Bow Rehair and Repair

Rehairing:

Most players will agree that the bow is as important as the instrument. A bow usually requires new hair between every 4 months and 2 years, depending on how often it gets played. There are several reasons that make rehairing necessary. Apart from possible accumulation of dirt and grease or loss of hair, it also stretches over time and it will become more and more difficult to tighten it. By over-tightening the screw one risks damaging the bow stick itself, or the eyelet and screw.

Another reason is that with time the hair loses its ability to hold rosin. Consequently the player may have difficulties in producing a good and clear tone. Old hair can also result in the creation of disturbing side-tones or wolf-like sounds while playing which, in turn, can be mistaken to be a problem with the instrument.

Bow rehairing is an art and skill of its own. Wedges need to be fitted perfectly to the frog and the head and the right amount of hair has to be determined, depending on the bow and the requirements of the player.

We only use the finest (unbleached) white Mongolian horse hair. It is a very even hair that we double-check for possible irregularities in the structure before we use it. Because it is not bleached, one end of the hair tends to be slightly beige in colour. Bleaching makes the hair more brittle and shorter lasting.

We rehair classical bows, as well as ‘period bows’.

On request we offer salt and pepper or black hair for double bass bows.

Repair:

• Professional cleaning
• Replacement of leather, silver winding, face plates, slides and under-slides, pearl parts, eyelets and screws, etc.
• Repairs of cracks or chips to the frog, the tip and the stick of the bow
• Cambering and straightening