Wooden Violin bows

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

Most wooden Violin 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 more expensive bows made from Pernambuco.

Brazilwood is a composite of tropical wood species and slightly heavier than Pernambuco, which lessens the “feel” for the violinist. A Pernambuco wood bow is more responsive to the vibrations of the violin, which sends those vibrations back through the bow to the violinist’s hands. Brazilwood bows tend to be cheaper bows and while players are yet to discern the differences in bows, they are a very good option.

Their denser weight is actually an advantage with very young students as it makes the bow more difficult to break.