In my violin shop I sometimes throw away a trash can full of bows. Of course that’s a waste! That’s why I’m making this video: I want to explain how to keep your bow in a good state and enjoy it for many years. Therefore I would like you to avoid the 4 ways to demolish your bow…

1 Don’t tighten your bow too much

Even advanced players sometimes don’t know how to tighten their bows. A lot of people tighten their bow until the bow is straight and the distance between the wood and the hair is the same over the whole length. Actually this is a way to demolish your bow. It ruins the spring system and the shape you need to have in your bow.

The right way is to tighten the bow so that the distance between the wood (or carbon) and the hair is smaller in the middle of the bow. Your pinky should hardly be able to come between the wood and the hair. Based on your personal preference you can tighten it slightly more or less.

2 Don’t leave your bow in the case when it’s tightened (too much)

Some people don’t only tighten their bow too much, but they also save it in their case in that way. That’s a sure way to demolish your bow. Sometimes my clients haven’t played for a while and bring back their rented violin and when I open the case I see the bow tightened like it’s a ‘bow and arrow’ bow and not a violin bow… and it’s been that way for months. I’ve had to throw away the bow in many of these cases.

3 Don’t let your kid lean on the bow

For some reason violin playing kids tend to lean on their bow with the tip of the bow on the floor. The bow is very fragile at the tip and leaning on it can easily break it. A bow isn’t made to be a walking stick, so keep an eye on your kid when he/she practices.

4 Put your bow in the case the right way

This doesn’t happen as often as the other things, but some people tend to force the bow into the case the wrong way… for example with the hair up in a spot where the hair should be down. Just be careful and take a moment to figure out how the bow is meant to fit in the case. This can differ per case.

I hope I’ve saved your bow with these tips or at least given you some valuable information.

Are you looking for a good quality new bow? Check out Zlata’s own line of carbon fiber bows (click here!).

Is this video helpful to you? Please let me know in the comments below! If you like it, share it with your friends!

Love,

Zlata

PS: Do you have questions or struggles on violin or viola playing? Post a comment below or send an e-mail to info@violinlounge.com and I might dedicate a Violin Lounge TV episode to answering your question!