Types of Hair Used for Stringed Instrument Bows

Synthetic bow hair is unthinkable to most violin players and makers. But given the delicacy of natural horsehair, the synthetic option has some appeal.

Players of fine cellos, violas and violins typically perform on fine cello, viola and violin bows. At some point in rehairing these bows, the question may arise: Should one go natural or synthetic with the bow hair?

This is a question in the worlds of fashion, in food, and even in music. Just as tech fabrics are sometimes better functionally than cotton or wool (it wicks away body moisture), and lab-grown protein might reduce the environmental impact of factory farming, music too faces questions on man-made musical instrument components compared to traditional, natural sources. Piano keys are no longer made from pachyderm ivory, and some might argue for synthetic bow hair in place of horsehair for violin, cello, viola, and string bass bow hair.

Indeed, it IS possible to use synthetic hair in a bow. But accomplished musicians largely dismiss it for lacking the performance dynamics of horsehair.

Whether or not that is true is subject to some debate; strike up a conversation with your favorite violinmaker about this. For traditionalists, another conversation on different types of natural (horse) bow hair is more common:

Black hair – This is the most coarse hair type, and as such it’s preferred for the lower (bass, cello) instruments and less for violins.

Black/white mix (salt and pepper or grey) hair – The mix of the two is about more than color, as the thicker black strands temper the delicate nature of the whites. Performances in outside, humid conditions fare better with this mix.

Whites (traditional, platinum, golden) – The range of lighter-colored hair is preferred for upper-range instruments, violins in particular. White is the default color for most bow makers and violinists alike. It’s sometimes called Mongolian or Siberian hair (note: most bow hair comes from horses that inhabit colder regions of the world, as the climate spurs stronger hair growth). Platinum white has a bit more bounce and pure tonality; golden white is thicker and therefore slightly more durable.

The disadvantage with natural horsehair is how fickle it can be with relative aridity and humidity. Also, horsehair ultimately breaks, or is eaten by bow bugs. Synthetic hair is far more resilient to breakage and premature wear, and is impervious to changing humidity, delivering a more consistent sound. Re-hairing and rosining processes applied to synthetics is identical to those of natural horsehair.

Only the musician can know for sure which is right for him or her, of course. But this shows there are few absolutes in life – and that it helps to be open-minded about the options.

The “Other” Instruments of Antonio Stradivari

The legendary violinmaker didn’t limit his enterprise, producing many other types of stringed instruments. A few survive, are playable, and are highly valued.

In 2018, violin maker Gregg Alf curated a remarkable collection of fine stringed instruments by the iconic Antonio Stradivari. The event, the Tokyo Stradivarius Festival 2018, included concerts and an exhibition of the fine instruments in the Mori Arts Centre Gallery, which included 21 instruments by the Cremonese master.

But not all the instruments were violins. Included were a guitar (the “Sabionari” made in 1679), a viola (the “Gibson,” from 1734) and a cello (the 1717 “Bonamy Dobrée Suggia”). It escapes notice from many that Stradivari made anything other than violins.

In fact, the house of Stradivari made so much more:

Bows – While there are only two known to be in existence – one in a private London collection, the other in the collection of the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota at the University of South Dakota – Stradivarius indeed made fine violin bows.

Cellos – The cello at the Tokyo exhibition, lent by the Habisreutinger Stradivari Foundation in St. Gallen, Switzerland, which owns a second Strad cello and four violins that are played by Xiaoming Wang, Yukiko Ishibashi, Ursula Sarntheim, and Antoine Tamestit. The foundation’s cellos are played by Christine Hu and Maja Weber. Of the estimated 70 to 80 cellos built by Stradivari, 63 are known to currently exist.

Guitars – The Sabionari guitar in the exhibit was from the Museo del Violino, which celebrates the work of the “other Cremonese luthiers,” Amati and Guarneri, in addition to work by Stradivari. Located in Cremona, Italy (of course!), it is the only playable Stradivari guitar among five that are known to exists (some additional fragments are extant).

Harps – One harp from Stradivari survives in the San Pietro a Maiella Music Conservatory in Naples, Italy.

Mandolins – There are two know mandolins by the master still in existence (one also at the University of South Dakota).

Violas – Thirteen extant Stradivari violas survive. One built in 1714 in the ownership of the Fridart Foundation was originally a viol (viola da gamba) that was converted to a viola by French luthier and inventor Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (1798-1875).

