Old pernambuco vs new pernambuco

[Nemo]

I've run across an old 62g Horst Schicker that is in so so condition. The bow still has a great shape but looks pretty used. It has to be at least 20-30 yrs old guessing. It does handle well and play well. What advantage does an old pernambuco bow offer over a new bow in wood quality? Is it true a good new pernambuco bow is hard to find at $1000 bucks? I have noticed that the newer bows seem to have more wood flaws and are thicker the older bows. All the new ones I've tried seem to be too stiff - bright - cracky or otherwise too flimsy - dark - dead.

[MANFIO]

Pernambuco is very scarce today, it's almost extinct, so the black market cannot offer good quality.

[fiddlecollector]

I wouldn`t call 20-30 years really an old bow, but regarding Manfios comment i believe the quality of Pernambucco has been going down for most of the last century.

[guta]

Older bows seem to me to be more "mellow" both in playing and in appearance. I have always suspected that a bow becomes smoother and more stable over the decades, but have no proof at all. All I know is that my best playing bows are the older ones. e.g. one of my favorites is an old Bausch shop bow, nickel mounted, which is for me way better than some of the modern bows, which usually feel very stiff. I am flying blind here.

[fiddlecollector]

I think stiff bows can be both old and new, there are definitely more soft old bows,which are generally too soft but alot can be remedied by good recambering.I`d agree that older bows produce a more pleasing tone, to my ears at least.

[guta]

This probably has much to do with the inherent qualities of the pernambuco, but it is also possible that through constant flexing the stick gradually adapts itself, and the bow develops the "clinging" feel on the string. I would want to play a softer, maybe recambered old German rather than a new unplayed French any day of the week.

[Regis]

Does anyone feel that bows are line violins, in that they must be played in order to give the best quality? I've seen many posts on this forum that a violin that is idle for years looses tone/quality and must be "broken-in" again for a number of months. Do you think that holds true with bows?

I'm curious and don't really know.

Regis

[guta]

I don't know for sure either, but strongly suspect that to be true. Interesting parallel you draw with violins. I have played many old violins that have been heavily played in the past but lain fallow, they seem to come back more quickly than it would take to break in a new fiddle. Just off the top of my head I don't think old bows would need to be played in again, probably just recambered.

[Nemo]

Is there is a new breaking in period for the pernambuco? I would have thought that true for developing the rosin on the hair evenly but never thought about the pernambuco developing character also. Have you ever seen a new firm bow that plays harsh smooth out or a darker mellow bow become more vibrant?

[guta]

I believe that the playing charachteristics of new bows do change and improve over time, but the time for that to happen would be very long, much longer than for violins. I could not see myself buying a new bow with the idea that it will get played in. This is just my own guess, based on the fact that I have not seen too many old (80 years plus) bows that were truly stiff. As Fiddlecollector points out there are many exceptions. Maybe some of the stiff older bows have not been played a lot.

[guta]

P.S I have not seen a dark mellow bow become more vibrant, but when they are recambered they can become firmer.