Bausch Bow

[Fiddler45]

It's a strip of lizzard skin that protects the handle and brand from wear.

Ah, ok. So is that something that just slips over the stick by taking the frog off and has a hole in it for the frog screw, or how does that work? Never saw that before.

[Conor Russell]

No, it just covers the top five facets and is feathered out to the edges and glued. It is common enough - often put on nice fresh bows like this one to preserve them, and sometimes put on a bit too late, when a window has appeared through to the mortice!

[AtlVcl]

Some players use a piece of Scotch tape if it turns out the lizard is bothersome, like too thick, etc.  It's very, very common, esp. with the escalating price of fine old French bows.

[martin swan]

The brand is by far the most useful/valuable part of any expensive bow ... makes sense to protect it

[Casey Jefferson]

Some players use a piece of Scotch tape if it turns out the lizard is bothersome, like too thick, etc.  It's very, very common, esp. with the escalating price of fine old French bows.

Just wondering, is there any player actually left the handle part naked, even if it's a Tourte? Sometimes I feel dumb for not protecting that part but just not dare enough to put Scotch tape on it, is the adhesive on Scotch tape safe?

[nathan slobodkin]

Just wondering, is there any player actually left the handle part naked, even if it's a Tourte? Sometimes I feel dumb for not protecting that part but just not dare enough to put Scotch tape on it, is the adhesive on Scotch tape safe?

I wouldn't use Scotch tape.. I think the usual stuff is the heavy clear plastic that is used for decals. Whatever is used if you need to take it off you should be very carefull and use a safe solvent to loosen the adhesive as you lift it off.

[lyndon]

The solvent for the glue will probably strip the finish on the bow, wouldn't it??

[Conor Russell]

No, the vinyl used for shoulder tapes and the like can be taken off with a little white spirit or kerosene, but they last for years unless the player picks at them.

 

Bow handles are cleaned and polished every rehair, and if you have a corrosive player damaging a nice bow you gently suggest covering it with leather.

[Jeff White]

No, the vinyl used for shoulder tapes and the like can be taken off with a little white spirit or kerosene, but they last for years unless the player picks at them.

 

Bow handles are cleaned and polished every rehair, and if you have a corrosive player damaging a nice bow you gently suggest covering it with leather.

Connor, so what are the marks on the bow now?  Has the adhesive etched into the finish? If not, then would you think it is just residue from the protector? Can't imagine that the dealer would have sold him the bow without cleaning off the residue. Maybe the OP just pulled it off for the photo?  jeff

[MeyerFittings]

With initials of RF in SF, we are talking about another great guy who is totally reputable and knowledgeable.

[Jeff White]

With initials of RF in SF, we are talking about another great guy who is totally reputable and knowledgeable.

True enough, my questions are in my quest to understand...no judgements.   jeff

[Bruce Carlson]

I wouldn't use Scotch tape.. I think the usual stuff is the heavy clear plastic that is used for decals. Whatever is used if you need to take it off you should be very carefull and use a safe solvent to loosen the adhesive as you lift it off.

This type of glue usually softens when it is warmed a bit. You can use a hair dryer (at a distance) and they will slowly peel off without any trouble. The residue of sticky glue can be eliminated with a light petroleum distillate that evaporates completely upon drying.

[AtlVcl]

Just wondering, is there any player actually left the handle part naked, even if it's a Tourte? Sometimes I feel dumb for not protecting that part but just not dare enough to put Scotch tape on it, is the adhesive on Scotch tape safe?

I've seen pictures of bows where precautions weren't taken, and the results aren't pretty.  Keep in mind that, unlike leather, Scotch tape never wears out, and hence seldom if ever needs to be replaced, so the issue of solvents, etc. is moot.  As mentioned previously, it's important to protect the "brand", and to keep wear at bay.  For 5 decades now I've never had a luthier or bow-maker ever question the practice.

[mandm]

Connor, so what are the marks on the bow now?  Has the adhesive etched into the finish? If not, then would you think it is just residue from the protector? Can't imagine that the dealer would have sold him the bow without cleaning off the residue. Maybe the OP just pulled it off for the photo?  jeff

There is no mark on the stick. The picture without grip was taken before I put on grip. Its just light reflection of contrast of flame and wood.

[nathan slobodkin]

I've seen pictures of bows where precautions weren't taken, and the results aren't pretty.  Keep in mind that, unlike leather, Scotch tape never wears out, and hence seldom if ever needs to be replaced, so the issue of solvents, etc. is moot.  As mentioned previously, it's important to protect the "brand", and to keep wear at bay.  For 5 decades now I've never had a luthier or bow-maker ever question the practice.

