Questions & Answers

First of all, ask the teacher for which style bass bow you should look for, French style or German style.

Choosing a double bass bow should ideally show two features:

1. The bow should produce a good sound.

2. The bow should be 'technically easy', meaning that technically demanding bow strokes  should be accomplished with minimum effort. ("Do less, accomplish more.")

To achieve this technical ease, the bow should not be too heavy nor too light. It should also have sufficient strength. We often compare a strong bow with good shock absorbers in a cars, ensuring safe driving, even if the road has many twists and turns.

A cheap bow is often too heavy when it offers sufficient strength, or, if the weight is right, they are often to flimsy (not strong enough). In addition, the bow should be well balanced.

The ideal weight for a double bass bow is around 140 grams.