Rodney D. Mohr - Protect Your Investment
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| When I visit with young players and show them how I make bows. I tell them that owning an instrument is like owning a museum. The case is the building and your instrument and bow are the treasures. Your job as curator is to take the very best care of these treasures that you can, so the next generation can enjoy them. You don't own them, you have only paid for the privilege of using them for awhile.
Most players go through a very deliberate search to find the best match of instrument, bow, and player.
Now that you have made your decision you need to protect them.
Your bow is more fragile and less repairable than your instrument.
There are several things you can do that will help protect your investment.
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 1. Keep your bow clean.
Wipe any rosin or perspiration off with a soft cloth every time you use it or if you're in a long session, take a break and wipe it down.
Perspiration will soften the pearl inlays and they will lose there luster and start to wear away.
The salt will recrystallize in the pores of the ebony and pernambuco and make white or gray blotches that are very difficult to remove.
The rosin will start to accumulate on the bow and turn dark and unsightly. It takes strong chemicals to remove this build up. This is unhealthy for the repairperson and will remove some of the original varnish.
While you're cleaning your bow, look at it and become familiar with it. You see it much more then your repair person and you will be better prepaired to see changes.
2. Don't delay any repair. Time delays can make the job more difficult or even impossible. A crack or split in your bow should be repaired immediately. DO NOT TOUCH any damaged areas! The oils in your hands may promote discoloration of the wood and the edges of the crack can be broken away making the repair more noticeable.
3. Choose your repair person wisely. There are many people that can do remarkable repair work, but there are many more that are willing to do work for you that are unqualified. Make sure that the person you choose is up to the task. Ask other players, teachers, ect., about whom they trust. There may not be anyone in your area that is capable of doing the work. Just remember higher quality repair work will help you retain your bow's value.
4. Take care in choosing your rehairer. Rehairs are done more frequently than any other work and your bow is at the most risk of damage during this procedure. Small plugs are placed in the head and frog to hold the hair in place. A thin wedge spreads the hair to the edges of the ferrule. Great care must be taken in fitting these plugs and wedges as many bows have been damaged while being rehaired.
5. Col legno can damage your bow! If the string is trapped between the bow and the fingerboard, this will leave indentations in the stick. If possible use a lesser quality bow.
6. Stand tapping is forbidden! Why would you show your approval of a performance by wacking your bow against the edge of a steel music stand. If I suggested wacking your instrument against a music stand you would think it an absurd idea. Please don't do it.
7. Keep your instrument insured. Probably the most important thing you should do to protect your investment is to insure it. Accidents do happen no matter how careful your are. |
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