces or venues. Does a really good quality bow suit all styles of music and venues?

[@timmychooi]

I would say the $5000 bow suits the best at checking all of the styles of music and venues for me :) Thanks for watching!

[@shupesmerga4694]

Powerful Stability Well Balanced Mad respect for this informative vid but does those words really mean? When you say powerful, is it because it has more weight than the other bow? If they are made of the same material then it comes down to the thickness. When you say stability, how does resist change? The only change i notice when playing is the camber when playing loudly. Perhaps, the only word i'm close to understanding is "well-balanced", does this talk about the gradual tapered thickness of the bow? I guess this has more to do with the camber, isn't it?

[@ningchu76]

The middle was really obvious that it was a $30 bow. It sounded clunky and not as clean. But I thought the 3rd one was the $5000 bow because it just sounded much cleaner, better. Maybe it is because you are so comfortable with that bow growing up and playing with it. It sounded like a $1Million. But I can hear how much more powerful the first bow sounded. I do prefer the way the 3rd bow sounded

[@UnintendedStudios]

I'm not a violinist. I just came to learn the differences for studio use if there's any sonic differences. So I don't care which is which. But from favorite to least. 3 was easily my favorite, 1 was super close but 2nd, but 2 had this weird harsh scratchy sound I don't like at all. So that is by far my least favorite.

[@bertbert13bert]

$500 bow was what I liked the sound of for every song you played

[@duanedouglas7602]

Have you ever tried the Mellor p-30 or the Mellor s-10 bows ? I am really curious to know how good these are

[@claudineesait]

The cheaper one gets exposed in the spiccatos, because it does not respond as clearly as the other ones. The most expensive one gets exposed in the slower melodies because it projects more, it sounds deeper in that style.