Instrument Cases – Stradivarius undoubtedly made cases for many if not most of the instruments he produced. That said, only a few survive that can be definitively attributed to him for a variety of reasons. One is that fine instruments of great value were owned by royal families and kept in their palaces. A qualified musician would come to the palace to play, thus the instrument is not what traveled and therefore no case was needed. Also, case designs changed during the time in which Stradivari was working, so earlier designs (a holster, shaped more like the instrument itself as compared to an oblong shape that that proved to be functionally better) became obsolete and, one assumes, were discarded. The single confirmed case by the master, the “Chi Mei, ex-Biddulph” case (now at the Chi Mei Museum in Taiwan) was discovered in Germany in 2007.

Protecting Your Stringed Instrument from Extreme Weather

Violins and other instruments are like children, needing protection from unkind elements. Extreme temperatures and humidity pose the biggest threats.

For every thing there is a season. Fine violins can perform in all four seasons (as Vivaldi well understood), as do cellos, violas, and string bass. The only thing to remember is that stringed instruments, like people, need to adjust from winter to spring, spring to summer, summer to fall, and fall to winter once again.

This is because these are instruments made of natural materials – different types of wood, horsehair, and some metals, although strings are only rarely made of sheep intestines (more typically aluminum and steel filaments) – they respond to temperature and varying humidity.

Complicating that to a great degree are the different types of wood used to build violins and other stringed instruments. These are maple, spruce, and ebony, each of which absorbs ambient humidity to different degrees. This means that at the joints where those woods meet there is uneven expansion and contraction. As a preventive measure, the glues used to join those parts are chosen to shatter in extreme circumstances such that the wood itself doesn’t crack or break. A visit to a qualified violin maker after that kind of breakage is necessary to restore it to playing condition.

The problems caused by changing temperatures and humidity can include when the bridge sits higher than what is optimal (strings sit higher off the fingerboard), cracks and open seams, and softened varnish (permanent impressions can be made in the finish). A bow, too, can be affected by humidity, affecting its tautness.

But there are ways to avoid damage from extreme heat, extreme cold, and sudden changes in humidity:

Keep it in the case – Your case is a bit of a buffer to temperature and humidity swings. This is reason enough to store it inside the case, not leave it out. When traveling, be conscious of placing it in the sun or near a heat source. When you arrive at a concert hall or any other location expect the conditions there will be different from your home. Open the case and allow time for the instrument to adjust to the different environment. To be clear, only a hard case provides this protection.
But a case is not impermeable armor. If you leave it in an enclosed vehicle, in summer or winter, the temperatures can still cause expensive damage.

Wrap it in silk – There really isn’t a scientific explanation for this, but a silk wrapping around a violin slows the transfer of humidity, in and out, according to seasoned players.

Use technology – Humidifiers and dehumidifiers made for use inside an instrument case (Dampit is a common brand), as well as in the room where you are playing, can temper the ill effects.

If the cost of repairs doesn’t provide enough incentive to take these preventive methods, here’s something else that might motivate you: A violin in the repair shop is a violin that isn’t being played.

In Violinmaking, the Age of the Wood Matters

It starts with mature, old growth trees and then requires a long time of natural drying. With stringed instruments such as violins, age is an advantage.

Much is made of the fine violins made long ago. The names Stradivarius, Guarneri, and Amati immediately come to mind. The ages of those 16th, 17th and 18th century violins (and violas and cellos) only seem to increase their value, suggesting that time is no enemy of fine stringed instruments.

Time is also a quality ascribed to new violins. How so? Wood that is specifically harvested in the cold, dormant seasons is cut and stored carefully and left to age before the violin makers touch it. Some of the stacks of raw wood inventory are kept on hand for as long as 50 years.

Which begs the question: What does aging do to wood that, one assumes, improves the quality of the violin, cello, and viola? The porosity of the wood and its hygroscopic nature – hygroscopy means the material (the wood) attracts and holds water – mean it needs time for that water to leave. For products such as wood furniture and wood building materials, kiln drying sufficiently removes the moisture. But kilning changes the cellular structure of the wood, which is not good for a musical instrument because it adversely alters the acoustics of the instrument.

The woods used for violinmaking are usually spruce and maple, spruce for the top and maple for the back. For both, harvesting is done with old growth trees (again, age is an advantage), grown at high altitudes on north slopes where conditions create denser wood (the Stradivariuses are believed to have been made from trees that grew during a mini-ice age in Europe, when growth was very slow and the wood was therefore more dense). Once felled, the wood is cut into cylindrical shapes, or sliced into wedges (“billets”) that are slightly bigger than the finished pieces. They are sealed on the ends but left exposed to air on all sides to allow the slow drying process.

The woods for making cellos, violas and string bass are typically made from maple and spruce as well. And the acoustic characteristics of aging apply to these instruments also.

Not every violin is made through such a painstaking process involving long ago-harvested wood. Clearly, it is less expensive to use newer wood dried by different methods. And those savings are passed on to buyers – students, and less serious players. But it also explains why better quality violins, made by more skilled luthiers, cost more.

