The bow is likened to the "soul" of a string instrument. What modern
players may achieve through the use of a constant vibrato and extended upper range dynamics, period performers
make up for with expressivity in their bow arms. Having a fabulous instrument won't get you far, unless you
also have a decent bow.
Start by consulting your local instrument dealer to see if he has anything for sale.
But it is often advisable to solicit the bow makers directly, since some of them do not supply their
merchandise to dealers, preferring to deal instead with the customer, one-on-one. These fine craftspeople make many varieties of bows
(Renaissance, Baroque, Classical or transitional), designed and weighted to be used overhand, underhand,
at the frog, away from the frog, in addition to their exhibiting a huge range of decorative elements
(ivory frogs, snakewood sticks, elaborate carving, etc). With a little shopping around, you are likely
to find a functional, as well as beautiful stick.
_____________________________
Bow Makers:
Pieter Affourtit
Kasteellaan 28
NL-1628 KP Hoorn
Holland
Tel/Fax: (00 31) (0) 229 503193
pieter@affourtit-bowmaker.com
www.affourtit-bowmaker.com
______
Ralph Ashmead
P.O. Box 1411
Tuolome, CA 95379
Tel: (209) 928-1272
www.ashmeadbows.com
______
Louis Bégin
C.P. 131
Lantier, Quebec
Canada JOT IVO
Tel: (819) 324-0944
Fax: (514) 284-0804
lbegin@iq.ca
______
Christopher English
2029 Spruce Street
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Tel: (360) 379-9835
www.cf-english.com
______
Harry R. Grabenstein
37 Walker Hill Road
Williston, VT 05495
Tel: (802) 872-8923
www.hfgbowmaker.com/
______
René-William and Michel Groppe
18 rue Mabille
F- 57000 Metz
France
Tel: 0033 387 76 29 87
Fax: 0033 387 21 02 52
perso.wanadoo.fr/ren.groppe/
______
Kees van Hemert
Lange Beestenmarkt 70
2512 EG The Hague, The Netherlands
Tel/Fax: (31 070) 362 5107
www.bowmaker.nl/
______
William Jurgenson
Muehltorstr.24
D-74348 Lauffen
Germany
Tel/Fax: (00 31) (0) 229 503193
wjsjlauffen@t-online.de
www.zabernet.de/bill/bows_and_basses.htm
______
Stephen Marvin
1594 Dundas Street W.
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M6K 1T8
Tel: (416) 532-0038
stephen@historicalbows.com
www.historicalbows.com/
______
Marco Pasquino
Reg. San Michele 268
13039 Trino (VC)
Italy
Tel: (0161) 805353
digilander.iol.it/pasquinoarchi
______
Hans Reiners
Hagelberger Strasse 51
10965 Berlin
Germany
Tel/Fax: (49 30) 785 87 05
info@bows-viols.de
www.bows-viols.de
______
Serge Sioufi
Montreal, Quebec
Tel: (514) 495-8610
info@sioufi.ca
www.sioufi.ca
______
David Van Edwards
The Smokehouse
6 Whitwell Road
Norwich, Norfolk NR1 4HB England
Tel: (44 0 1603) 629899
bows@vanedwards.co.uk
www.vanedwards.co.uk
______
Basil de Visser
P. O. Box 16876
1001 RJ Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Tel: 31-20-623.5614
Fax: 31-20-423.0817
www.baroquebows.com
______
Scott Wallace
Gentzgasse 137/19
1180 Vienna
Austria
Tel: (43 1) 470 9573
fiddlesticks@xpoint.at
