OMG my teacher let me play his Tubbs $8000 Bow tonight. wow even being new I could tell it was good. He got from His grandpa who use to play. He said he could never afford one on his own. then he let me play his $300  German Pernambuco  Bow and it was a great Bow also!!! I never thought that it would be a difference or that I would be able to tell the difference so fast but i did. Then he took my Codabow and showed me what it could'nt do compared to his Pernambuco bow. then he took my string centre Bow and said it was just a piece of plastic good for back up. So then I went to the local music store to try another pernambuco bow and ill be dammed if it didnt play better then the codabow. and it was only $200. And I took my violin in and played not theres. so the $20 bow I just bought might be pernambuco but for that kind of money I would'nt think so. so iam hunting for a new Bow.

There is low grade pernambuco, and then there is medium, high, higher, highest grade pernambuco. A cheap bow can still be pernambuco, just low grade.

how can you tell?

Hi. in the world of bows there are many differences. There is a wood (tree) that grows in Brazil called brazilwood and there are many grades of it used for bows. Typically, brazilwood is thought of as an lesser wood in the bow trade of bench made bows; student bows being made of brazilwood. I have played on some nice brazilwood bows. Only brazilwood grown in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil can be called Pernambuco, I believe. I was told this fact by a bow distributor who came by our shop and sold bows from Brazil. I have heard this before from some others as well.
When you buy a bow: go to a reputable violin shop. I would personally stay away from music stores for bows or violin for that matter. They do not have trained sales people in music stores...we have seen countless people walk away with bummer bows....they bring them to us to repair because the bow has warped or there are other issues with these inexpensive bows. Jimmy, I would ask your teacher to recommend a good violin shop to you to go and try out bows! A good violin shop will help you with a bow for your needs as a student and fiddler. These shops usually have a policy where you can take home a bow or two to try it out with your teacher (another VERY good reason to keep your fiddle teacher.." >). That way if you take two home with you and take them to the lesson you can hear what the bow can sound like with an experienced person playing the bow ON YOUR VIOLIN. A bow does alot more than just "ride the strings" back and forth. You want a bow that will be flexible but have some stiffness. The balance point is important. The weight of the bow in grams is VERY important...too heavy a bow, over 62.5 - 63.5grams will be too heavy and tire your bowing hand and arm. So these are good things to ask a good shop. What is the bow made of, what company is selling the bow...if it's a cheap china bow expect to replace it in a few years due to warping (a good bow will be made with seasoned wood and not green wood) Going to a violin shop will be a good education for you regarding bows. Take a couple home, have your teacher help you and then enjoy the experience of playing with a good bow that will help you up your game. Good luck. Keep looking and asking questions. Also, find out if there is a trade/return policy so that when you want to upgrade they will buy your bow back (if it's in good condition) and allow you a tradein on a higher priced bow. Go for around $300-$450 price range to find a decent bow that you will use for awhile. Ask the weight of the bow at the shop and ask your teacher what "tip heavy" means and stay away from bows that are tip heavy. They will eventually drag you down and not perform as well.
Stay tuned. Diane in SoCal

So I thought 8 grand was a bit excessive and then I read this article. craziness man!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Tubbs   

Wow!!!

Although the bows are exquisite, when you get to this range, scarcity and collectability have more to do with the price. 

Also, your teacher's may be, but not all bows stamped "Tubbs" are the real thing.

This is very true....1,000's of german factory bows were made and stamped with all the famous bow makers names...I have two Tubbs stamped bows!
Hummmm....I wonder.
Diane

He had his authenticated. Wish I could find one at pawn shop one of these Days

quote:

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Originally posted by jimmyprince

He had his authenticated. Wish I could find one at pawn shop one of these Days

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It's interesting to see how people nowadays are more aware of individual bowmakers in workshop settings too (different from factory). There are some bows made for Hill that are now sought after because they were made by folks like Samuel Allen. In these cases, it's sometimes identifiable by stamped markings in addition to the 'Hill'.

Its funny, My teacher said he would rather have a good Bow then a good Fiddle. Iam thinking really? but that seems to be the consensus.