I use well-seasoned, high-quality snakewood, pernambuco, and local wood species. I do almost all the work by hand, from sawing the rough shapes from boards and planing them to the correct thickness, to fitting the frog to the stick.
Each piece of wood is different and is worked individually, so no two bows are exactly alike. My experience as a musician helps me to perfectly fine-tune the bows.
Even as a musician, my particular interest was always the conception and shaping of sound. This has extended into bow-making, and it is my primary goal to build bows with a rich, resonant sound. I also find it very exciting to experiment with how different bow shapes and types, as well as different types of wood, lead to different phrasing and tonal possibilities—how the "material" we use as musicians often shows us how the music can be played and how it may have originally been intended.
My ultimate goal is not to faithfully reproduce "old" styles. I always find great motivation in how alive music is, as it is created anew in every moment.
Original "old" bows, especially drawings and paintings, help me develop my own ideas.
Materials Used
For the production of my bows, I use the following woods and materials:
- Snakewood (Brosimum guianense)
- Ironwood (Swartzia bannia)
- Ebony (Diospyros crassiflora)
- Plum (Prunus domestica)
- Service tree (Sorbus torminalis)
- Cherry (Prunus serotina)
- Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
- Bone (cattle bone)
- Horsehair
- Mother-of-pearl
I do not use ivory.
None of the listed materials are on the list of the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).CITES).
Certificate
I would be happy to issue a certificate for your bow detailing the materials used.
Impressions from the Workshop
Bow Rehairing and Repairs
I take the utmost care when rehairing bows, as a great bow with poor rehairing does not play well. I also offer an express service if you need it done quickly.
I also perform other repairs on bows of all kinds.
For those unsure whether a baroque bow is the right thing for them, or who only need a bow for a limited time (e.g., for travel), it is possible to hire a bow or instrument.