Fiddlerman Carbon Fiber Cello Bow 1/2

I do love this bow. I was very impressed by the quality and at this price point it completely shines. I've been playing cello for a long time, sheesh 25 years now and I went to a violin shop to try bows. I ended up playing wood and carbon fiber and took a much more expensive carbon fiber bow to play/test. I liked it a lot but I am...er... budgety so I ordered this to be able to compare. This bow has a darker, more muted sound than my wood bow, for sure. For me that was lovely and perfect, because my cello has a very bright resonance, which i love, and the... i wouldn't even call it damping... the... darker overtones really worked nicely. In all honesty the tone was basically indistinguishable from the fancier (more expensive) carbon fiber bow I played. I even did semi-scientific recording tests to see if anyone could hear any difference at all. No difference in tone. This bow feels chunkier (slightly heavy) but is by no means "cheap" heavy. It just isn't an ultra lightweight bow. I have played ultra light weight bows... I don't really like them. So, again, super subjective stuff here. Lastly the hair is nice and thick and has a beautiful luscious sound, you get that classic very subtle whoosh sound when you change bow directions. I haven't played with a fully haired bow in a long time so it has been heaven. Ok actually lastly I play a lot a lot of the time and I semi-often play shows in loud venues. Certainly if you need a backup bow or a gig bow this will more than fit the bill. Having destroyed a couple bows playing in clubs when the monitor volume was too low (my rock gigs, not classical heh ;) I can say this would hold up quite well (kind of a general statement re: carbon fiber). Oh and lastly this is a composite I believe, hence the extra weight (right?). Anyways. Good bow. Me like.

As a cello instructor, students are bound to break a bow occasionally, and/or need their own bow rehaired. And this very affordable cello bow is a perfect replacement in such cases. What was at first meant to be a temporary substitute bow has become my recommended bow choice for anyone looking for a decent bow choice. I keep several for myself and students to use.

I've come to prefer this over the wooden bow that came with my cello. In the beginning they felt and played the same. Now the carbon fiber bow feels sturdier, grabs better, and has a richer sound

The bow functions as it should. My daughter is learning to play cello. The sound quality is pretty good. It seems to be a good bow. The size is good and it looks nice and durable. The color is black.

Over all, this is a very nice bow. It's a little heavier and less responsive than the bow I've used for the past 35 years, but that one was recently appraised at several thousands of dollars, not $80! We purchased this bow for my husband who is taking up cello as an adult, and it definitely meets his needs. When he has been playing for a while, and can actually judge how a bow responds to his style, we might look at getting him a wood one or a lighter carbon fiber one. For now, it will serve him well for at least a couple years, if not become his lifetime bow. Certainly can't complain about the cost! Perfect for beginners, or even as a step up bow, or one to take to summer pops concerts on those blistering hot afternoons when you just don't want to fry your good bow. We didn't try any of the other carbon fiber bows, so I can't say if another $300-500 would have made a big difference, but I can't imagine for a beginner or even an intermediate player it would.

Recently purchased the Cecilio cello from Amazon, and although the bow that comes with it works well enough when you're just getting started, I knew that I would eventually be needing an upgrade. So I purchased the Fiddlerman, and after using both bows, I can say that the Fiddlerman is lighter, more responsive, and an all around better bow for the price. I know I'm just a beginner cellist, but I highly recommend this bow if you're just starting out. It looks and feels great, and from what I can tell, is constructed from high quality material. 5/5

Defect product. The bow's frog side broke and all hairs fall out just after 2-month light use. We have used many other bows for violins and cellos. Never had this issue before. I am so disappointed.

Nice bow, be sure to rosin well.