Listen And Decide For Yourself
So which stick is right for you? If you can get your hands on any of these, I’d love to hear your comments to see if your conclusions match mine:
BRUCE LEE – Powerful stick, deep tone, coarse hair, unique but classic styling – if you are excited by the understated, masculine styling and are frequently asked to play out more then Bruce Lee could be just the stick for you. This is an affordable bow that makes up for its lacks finesse with powerful dark tone. It was the least best fit for me (a naturally aggressive player).
LUKE – Versatile, jack of all trades, master of none with extra FUN styling – Luke is an affordable all-around bow that has a special talent of motivating young musicians. A good selection for beginner or intermediate cellists.
ZIGGY – Flashy, responsive, soft stick, especially capable on an electric – leave it to Steven Sharp Nelson to design a bow that excels in pop styles and on the electric cello. This stick couldn’t be more fun on an electric cello but you may find that it is too soft for busting out Beethoven on an acoustic. One thing is for sure, it is the most eye-catching of the group.
CARMEN – Premium bow, strong, well-balanced, lovely dark sound – this bow always gives my instrument a little something extra. It lacks some of the variety of tone colors that a super-premium wood bow can conjure but if you are looking for a durable, reliable, premium bow then this is a lot of bow for the money.
Pro Tip
Try to find equipment that offsets your weaknesses. If you are a naturally coarse, aggressive player look for equipment to mellow your sound. If you are always being coaxed to play out more, seek out equipment that really amplifies your sound.
The bow is the steering wheel of your musical journey. It guides every note you play and can either make the journey thrilling or a chore. If you are not happy with your sound, test some new equipment. If any of these bows interest you then put TPG’s money-back guarantee to the test. Order the bow that most interests you and compare it against other you find online or at your local music store. By selling direct, TPG is able to offer what I feel are below-market prices on these uniquely-styled bows. I wish they were more readily available in music stores but maybe when that happens you will see the pricing go up.
Happy Practicing Cellists!