More violin bows...

It would seem that my last entry didn't quite make the point I had intended. My apologies to you all. I was really trying to convey my delight at hearing two musicians auditioning violin bows in the same way and in similar terms to Hi-Fi enthusiasts comparing cables. And also to put the best cables into some kind of context.

After all, bows are just bits of wood and horse hair - just as cables are bits of copper and plastic. Good value is determined by the performance more than the price against material costs.

Thank you, Kirsteen, for putting me right!

Musical instruments and Hi-Fi systems

Last week I was visiting Harvey de Souza, leader of the St. Martin in the Fields Orchestra, and witnessed a fascinating A/B dem.

A colleague of his arrived to try out some of Harvey's collection of bows to get more body and penetration in the sound of his violin. The ensuing comparisons were an eye opener. They showed me how important the bow is in creating the voice of a violin. It made nearly as much difference to the sound as the violin itself... just like Russ Andrews and Kimber cables and accessories do in a Hi-Fi or Home Cinema system!

Just to put relative costs into perspective, bow prices start around £3,000 for a good one, to £20,000 for a really good one, to £100,000+ for one a serious professional would want to use. And you expect to hear these differences on a £5,000 Hi-Fi system?

Think on.