Recommend a cheap french bow

[StingRayBoy42]

I'm a TOTAL beginner at playing with a bow, can anyone recommend a hakf decent starter french style bow for under £100?

 

I'm assuming anything in that price range will be Chinese, are all the £50-70 Chinese ones much of a muchness?

Are there any makes/sellers I should avoid?

Is carbon fibre worth looking at?

Are there any woods I should particularly go for/avoid?

Do I want 3/4 or 4/4?

 

There's a few on ebay, thomann sell a couple or the local violin shop has one for sixty-odd quid.

 

My Bass is a big 3/4 size apparently if that makes a difference?

 

All and any input appreciated, or if anyone has one for sale let me know.

Edited December 13, 2023 by StingRayBoy42
Speling

[mybass]

I’m thinking you should try and find a dedicated (DB/cello etc) shop and call in. There are different bow weights and different horse hair even (black and white) you will need the rosin as well, applied to the bow hair for contact ‘grip’ on strings. 
I did try buying direct from China once, it was a German/underhand grip style and was delivered in a heavy plastic plumbing type tube…..but the bow was already bent! Much frustration, emails and subsequent refund but only after I had, under instruction, sawn off the frog/handle of the bow and returned it to China (paid for).

Visiting a shop will allow you to try a French against a German style if you haven’t already.

[Woodinblack]

I asked that one some time ago because I bought a ns:bass and thought I would give it a try. It is like a minefield out there for bows, and what it showed me was that until I knew something about what I didn't want I wouldn't know what I wanted, so I bought the cheapest reasonable bow from G4M and it worked out ok. By all means if you are near a shop that sells these sort of things, go and try one, I didn't.

[JoeEvans]

Carbon fibre is very good at that price range, I think. I would probably just get one close to the top of your price range from Thomann without worrying about the brand.

Edited December 14, 2023 by JoeEvans

[Jakester]

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[StingRayBoy42]

56 minutes ago, Jakester said:

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Replied!

[basso navo]

Hi @StingRayBoy42,

 

as for the rosin I can recommend "Leatherwood". It comes in various degrees of stickiness. The price is higher than the usual suspects, but it has one important advantage: It doesn't mess up the body of the bass! It really stays on the strings.