Topic: Incredibow, have you seen this thing?

[ThunderFingers]

I look forward to the review if the new bow too.
I'm open minded.  
I'm still old school when it comes to bows. still using Brazil wood bows, even after I looked at several carbon fibor bows, I bought a new "A Lima Brazil" I also have a really old Brazil wood bow I took to a violin shop, the master bow maker is giving it a much needed overhaul, should have it back this week. I like the feel of a good wooden bow when its weighted properly, and I like to be able to adjust the tention depending on what I am playing.  

[Pipers Wine Fiddler]

Hello fellow-fiddlers,

first of all, I should mention that I am probably not the most qualified bow-tester. When my local luthier gave me a 1250 Euro (~ 1500 US$) bow to check it, I didn't really feel the difference to my 110 Euro (~ 130 US$) Paesold bow.

I ordered the standard Incredibow (56 gram) sometime late last year. I don't know exactly where any why, but for some reason it was not shipped before about 2 weeks ago. To apologize for this long delay and to compensate for my patience Ed, the inventor of the Incredibow send me an additional "featherweight" (=30 gram) bow free of charge.

After unpacking the standard bow I saw that rosin already was aplied and started to play. Immediately I liked the weight distribution and liked the way it felt in my hand. At first the grip of the artificial hair on the strings (Helicore steel strings) did feel a little bit odd but then I added some of my personal favorite rosin (Pirastro Obligato rosin). After that I really was impressed by the bow: It softly but firmly "grips" the strings immediately without requiring much pressure, the sound is very good and even at the low C of my 5-string the bow produces a strong and well balanced sound. Having played with it for a week now (daily practice, one 4-hour session and one evening with my band), it has become my favorite bow. It surely does not look like the classical fiddle bow but it feels very good. I use the normal amount of rosin (well, maybe a litle bit less) compared to my newly haired (58 gram) Paesold bow.

I have tried the "featehrweight" only a few times yet. It seems to be good for very fast tunes whith a lot of string changes. However, to produce the same tone as the standard Incredibow it requires that the index finger of the right hand puts the additional 30 gram pressure onto the strings, which you need to get used to.

One advantage of these bow is that it is permanently tensioned. I leave my fiddle always laying around without putting it back into it's case after playing, this motivates me to just grab it and play whenever I like to. Normally in my house there are a lot of distractions and I get called by my daughters to help them with something here or my wife with something there. Well, to make that long story short normally I untension the bow whenever I put my fiddle down because I never know when you I return and start to play again. Then after coming back, I have to tension the bow. Sure, only a small effort, but this is something you save with this type of permanently tensioned bow. Just grab the fiddle and the bow and start to play.

If you consider the price (around 80 US$ plus shippin) there is not much you can make wrong ordering one. Even if you only take it as a kind of practice bow, in my opinion it is money well spend.

Best regards

Holger


P.S.: I am not connected with Ed Wilcox who sells the Incredibow in any way, just a happy customer.

[swarbrules]

Take one long Bic ballpoint, glue on an extra top and drop in boiling water until pliable. Sure looks wierd but, I suppose it's the sound that counts

[MusicalGirevik]

Well, I just ordered one.  My viola teacher says I need to rehair my current bow (one of those artificial deals) anyway.

I'll post my thoughts on it after I've received it... if I remember to anyway.

[xylenz]

I bought one a couple months ago.  Its a featherweight cello bow.  I like it so much that I'm selling my codabow.  It could use a tiny bit of weight at the tip though.  It is so much easier to play its ridiculous.  You do need to use a little more finger push to sink into the high strings but the low notes sound great.  

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3711376048&category=10178&sspagename=STRK%3AMESSE%3AIT&rd=1

[fiddlebob]

I tried one at the Arkansas fiddler's gathering last week.  I tried the lightweight and standard weight bow and liked them both.  I did not buy one at this time but may consider it later.  I have never paid more than US $ 30 for a bow.  That tells you how sensitive I am to bow quality.

I need more practice, not a new bow.

Fiddlebob

[grubs]

I bought a newer model incredibow. It's 29" long, weighs 37.86 grams and has a balance point  at 11 and 15/16 inches from the 'frog' tip. I compared tonal quality with a CF bow(62.56 grams). I used 2 different fiddles, one with perlon strings and one with steel strings. I had a person approximately 20' away. Both of us felt that the Incredibow sounded slightly better. It also handles very well and has a very good grip in my opinion. I am not affiliated in any way with Ed Wilcox or the promotion of his bows.  grubs

[Jacuba]

I got a featherweight incredibow recently, and I prefer it to the normal one. The sound quality is camparable, and there are several other improvements over the first one (which I got around christmas). These bows pretty much suitable for everything but the most sensitive classical playing and recording. And they've already saved me their cost in bow rehairs. If you play a lot of live shows with bands and tend to shred bow hair, these bows are definitely worth a shot. I also found out that Ed Wilcox will customize the bow to your spec as far as balance point, weight, and number of hairs. If you gig all the time, you might consider asking for additional padding on the grip.

