Eco-Friendly Stabilized hardwoods for Making Bow Frogs
Stabilized frogs: left, Cocobolo right, Rosewood
|
This is a first in the history of bow making. Individuals who care about our ecosystem will welcome this news. The source of these exotic hardwoods is usually from already cut trees and tree stumps. We at Berg Bows have access to these stabilized woods. Several species are an option. Currently eye burl Rosewood, Cocobolo wood and African Blackwood are our favorites, but research continues, so we hope to find more. These species are converted from the raw wood to a stabilized form, that in essence is like a plastic. The beauty of the stabilized forms is greatly enhanced when this wood is buffed and polished. The technique for stabilizing involves extracting all water and resin present in the wood, then impregnating it with a resin, which is then dried and hardened. This new form is very stable. Its propensity for cracking and chipping is greatly diminished. How often one sees on bows, ebony frogs with splits and chips, usually at the heel. We at Berg Bows are excited because one species, namely African Blackwood, has been used, in its raw form, to make flutes and oboes because it produces a wonderful sound. Since a bow is like a sound loop we anticipated that use of stabilized Blackwood would enhance sound delivery of our bows because of the significant increase in sound velocity of the stabilized hardwoods. Now we have scientific proof that this is so.
|
|
We have always placed great emphasis on keeping close to the tradition of the great French bow makers, so that our molded sticks look amazingly like pernambuco wood, and now, with the frogs made from stabilized hardwoods, we are the first to make a bow which is close to totally synthetic, yet very beautiful in appearance. The evolution of Berg Bows has occurred in two phases, first to make the best composite bow with respect to performance, and recently, with the new stabilized hardwoods for their frogs, to truly excel in sound delivery. Finally, we are also exploring synthetic bow hair to replace the traditional horsetail hair.
Another reality that prevails, is that top quality raw ebony wood sources are more difficult to find, whereas African black wood is more plentiful. Stabilized, buffed and polished it is very black, virtually as black as ebony, for those who want the traditional black color for their frogs |
Violin, Viola and Cello: left, Rosewood right Blackwood
( all stabilized ) |
New Frog Design
Berg Bows announces a new frog design by Michael F. Duff. A distinctive feature is their oval ferrule, and rounded heel on both viola and violin frogs. They will be available in Ebony, Snakewood, stabilized African Blackwood, burled Rosewood, and Cocobolo wood, mounted with silver or gold. See below the colored digital photos of the first two species, one silver version and two gold versions. Stabilized versions, made from Blackwood Burled Rosewood or Cocobolo are unique in that they are not offered with any inlays i.e. flour-de-lis or Parisian pearl eye. This is to maximize durability, and also the beauty of the buffed burled exotic hardwoods. These frogs also feature solid metal buttons for durability. How often in the trade you, see ugly damaged frogs, with missing or damaged peal eyes, also damage to three-piece buttons. These stabilized hardwood frogs and those with natural Ebony or Snakewood, are offered only on the new model Berg bows which are referred to as the 'TOURTE-VOIRIN' model.
For your information a characteristic of a TOURTE violin bow is its lighter weight, usually under 58 grams. I now emulate this with the new model Berg violin bows. Further, the renowned virtuoso Corey Cerovsek kindly made it possible for me to measure many parameters of a fine VOIRIN bow which he favors. Those features are also incorporated into the new model Berg violin bow, hence I refer to it as a TOURTE-VOIRIN model. This does not mean that it has the head profile of a TOURTE or VOIRIN bow.
Early reviews of the new Berg violin bow read like this; "I love my earlier Berg gold fleur-de-lis bow but these two new 'TOURTE-VOIRIN' bows are extraordinary" and, "I absolutely love the new bow, my second purchase from you, It has fantastic flexible control and all bow strokes are easier to execute and more brilliant".
For your information a characteristic of a TOURTE violin bow is its lighter weight, usually under 58 grams. I now emulate this with the new model Berg violin bows. Further, the renowned virtuoso Corey Cerovsek kindly made it possible for me to measure many parameters of a fine VOIRIN bow which he favors. Those features are also incorporated into the new model Berg violin bow, hence I refer to it as a TOURTE-VOIRIN model. This does not mean that it has the head profile of a TOURTE or VOIRIN bow.
Early reviews of the new Berg violin bow read like this; "I love my earlier Berg gold fleur-de-lis bow but these two new 'TOURTE-VOIRIN' bows are extraordinary" and, "I absolutely love the new bow, my second purchase from you, It has fantastic flexible control and all bow strokes are easier to execute and more brilliant".
Frog Ebony Gold
|
|
Frog Snakewood Gold
|
|
Frog Snakewood Silver
|
|
