Wooden Viola bows

Historically, Viola bows have almost always been made of wood. More recently synthetic materials have started to catch on but the for now the wooden Viola bow is still very much part of playing the instrument!

Most wooden Viola bows are made from either Pernambuco or Brazilwood. It was in the 18th century that luthiers discovered that Pernambuco wood has a beautiful mix of strength and resilience that made it perfect for making a bow. It is however becoming more scarce and it is normally the more expensive viola bows that made from Pernambuco.

Brazilwood is a composite of tropical wood species and slightly heavier than Pernambuco, which lessens the “feel” for the viola player. A Pernambuco wood bow is more responsive to the vibrations of the viola, which sends those vibrations back through the bow to the players hands. Brazilwood bows tend to be cheaper bows and while players are not yet accomplished enough to discern the differences in bows, brasilwood is a very good option.