[Pipers Wine Fiddler]

Hi folks,

jsut adding to my previous review of the Incredibow bow, I now have played it for a couple of weeks, it survived several gigs and sessions as well as a loooooong session weekend. I played tunes such as Harvest Home (whichI can't really play slow ...) without loosing a single hair. Normally each time I play Harvest Home on stage I lose at least 2 or 3 of them.

My feeling is that the artificial hair needs at least as much rosin as classical hair, maybe even a little bit more. I use the Pirastro Obligato rosin.

The only disadvantages is that the thin rubber that covers the tip and the frog of the Incredibow might get rubbed off by my hand sooner or later. It is still there but I can feel the place wehre it starts to peel off.

Other than that: still my preferred bow (the 56 gram version), I have not played much with the 30 gram featherweight Incredibow.

Best regards

Holger

[giannaviolins]

I have just received two samples, a regular and a lightweight.  My first impression is that they play much better than I expected.  Good focus and power.  But the mass of the bow feels further from the hair in the midsection especially.  Quite different feel.  The bows aren't as steady as I am used to.  I only played them briefly and only against my nice handmade Riveste bow.  I'm quite amazed so far.  Will report more when I get used to handling the bows.

Steve

[MusicalGirevik]

I've had the viola version for a week now.  I took it to this month's improv jam session and actually noticed a volume improvement, even though I didn't bring my amp.

I too will hold off on more comments until I've played with mine for a while.  It's made bowing quite  a bit easier - but it won't bow for me and like Steve said, it's a different feel than a normally designed bow.

[giannaviolins]

OK, an intermediate level report.   Comparing to my usual bow, a rather fine Etienne Riveste, played on a new violin from our Friendsville - Kazanlak "brotherhood of craftsmen." ["The Rose" del Gesu pattern, top notch Balkan wood and workmanship, graduated and barred here, my new soft oil varnish, Dominant strings, Aubert No. 7 bridge - excellent violin, very responsive, rich, and easily manipulated; Kazanlak is the rose growing center of Bulgaria, thus the name]. I can't manipulate tone color and volume as easily as on my usual bow.  The tone isn't as sweet or round.  I'm still having problems with tracking.  Compared to the Riveste the incredibows are less easy to control.  Especially noticable is the need to keep the bow from flopping over on upstrokes.  The tip wanders a bit, too.

Now this is compared to the balance of a fine master bow that people have been trying to buy from me for years.  So the comparision above is to an exceptionally well-balanced professional stick.  

On the plus side, the tone is exceptionally focused and clean for an inexpensive stick.  I can't think of any other cheap bow that has this focus.  The bow changes directions effortlessly, especially the featherweight.    With slightly tighter grip than I usually use (I hardly hold a bow usually, just sort of let it float) I can get exceptionally quick and easily controlled string crossings.  Power is easy to get.  Perhaps increased volume.  

Power, focus, and quick handling seem the advantages, with the compromise coming in the fine details.  Next I'll evaluate it against carbon and composite bows of the same general class.

I remain impressed.  Most inexpensive bows really suck.

Steve Perry

[MusicalGirevik]

My update...

I regularly practice the Bach Cello Suite Prelude, using the arrangement in Suzuki Viola School Book 5.  There is a certain section, I believe in the middle of the first page, in which I get a nasty screech when I shift from a down bow to an up bow.  This noise can be brought under control with intense attention, when I use my fiberglass bow.  However, I just can't get rid of it when I use the Incredibow.  This sounds pretty much in line with what Steve said.  

However, I do find I prefer my Incredibow for free improv jam sessions.  The project I get with it is indeed greater than my regular bow.  I have the heavier, "regular weight" version of the Incredibow, for viola.

[simon]

Holger, are you bringing one of these things to Buxton? I must admit I was extremely sceptical when I first read about them, but I'm becoming more curious.

[Pipers Wine Fiddler]

Hi Simon,

Holger, are you bringing one of these things to Buxton? I must admit I was extremely sceptical when I first read about them, but I'm becoming more curious.

yes, I plan to bring both, the normal weight and the feather weight Incredibow to Buxton. So you all can give them a try.


