Links!

In keeping with the Grand Tradition ot the internet I, too, have my page of swell and dandy links that have items of interest that you might find useful

The American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers has a web site here:
http://www.afvbm.com

Bowworks
Are you interested in making some bows yourself? Then you will need to get some bow making materials. BowWorks has everything you need to craft a bow of your own. Of course you can't buy years of experience but there is no time like the present to start. BowWorks, supplies for bowmakers.

Pre-modern bow Makers

Ralph Ashmead has been making bows for early instruments since the early 1980's. He has been featured in a number of newspaper and magazine articles including The Strad and Strings magazine. Some examples of his work are delightfully ornate even for the Baroque period. He originally made bows in the San Francisco Bay area. He now lives and works in Tuolumne, CA just North of Yosemite National Park.
www.AshmeadBows.com

Chris English makes both modern and pre-modern bows. But is best known for his pre-modern / pre-Tourte bows. I have personally known Chris and his work for over 20 years. If you are considering a bow and especially one for pre-modern playing, I would suggest that you check him out. Chris lives and works in the American bow capital, Port Townsend, WA
www.cf-english.com

Harry F Grabenstein had firmly chosen his path as a maker of pre-modern bow by the time I met him in the early 1980'S and has followed that path ever since. He makes bows for the viol and violin family of stringed instruments from Renaissance to modern. Harry is located in Williston, Vermont. www.hfgbowmaker.com

Bass bow Makers

Sue Lipkins is the name that first comes to mind when asked about bass bows. Sue has studied Bass at Juilliard School of Music. Worked and studied in the shop of the great OZ, William Salchow in New York, and spent many summers in the company of other bow makers at the summer workshops at Oberlin, OH. Her selection of materials and craftspersonship are unsurpassed. She shares a workshop in Woodstock NY with her partner, instrument maker David Wiebe www.ViolonCello.com/BowMaking

Instrument makers

David Wiebe attended the University of Missouri, Columbia as a Music Major in Double Bass performance this was followed by studying violin making at the violin making school in Mittenwald, Germany. He is one of the few that makes violins, violas, cellos and bass. He shares a workshop in Woodstock NY with his partner, bow maker Sue Lipkins. ViolonCello.com/about/index.html#david

The David Van Zandt web site. Lots of interesting things relating to violins, bows and bowmaking here too!
http://www.vanzandtviolins.com

The Violin Society of America is an organization whose purpose is to promote the art and science of making, repairing and preserving stringed musical instruments and their bows. The VSA offers its members the world-renowned competition for new instruments and bows, an annual convention, the Journal, a quarterly newsletter, as well as other activities.

The line of low-cost bows that I import, Arcos Brasil, has their own web site too, if you need more information than I have provided here, check it out.
http://www.arcosbrasil.com

They have an excellent paper on pernambuco wood
http://www.arcosbrasil.com/PernambuccoWood/pernambuccowood.html

And then there is Gryphon Stringed Instruments
Gryphon Is a retailer of stringed Instruments, new and used of all types sizes, shapes and varieties. They carry the Arcos Brasil line of bows that I import as well. They have a Dutch auction running on their site where you can score some great deals. They update their inventory list online daily.
http://www.gryphonstrings.com

May I recommend Frank Ford's site:
Frank has been a builder, restorer, and repairer of fretted instruments for two or three millennia and has created a site that is marvelously filled with information for musicians and repair folk alike. He has worked hard on his site and his efforts show. He is always adding new things and you will be surprised at the interesting things you will find there.
http://www.frets.com

And we mustn't forget the required links to pages of Violist Jokes...
http://www.mit.edu/people/jcb/jokes/viola.html
http://www.netfunny.com/rhf/jokes/91q4/musjok.html
http://www.netfunny.com/rhf/jokes/92q1/moreviola.html

I have known David Young for over 20 years. He is an excellent maker of bows
as well as a fine repairman and restorer.
www.drybows.com