Johnny Sun

Does it vibrate better than traditional designed violin?

Yes, I tried one. I forgot what exactly the brand name is, Arcus or Arcos? It was a gold mount bow. Really really nice, playability 10/10. But feels soulless.

Yes, Yuri Bashmet. Probably the only one who uses 500 USD bow for solo. In an old interview he said he most often uses his East German viola bow which costs a couple hundred DM in concert, despite he has all luxurious old French bows in his collection. This I agree with you.

There are different levels of understanding and demand of nuance and complexity. A carbon bow probably could please some players, but I don't think a great classic musician will be completely satisfied with any carbon bow. If you would name ONE soloist who appears on major international stage and constantly using a carbon bow for classic repertoire, you prove that I am wrong.

I am not sure about elephant ivory and Rhino horn etc. Those items are officially forbidden on the market in China, including Hong Kong. Licensed dealers could be still selling items from their old stock, until a certain date. Import and export are strictly forbidden though.

I am afraid that I have seen one Chinese bow which is made of pernambuco:) Your statement sounds like all Africans are black. There are always exceptions, in fact a lot. I might be wrong, but let me post the Chinese bow I have one day. It costed less than 100 USD in 2003. You can tell me whether it is made of Pernambuco or not.

You have white copper mounted Chinese bows which are for beginners and not made of pernambuco. Therefore mounting is relevant with quality. You also find very high quality gold or tortoise shell mounted bow by master bow makers cost thousands of USD. I have visited the factories and workshops in Suzhou not only once, you won't imagine how many pernambuco logs they import from Brazil every year if you don't witness by yourself. The impression of China made stuff are low quality and low cost is so deep, that many people don't see the change. It is different now.

because a carbon bow can bring you everything you need on a certain level: clarity, elasticity, strengh etc. I some sense you feel it is "perfect". But a carbon bow will never offer you the complexity and nuance a wooden bow offers. That is the reason I say, one should never use a carbon, but to start and stay with wooden.

With 300-500USD, you can get a Chinese silver mounted pernambuco bow which plays excellent. As a professional musician I personally suggest you not to use a carbon stick, ever.

If you bought the bow less than half price of a Bazin, then nothing to worry about:) You may take another picture on the back of head with good light, so people can see how deep the mark is and give you opinions.

I meant the questions he asked about maker's mark.

I am non native English speaker, I can tell you that please take 1 min to read is a humble way of expression in my language. By no means I am patronising, I even thanked you and other members for reminding me that I shall not post AI answer here. I thank you again for replying me, Ms. PhD. Cheers. J

Did you find any articles explaining to you why I appreciate your reply. If someone so knowledgeable like you would spend 5 mins answering the original poster's questions instead of debating about AI, we amateur will never need the answer from GPT which is not up to Pegbox standard.

Dear Anna, thank you for your opinions about AI. I will paste the answer from GPT to the particular question "why bow makers of w e hill workshop have different hallmarks on the tip plate", please take 1 min to read it. From GPT: "The different hallmarks on the tip plates of bows made at the W.E. Hill & Sons workshop serve as identifying marks that indicate which specific bow maker was responsible for crafting that particular bow. W.E. Hill & Sons was one of the most prestigious British workshops, and they employed many highly skilled bow makers over the years. Each of these craftsmen had a unique hallmark or stamp that they applied to the bows they made. These hallmarks usually appear on the tip plate (or other parts of the bow), making it possible to trace the bow's origins back to the individual maker. This system allowed the workshop to maintain high quality and accountability, as each bow could be linked to its creator, ensuring that the craftsmanship met the workshop's exacting standards. Collectors, musicians, and historians value these hallmarks as they not only authenticate the bow's origin but also add to its historical and monetary value." Would you tell me if this answer is good, ok, or completely bullshit? I am not going to argue with you about AI, we have different opinions, and it is ok. I won't post anything again from AI in this forum, thank you for reminding me Anna. Also thanks to Martin and Gtone.

here you go. https://chatgpt.com/c/55d569e7-0a25-4f67-a87b-1a9d9c181782