Any other comments about Scotch tape? I remember when I was an intern at the Smithsonian my boss having a coniption fit whenever he saw the stuff used on an artifact.  I've got some kind of plastic with a paper backing that I think I got at Francais' but I frankly don't know where to get more or what this stuff actually is.

[Bruce Carlson]

With initials of RF in SF, we are talking about another great guy who is totally reputable and knowledgeable.

RF learned an SL about bows PDQ when he was working together with BM JF and they called their CO F&F still located in SF. OK?

 

 BC

 

[vathek]

Back to the discussion of is this a Bausch, I have heard that the real ones need to be stamped under the frog. Don't know if that's true or not.

[Bruce Carlson]

Back to the discussion of is this a Bausch, I have heard that the real ones need to be stamped under the frog. Don't know if that's true or not.

Bausch senior did it for sure but can't be sure about the others.

[martin swan]

According to the Fuchs-Taxe (ie Klaus Grunke) :

An authentic L. Bausch Leipzig brand under the frog would relate to Ludwig Bausch Sr (died 1871), most of whose bows were made by the Knopfs.

An authentic L Bausch Leipzig brand not under the frog would relate to Otto Bausch, all of whose better bows were made by Heinrich Knopf.

[AtlVcl]

Any other comments about Scotch tape? I remember when I was an intern at the Smithsonian my boss having a coniption fit whenever he saw the stuff used on an artifact. 

An artifact demands care not normally associated with working equipment.  I bought my Fetique from Moennig in the mid 80's, who acquired it from a collection.  It was "as new" when I bought it, and it remains that way today, after constant, full-time professional use for 25 years.  Since the tape is not permeable, the "handle" remains untouched (for all practical purposes), and does not absorb any sweat from a player's bow hand.

[mandm]

On tarisio photo archive, i saw a bow stamped on the side of the stick, but not under.

According to the Fuchs-Taxe (ie Klaus Grunke) :

An authentic L. Bausch Leipzig brand under the frog would relate to Ludwig Bausch Sr (died 1871), most of whose bows were made by the Knopfs.

An authentic L Bausch Leipzig brand not under the frog would relate to Otto Bausch, all of whose better bows were made by Heinrich Knopf.

[vathek]

Is it possible to post a pic from the Tarisio archives? I don't have a membership there so can't access this feature.

[nathan slobodkin]

An artifact demands care not normally associated with working equipment.  I bought my Fetique from Moennig in the mid 80's, who acquired it from a collection.  It was "as new" when I bought it, and it remains that way today, after constant, full-time professional use for 25 years.  Since the tape is not permeable, the "handle" remains untouched (for all practical purposes), and does not absorb any sweat from a player's bow hand.i

I'm not trying to be argumentative. My question is whether or not the tape on your bow is actually Scotch tape or some other clear plastic film . Did you put this on yourself? I think that I would expect plain Scotch tape to yellow and turn brittle over that length of time. I also think that you must be one of those lucky people with fairly benign skin chemistry  because there are some people whose perspiration is so reactive that the mother of pearl and even the ebony of the frog deteriorates over long use. As for whether bows are working equipment or artifacts I would say that they are actually both and we could certainly start a whole new thread about the responsibilitys of players and the pros and cons of using great instruments versus preserving them as art objects.

[mandm]

Is it possible to post a pic from the Tarisio archives? I don't have a membership there so can't access this feature.

 

 

Same kind of tourte head as mine?? 

 

Here is another bausch in the archive 

 

Hopefully my grip doesnt turn out to be like that when peeling it off.

[AtlVcl]

I'm not trying to be argumentative. My question is whether or not the tape on your bow is actually Scotch tape or some other clear plastic film . Did you put this on yourself? I think that I would expect plain Scotch tape to yellow and turn brittle over that length of time. I also think that you must be one of those lucky people with fairly benign skin chemistry  because there are some people whose perspiration is so reactive that the mother of pearl and even the ebony of the frog deteriorates over long use. As for whether bows are working equipment or artifacts I would say that they are actually both and we could certainly start a whole new thread about the responsibilitys of players and the pros and cons of using great instruments versus preserving them as art objects.

Sorry, Nathan, didn't mean to sound argumentative at all.  It really is Scotch tape on the bow, but I can't swear to God I haven't occasionally replaced it.  Doesn't even need to be trimmed, just cut to length.

Never thought I had benign skin chemistry, I used to be the 3rd. person onstage to start sweating, my metabolism has slowed considerably in middle/old age.  No problems re the ebony, and never touch the mother of pearl.

Your point re artifacts v. working equipment is well-taken here.  When some people leave Strads in taxis and some others are too cheap to buy an airline seat for a fine instrument perhaps they should be required to return the instruments from the foundations who loaned them out in the first place!