Accessories for the Beginner Violin Player

There are several items the stringed instrument musician should acquire early in his or her training. It enables better play from the start.

The violin is perhaps among the most beautiful of musical instruments in both sound and appearance. A mere picture of violinist playing – or even just the instrument itself – conjures lovely images in the minds of anyone who appreciates fine music.

But just as with elegant sports cars and majestic homes, there is far more behind the scenes that goes into making beautiful violin – or cello, or viola, or bass – music. For the beginning player, there are several items the local violin shop will pair with a purchase or rental of the instrument that are essential or very important to music making. Here is a modest list of those accessories for stringed instruments:

Rosin – You probably knew you needed this; it’s mentioned in John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” (“When the work’s all done and the sun’s setting low, I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow…”). Virtuosos with names like Perlman and Hahn of course use rosin too, of course – it’s an essential substance that creates friction on the bow that produces sound when in contact with the
strings. If there is no rosin, there is no sound.

Shoulder rest – The violinist never rests, but a little bit of spongy material attached to the underside of the instrument at least makes playing a bit more comfortable. It does this by keeping the violin from slipping and creates an overall ergonomic benefit. A related item, placed on the topside of the instrument, is the chin rest.

Tuning fork – While very “old school,” the tuning fork (generally set to the A note) is a reliable, low-tech way to tune the violin. This is increasingly important for the player when joining an orchestra or chamber ensemble.

Fine (electronic) tuners – Very easy to use are electronic tuners, many of which also have a metronome built in. Again, acquiring a sense of perfect pitch is part of what makes for better instrumentalists of all kinds.

Backup strings – Many things in life are temporary, and violin strings are among them. Made of horsehair, an organic material, they simply will fray and break with playing. Instrumentalists who are serious about their playing will always keep a backup set on hand for when that happens.

Mute – For the beginner, a mute might be useful to enable quieter playing. (Perhaps there are two or more musicians in your house who want to play at the same time?) But they are also required in orchestras for some scores or at the whim of the conductor.

Music stand – An inexpensive item – as are most accessories – this enables better posture and helps the musician prepare for orchestral play.

Conclusion: Don’t be intimidated by the complexity of these items. Just consider the learning you had to undertake for driving a car, adding the proper fuel, or tending to its maintenance. If you’re a homeowner, you know homes require attention to repairs and parts to function properly. Violins along with all other stringed instruments need accessories such as these to help the player explore the full range of what makes beautiful music.

Authentication and Certification of Fine Stringed Instruments

An especially knowledgeable violinmaker can identify the origin of a violin. This goes beyond an appraisal – a certificate of authenticity applies to insuring a fine instrument.

The enduringly popular Public Broadcast System program, “Antiques Roadshow,” has multiple episodes in its archives where a violin is appraised at large sums, as much as $50,000 and more. Some instrument owners are delighted that a long-ago purchase by a parent or other relative now puts great value in their hands. But those stories are the exception to the rule.

But whether the violins were obtained by inheritance or other legitimate means, or even through criminal acts, the actual origin of fine stringed instruments is about more than monetary value. A highly trained professional can usually ascertain the authentication of the maker, which in part tells the story of value. The professional will then provide written documents that certify the origin, value and authenticity of that instrument.

The same can be said of a fine cellos and violas. There are clues in the craftsmanship, the wear, and the wood. Interestingly, the label in a fine violin can be unreliable because even in the 18th and 19th centuries there were forgeries, while other, better-quality violins were labeled as homage to a great predecessor. If the label says “Stradivarius,” it mostly likely means it was not made by that master but an acolyte or admirer.

What’s most important is that a qualified, trained eye of an authoritative expert be employed in the authentication and certification process. This expertise comes from years of education, work, and exposure to great violin makers of the past, and an instinct for the many fine details and clues. Not every local violin shop is going to be able to provide this expertise.

Aside from relying on expertise, the certifying professional will perform meticulous research in order to ensure the accuracy of the certificate issued. The certificate includes the name, qualification and seal of the author of the certificate. It certifies the name of the instrument’s maker or workshop, the place of its origin, the date of its making, its estimated value and a description of the instrument, its dimensions and condition. High quality images are attached to the certificate.

Aside from learning the value of an instrument, the additional purpose for achieving this certification is to get proper insurance for it. This certification adds value to the instrument and is necessary to properly insure any fine violin, viola, cello or bow.

For the musician who travels with his or her instrument, this is an important consideration. The cost for certification is typically 5% of the appraised value.

In some cases, the absolute certainty of an authentication is not possible, even if the value can be appraised. The luthiers of the past did not always make it easy to identify who created what.