Review 1: Experience on Tour

I've just got back from a tour in Italy and have finally gotten around to writing up a proper review of the Incredibow. I had a good chance to test it thoroughly - didn't want to review it till I was used to it and had formed a solid opinion on it.

Incredibow Review - No frills featherweight violin Incredibow:

I'm from Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland and have been playing Irish Traditional music on fiddle for close to 20 years now. I have toured Europe and the States quite a bit and I play semi-professionally and teach in Limerick.

I was in the market for a new bow after finally taking notice of the significant warp in my trusty old bow. Faced with the prospect of shelling out several hundred euro on a decent bow, I started trawling the web to find out as much as I could about bows. I stumbled upon the Incredibow and started reading reviews.

There were people who loved it. There were people who didn't. However, the one thing that struck me about the reviews was that even those who decided the Incredibow was not for them, still didn't really have anything bad to say about it.

I was intrigued but wary. It's a graphite bow. There isn't a horse hair on it. The whole thing is synthetic. Nylon hair has been tried before without much success. And the shape! If Buck Rogers played the fiddle, this is what he might use. Would I be just throwing away good money on this thing?

I contacted Mark Harmer from Dance of Delight in the UK. Mark was very easy to deal with and told me that if I didn't like the Incredibow, I could return it within 60 days for a full refund. Well, friends, I had nothing to lose, so I went ahead and ordered a no-frills featherweight violin Incredibow for 125 euro.

I won't be sending back my Incredibow. I've just come back from a tour in Italy, where I played the Incredibow exclusively, and I am very impressed with the way it handles and the tone it produces. Here are my impressions: It's light. Really light. It's like holding a pencil. Triplets and strathspeys just don't hold the same challenge anymore.

It's tight. The hairs are bound quite tightly to the bow. This has the advantage of producing a lot of raw power, despite the lightness of the stick. In a normal bow, this kind of tightness would produce an unacceptable level of bounce. Surprisingly though, the Incredibow does not suffer from this problem. It stays firmly on the strings until you lift it off. Many players don't like the idea of a fixed tension on the bow. I would have said the same thing myself, but I haven't had any problems with the fixed tension so far. However, there is an adjustable tension Incredibow available now for those that really want to set their own tension.

It's clear. Some people have noted that the Incredibow does not produce the same resonance and overtones that their own fine pernambuco sticks can produce. I don't doubt that this is probably true. The Incredibow certainly produces a cleaner, clearer, more crisp tone than my old bow does (I've played them back-to-back to compare). Personally, I really like the new clean tone. Clarity is a quality that I strive for in my playing, and I find the Incredibow a great asset in that regard.

It's powerful. I mentioned above that this bow generates a lot of raw power. However, in loud sessions I still find myself putting that extra bit of pressure on the bow. This practice, combined with the difference in weight and balance compared to a normal bow, may leave you with a sore wrist. This isn't really a problem with the Incredibow - there's really no need to lean on the bow - it's just something I do sometimes that might be worth noting.

It's durable. The graphite stick and synthetic hairs make this an ideal bow for travelling, festivals, or any situation where you might not want to risk the safety of a very fine bow. The stick will not warp, the hairs are very resistant to breakage, and the whole thing (hair included) can be cleaned with a wet cloth if beer (and such) should be spilled on it.

A note on rosin: I bought a block of the recommended Tartini rosin. They also say that any good rosin should work fine too. I can confirm that over-rosining the bow is not such a good idea. It really doesn't need a lot of rosin. I put on quite a bit of rosin when I got the bow, and found that it adversely affected the tone. A few minutes of hard playing took off the excess rosin and cleared the tone nicely though. Now I restrict myself to a short lick of the rosin before playing. Works like a charm.

Conclusions:

The Incredibow is a really nice bow. It handles very well and produces a nice clear tone. It is comparable to a reasonably expensive wooden bow, despite being in the price range of an entry-level, beginner's bow. If you like a light bow, you'll probably love it. If a heavy bow is more your thing, you might not. Either way, you really can't go wrong for the price. And with the refund policy, you have nothing to lose anyway. I certainly won't be sending mine back. So if you're as curious about the Incredibow as I was, there's only one way to know for sure - get your hands on one and try it out!

Regards,

James

Review 2: Heavy gigging!

I purchased an Incredibow at a festival two and a half years ago, just when Dance of Delight were starting to import the beautiful bows. I used to be a conventional fiddler, until I got my hands on the prototype 6 string Barnshaw electric violin... and ever since then, I have kept a very open mind concerning new technology and innovations in the violin world.

What initially caught my eye was the finish. She spoke out to me from the stall, with her 'Aurorabow Realis' glare and red hair. Mark then really took his time and explained how the bow was made. Carbon-fibre rod. 'Unbreakable' hair. Preset tension etc. etc. He explained how he snipped a hair off of one of the bows with a pair of cutters, and tried to snap the hair by putting one end in a vice, and pulling at the other with a pair of pliers.... he failed

"Could I have a go please?".... When I did, it was amazing. The bow was full of Tartini/Vivaldi rosin (which I would highly recommend for this bow), and it made my 6-string sing. What was strange was that I had opted for a cello bow... it had a great weight and felt good in the hand.... the sound it produced from the violin was fantastic!...Needless to say, I did not give the bow back to Mark! I used every spare penny I had on me to get hold of her. She looked great under the lights that night during the Mad Dog gig!

Two and half years on, I HAVE NOT SNAPPED A SINGLE HAIR!!! As I said, I used to be a conventional fiddler.... These days, I'm not gentle at times with the violin (she can take it, so can the bow), I turn the bow around and hammer the strings like a hammer-dulcimer, I have dropped the bow in puddles, dropped it in beer, on audience members' heads... Let's just say that I have played countless gigs in extreme conditions, and she is as perfect as the day I purchased her.

I used to go through a 'throwaway' bow every couple of months... yet I still have the same bow, with the same hair! I can see this bow lasting as long as I.

I would say that an Incredibow is an essential part of any bowed instrument. Until you have tried one, even my enthusiastic comments will mean nothing... Having it in your hand, drawing it across the strings.... it's like telling a blind man how to see.

Stuart