Replacing Pernambuco
More than 200 years ago bowmakers found that Pernambuco was the best wood to make bows from, as it offers superior resiliency, strength and resonance compared to all the other traditional materials. Pernambuco originates from the "Mata Atlantica", the coastal rainforrest in Brazil which has almost completely disapeared today. In 2007, Pernambuco was classified as an endagered species.
Since then the stocks have been shrinking, prices have been rising and low-grade wood is being used that would have been thrown away in better times. Especially in the middle price range it has become almost impossible to find a good quality Pernambuco bow.
Since May 2022 (as of February 2023), Brazil's borders have been closed to any export of pernambuco, in any form. There has apparently been not only a large number of violations of documentation requirements in recent years, but illegal felling as well as smuggling. In November 2022, at the Cites Conference in Panama, a further tightening of documentation requirements was agreed upon, but so far it seems that these requirements cannot be met anywhere.
Matching Modern Strings
When the "modern" bow was designed in France around 1800 the instruments of the violin family used almost exclusively pure gut strings. Those strings were much lighter than today's composite and steel core strings with metal windings. The discrepancy between the relatively soft wooden
bows and heavy modern strings ads to the difficulties in playing the violin instruments.
We have designed the Müsing bows with just the right resiliency to match modern strings and thus make your playing more natural and easy.
Reducing the Resin Content in Carbon Fiber Bows
Simple "carbon" bows actually consist of more epoxy resin than carbon fibers. Producing such bows is relatively simple and not much more difficult than making wooden bows. The problem is that the resin (mostly Epoxy) dampens the high frequency overtones. If you play with such a bow you will notice that the sound is quite dull and uninspiring. Its projection is also compromised though it may sound quite full under the ear.
To achieve the same resonance as fine Pernambuco bows we had to reduce the resin content in the stick. We could achieve this only by developing an entirely new production technology for which we use 3-D woven carbon fibers. The result is a resonance quality and overtone-rich sound that is indistinguishable from expensive wooden bows.
Creating a Perfect Bounce
The bounce of a bow is a result of its curve, stiffness, weight, balance point and especially the distribution of resiliency and weight along the stick. We have build a theoretical model around our own playing experience, calculations, hard thinking and lots of computer based finite element analysis. You will be surprised how easy it is to control the bounce of the Müsing bows and equally easy to stop the bounce again and pull a perfect detaché.
Travel the World
Many traditional bows feature materials that are no longer allowed across borders: Tip plates made from ivory, frogs from tortoiseshell or ivory, whalebone windings, lizard skin thumb leather - just to name a few. The intention behind these strict import regulations is to protect endangered species of animals and plants. That's why many orchestras and musicians today are looking for bows that they can travel internationally with and use at their concerts abroad.
With a Müsing bow, you don't need to worry about that. Since we don't use any materials from endangered species, they allow for unrestricted and worry-free travel. At the same time, they offer the same sound quality and playability as a very good traditional wooden bow, with which international travel could be problematic.
The End of Fatigue and Pain
If you are one of too many musicians who experience a tired bow arm or shoulder, sore thumb or other discomfort in your right hand, playing with a Müsing bow may surprise you with a long lost comfort and ease. You may in fact lose that trouble altogether. The reason behind it is the different fundamental resonance of the bow stick, as is not as low as in a wooden bow and thus much less troublesome.
Finding the Right Bow
It is virtually impossible to make two exactly identical bow sticks from carbon fiber composite. You will find that all Müsing bows vary not only in looks and weight, but also in play and feel. So in case you are not completely happy with one certain bow, please try another one of the same type.
We classify the sticks for their resonance quality, which also varies quite a bit. Our most economic C2 bow offers a sound that is still more powerful and richer than every other carbon bow (Arcus and other Müsing bows excluded).
Our C3 bow is pure joy to play, providing an instant response, crisp articulation and perfect control. The sound of our professional C4 bow is a match to fine old and expensive bows and will never disappoint you, no matter where you play. And last but not least our masterpiece, the C5 bow: Its everything a committed musician ever wanted, and will give you the possibility to give impressive performances, unleashing a voluminous and beautiful sound.
Made in Germany
Enjoying a 15 year warranty
All Müsing bows are designed and made in Würzburg, Germany, with utmost care and dedication. By using only the best available materials and our propriatory process the quality of the Müsing bows is unsurpassed in their class. We can therefore offer a warranty of 15 years on the stick. The frog is covered by a 2 year warranty. These warranties are transferable and not limited to the initial owner.
The hair, winding, thumb leather screw and eye are excluded from the warranty as they are subject to normal wear and tear.