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How to Know When to Rehair?

 
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Fiddledeedee
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Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Posts: 39
Location: Pennsylvania

PostPosted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 3:33 pm    Post subject: How to Know When to Rehair? Reply with quote

I have 3 bows. All made of pernambaco. My first one I purchased approx a year ago and I use this bow with all my violins and I pratice approx 16 to 18 hrs a week. I bought my other 2 bows (1 new) ( 1 used with new hair) to share the job of playing my violins, but the other 2 just don't have the sound of what this 1st. bow has.

Truthfully I am afraid to have it rehaired becasue I feel the hair that is on it now must have magical properties and I don't want to loose that.

So my question is how can I tell it needs rehairing? I'd like to keep what is on there now for as long as possible if it is the hair that seems to make the sound so much better. I do understand that a bow will sound different on different violins, but these other 2 just don't sound nice on any of them, while my 1st one sounds good on all of them.

Or mabey it's not the hair and I'm just hearing things? Confused
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Jack H.
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Joined: 24 Mar 2007
Posts: 346
Location: Israel

PostPosted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 6:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Silly, hair has no magical properties.
If you have been practicing 18 hours a week for over a year it is time to rehair the bow.
Clasical symptoms of needing a rehair are black gunk build up on th ehairs near the frog. an loss of friction/grip of the bow even after rosining. lack of control of the bow.

anyway, most people who practice that much have their bows rehaired 2-3 times a year.
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Fiddledeedee
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Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Posts: 39
Location: Pennsylvania

PostPosted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 7:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well I guess it's time then because my bow hair has pretty much of that black build up at the frog goes about 4 inches, and it is still slipping after I rosin it. I thought it was just me being tired or something.

Wow Shocked ...2 to 3 times a year for rehair? Guess I better start using those other 2 bows.

Thanks for your information!! I'm going to start looking for someone close to me in Pa. Anyone know of anybody near Bucks County?
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Fiddledeedee
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Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Posts: 39
Location: Pennsylvania

PostPosted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 4:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well I found a bow maker/repair professional in NJ. Super nice person!! He's about an hour away and I have an appointment for April 3rd. Untill then I will put this bow away Crying or Very sad and use the other 2 bows I have. His prices seem reasonable compaired to others I checked into. I forgot to ask the average turn around time till I get it back. Any ideas?
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Jack H.
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Joined: 24 Mar 2007
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Location: Israel

PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 4:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

it only takes about an hour to two to rehair a bow, you will have to call and ask him how long it will take to do yours, he may have a backlog of work.
J
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Fiddledeedee
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Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Posts: 39
Location: Pennsylvania

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just picked up my bow from the bow maker. I tried it out while I was there and I'm very pleased!! Very Happy I'm so glad I had that done. What a differance, I can't wait to play tonight.

I also purchased another bow while I was there. I have the 2 others I mentioned before and I'm not really pleased with those,(gonna sell them to help pay for this new one) so I had to get another that sounded well. I tried out 3 in my price range (which was rather low) and the feel and sound it created...I had to bring it home. Only makes me wonder what one of his newly made bows feels like.

He was great!! Very nice to deal with, pleasant, informative, helpful. I couldn't have asked for a better expierence for my first re-hair and shop purchase. He's out of New Jersey. I don't know if I'm allowed to post his information on here or not. So to be safe I won't.
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Jack H.
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Joined: 24 Mar 2007
Posts: 346
Location: Israel

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 2:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am glad that you have had a good first rehair experience!
Hair needs to be replaced at regular intervals.
Hair has 'scales' on them, these 'scales' hold the rosin. When the scales wear out, the bow just does not grip the same and needs to be rehaired.
When you notice a lack of control with the bow, the time has come to visit the local luthier to do a rehair.
J
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