Arcus Carbon Fiber Bows for Advancing Students and Professional Players
Arcus professional grade carbon fiber violin, viola, cello, and bass bows are used by discriminating players around the world, including chamber players, orchestral members, soloists, and serious students. Using carbon fiber to build bows is similar to wood in that no two bows perform the same, therefore, Arcus 'grades' its bow sticks from 3-9 (9 being the most perfect sounding and performing bow, and the most expensive)
Read more about the model numbers.
What Make Arcus Bows Different
*30 Year Warranty for all Arcus Bow Sticks*Hand Made in Germany - All Arcus bows are made entirely in Germany, with all the love and skills that Arcus has developed in more than a decade of making carbon fiber bows. The engraving is made using a small computer controlled machine. Everything else is made completely by hand; from the lamination of the stick to the cutting of the wedges which fix the hairs in place.
*Hollow Stick - Arcus bows are hollow with a thin wall (just like instruments), and therefore vibrate much more freely than any bow with a solid core. It is probably the most difficult way of making a bow, but it provides an unmatched clarity of sound, response and projection.
*Traditional Rehair - One thing Arcus bows have in common with historical bowmaking is the hair used for the bows. There is no material better suited to holding rosin and grabbing the strings than natural horse hair. They also use traditional wooden wedges to mount the hair, so that every repair shop can easily rehair an Arcus bow, including Linda West.com.
*Round or Octagonal - In contrast with the solid sticks of wooden bows, the round and octagonal shapes of Arcus
sticks give them specific characteristics. The complex cross section of the octagonal sticks is a result of their round inside. This makes them play in a more agile and lively way. The round sticks have a very regular cross section, which gives them a very even and steady feel. Every player should try both versions to find the best match for their own style of playing.
*Pure Carbon Shaft - Arcus has a unique way of producing bow shafts that contain the absolute minimum of epoxy but the maximum amount of carbon fiber. This provides a pure carbon surface that is warm and soft to the touch and gives a perfectly secure grip. It is also scratch proof, and playing “collegno” does no harm to the stick.
Getting Started with an Arcus Bow
The Arcus bows are a completely new design. They follow traditional concepts where it makes sense, but primarily they are made to fulfill the demands of todays musicians: a wide repertoire of music from four centuries, gigantic halls, large orchestras, modern strings and generally very high expectations and demands. The following suggestions are intended to make your mastery of the Arcus bow as effortless and swift as possible.
Play the Arcus bows exclusively for several daysOver many years of playing an instrument, all of the movements required to handle a specific bow precisely become subconscious. Anything new takes time to adjust to. In particular, the much higher spring rate of the Arcus bows, which requires a new, small program. This is similar, for example, to making the switch from the viola to the violin. In direct comparison with the usual wooden or composite bows, Arcus bow are much quicker and more direct in feel.
As long as an Arcus bow feels too light, the learning process is not complete. During this period we strongly recommend that you dont play with your regular bow, not even for a short time. If you do, then your old program will instantly take control again and the learning process will be fundamentally corrupted. The trial and learning period should run for several days in a row, so that the new information can be processed overnight. Once you have gained total control over the Arcus bow you can very easily switch between different bows. Now is the time for a proper comparison of sound and play, as you can already use a lot of the potential of the Arcus bows. However most musicians still report their continued discoveries of new possibilities in bowings and the modulation of sounds.
Bassists usually need more time, often up to two weeks, violists about one week, violinists
Cellists quite often have full control after only 1-2 days.
The S-Series
Arcus S-Series bows (for Violin and Cello) are ideal for solos, providing radical virtuosity, perfect projection, and incredible power. Their brilliant spectrum suits all well-balanced instruments and makes darker sounding instruments sing like never before. Incredible lightness and comfort combined with a uniquely powerful, brilliant, clear and projecting sound. The S-Series is based on the previous Arcus models 'Concerto' and 'Cadenza' bows, which have been extremely successful with professional players around the world.
In developing the S-series, Arcus has incorporated the experience gained over the past years together with the latest results of their continued research and development. The result is a line of bows that both meet all of the criteria required of a fine bow, and that also offers entirely new possibilities for virtuosic playing. Show the audience your real potential, free from the limits of traditional bows with an S-Series bow from Arcus.
The S-Series is available in level 5 - 9 sticks, round or octagonal .
The M-Series
The M-Series (for Cello and Viola) by Arcus is a bow to feel really comfortable with. It is so easy to handle, and makes it easy to execute the most difficult strokes with absolute precision. Its rather dark and warm sound suits all instruments and blends really well in the orchestra.
The M-Series provides maximum comfort, secure execution of all bowings and a big, round and warm sound. The perfectly balanced characteristics of the Arcus M-Series bows support each step in the development of a player's technique. This makes them suitable for orchestral players, students and amateurs. This series has its origins in the 'Allegro' and 'Veloce' bows (previous models by Arcus.) By improving the composition of the stick further, Arcus has been able to enhance both the sound and playability. Compare the M-Bows to conventional wood or carbon-bows. You will be surprised!
The P-Series
The P-Series is available for violins and violas only, and is the perfect bow for the orchestral player. Easily maneuverable and strong, with a very well-balanced sound. It works fantastically with most instruments and for nearly every type of player.
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The new line of Arcus bows was launched in 2011 and replaces the old line with some new product names, lower prices, and nice upgrades.
Comparison of 2007 Arcus Product Line to 2011 Product line (Violin bows)
Cadenza Gold = S7 or S8:Similar beauty of sound and power of the Cadenza can be found in a typical S7 bow, which is silver
mounted and lower priced than an S8, which is gold-mounted, more expensive, and draws a sweeter and stronger sound.
Cadenza Silver = S6Except for the inlaid silver ring in the frog, the S6 is very similar to the Cadenza in both the outfit and in the sound, at a lower price.
Concerto = S5Resonance quality and outfit of the Concerto is exactly the same in the S5, which has a lower price.
Sinfonia = S4 or P4The S4 is available in limited quantity, otherwise it is very similar to the Sinfonia, except for the snakewood
frog instead of ebony, and a lower price. Alternatively we recommend the P4, which is
a little more heavy.
For any violin with a rather bright sound, the bows of the P-Series are
recommended in similar classification. Many orchestra players also
prefer the somewhat higher weight and the less dominant sound of
the P-Series.
Allegro = M4The M4 comes in the same outfit and sounds similar to the Allegro, but the M4 stick is more resilient which
makes it much more suitable to good players.
Veloce = M3The M3 has almost the same nickel-outfit as the Veloce but is much improved in the playing properties
and feel. The winding is now stainless steel.
Vega = E4The E4 is almost exactly the same bow as the Vega, but at a lower price.
See our
Arcus Bow page for all of our available models.