Regards

Holger

[simon]

Well the concensus at Buxton seemed to be - "it really shouldn't work, but it does!" Amazing things for the price. I'm going to get a hold of a couple and try them out properly. I didn't try playing anything slow with them, which might highlight their weaknesses. I hope so, if I can't find anything seriously wrong with something so simple and cheap, it just ain't right I tell ye!

[natnot]

Well the concensus at Buxton seemed to be - "it really shouldn't work, but it does!" Amazing things for the price. I'm going to get a hold of a couple and try them out properly. I didn't try playing anything slow with them, which might highlight their weaknesses. I hope so, if I can't find anything seriously wrong with something so simple and cheap, it just ain't right I tell ye!

Yes. I didn't like the light one, but the heavier version definitely worked (and it was a pretty colour too ).

[madfiddler]

Yup, I thought this too. The little bit of playing I did with one, I was very impressed with the controlled bounce of the heavier one. The lighter one didn't work for me at all.

I would prefer a larger grip area though, great for people with small hands, but I guess I don't.

[dalebygod]

I had my mind made up earlier about them and I was bound to hate any bow that looked like that, but after playing holger heavier one, I have to say i couldn't find one thing wrong with it. Seemed well balanced and good grip on the strings. Priced right. I did notice the stick bouncing, but not the hair bouncing off the strings. Now i still won't buy one yet, but i'd try one in the studio and decide. That will tell the tale.

[alwyswinn]

Aren't you glad you joined this forum you keep hearing about things you never heard of before.

That bow was srprising not sure How they made it work but it does.  Still not for me i don't think.

[sandoval]

it sounds to good to be true ,I re-hair all the time (I play in a prog, black metal bandand) its only $60-75$ :oI have to get one!

[MandoFiddlerian]

The following is an edited version of a review I wrote in another forum and thought it might be helpful here:

My INCREDIBOW arrived two days after I ordered it and it took me less than 5 minutes to rosin using a hard, light rosin (RDM) as a "primer." (My regular rosin is Hill - Dark.) The trick is to scrub the "hair" by bearing down on it with the rosin, not stroking the rosin with the bow, as is typically done.

I've read that beginners are not too happy with the INCREDIBOW, but I've only been playing since April and I love it. I think part of the odd feel is that, because of its unique, "neo-Baroque" shape, the INCREDIBOW has a higher center of gravity, requiring more control.  It's kind of like the difference between driving an SUV for awhile after being used to driving a standard auto. To me, this is beneficial in that, after using the INCREDIBOW for awile, when I pick up a wood bow, I have more control than had I been practicing only with a wood bow.

And, hey, it is so nice not to have to worry about tightening and loosening the hair before/after practice, It's a treat to leave the INCREDIBOW hanging off my music stand, always at the ready for those quick 5-minute practice grabs. It'll also be handy to have a bow when the wooden bow needs rehairing, although as little as I now play the wood bow, that rehairing may be quite a ways down the road.

As to improvements I'd suggest, the first would be to increase the size of the opening at the "frog". Currently, it's a bit small for my chunky thumb and I end up either wedging my thumb under the hair or just holding the top of the stick. Also, a larger opening would make it easier to hang off of my Manhasset bow holder.

Because of holding the stick further from the frog, my fingers started to wear away the rubber grip material almost immediately. Here again, a larger notch at the frog would help by getting my fingers away from the thinnest part of the rubber.

The INCREDIBOW also was embossed with gold-tone letters that looked to read "SN" (Serial Number?). The letters were not completely embedded in the stick material and thus protruded slightly, catching me occasionally. I peeled the letters off without any difficulty and the problem was solved.

In summary, I'd say the INCREDIBOW is the best $79 you can spend on your violin/fiddle fix.

-Austin

[Jack002]

I nearly got to try one in Fiddle Hell. There were two there with no rosin, so they go (ssss...sssss.ssss)

I think about four fiddlers I know were not all that impressed with them. I heard

"you have to rosin the [heck] out of them"

"I didn't like it too well, but it'd be ok for a spare I guess"

"I don't care for them myself" (twice)



Jury still out for me. I'm not holding my breath, and besides, I found me a bow I like a lot now anyway.

Jack

[Mark Cordova]

Well, I'll stick my two cents in and I only used it for a few minutes. I Couldn't find a thing wrong with the playing. They beat the hell out of cheap bows. Really. I'd buy one if I didn't have a bow I really liked in my case.

I found a minor adjustment problem with the way I put my small finger on top of the stick. I couldn't do that with the Incredibow. I'm sure that a little practice time would solve that problem. Thanks for showing us those bows Steve.

[Brokenstring]

I ordered an incredibow, lightweight, yesterday. Very pleased with the volume and sound quality during a trial run at a jam.
I'll post more of my thoughts after I get it.