Colours galore

An affordable range of uniquely colourful bow frogs

FEATURED PRODUCT

‘It was supposed to be a small retirement project,’ says now-retired Canadian violin and bow maker Charles Long, ‘but it became much larger than that!’ The luthier recently launched a series of colourful epoxy resin frogs, which were originally already mounted on intermediate-level black carbon-fibre bows. They will soon be available separately to mount on wooden bows. It took three years of experimentation, Long says, to achieve a design that was both aesthetically pleasing and to his standard of performance. ‘The resin is lighter than traditional ebony, so I made a wider ferrule and ribbon of hair to increase the weight and give a better grip.’ The silk winding is also dyed to match the resin’s colour, and the rest of the frog is made from traditional materials such as silver and leather.

‘There wasn’t anything like it on the market,’ Long says of the initial idea behind the ‘pandemic-inspired’ product. ‘I made a few in my shop and people had big smiles on their faces. Even though I thought the colours would mainly attract a younger crowd, I was surprised that a lot of older people bought them too,’ he says. Accessibility and affordability are key to the new product: ‘I’ve sold expensive bows all my life. People love them but of course they can’t afford them. These bows still perform well and are affordable.’

Long explains that he chose epoxy resin because it is a stable material and can be dyed in an extensive range of colours. Some bows come in an epoxy–ebony hybrid, and he is currently creating a range with more ‘classical’ colours, made of liquid gold, silver and copper, to look more suitable on wooden bows. The frogs are currently available for violin, viola and cello, and can be ordered via email.

Charles Long Colour resin frogs CA$500

email atelierviolong@gmail.com

web contact via email to order

STRINGS

CORE VALUES

Astrea Strings has released a synthetic core set for 3/4 and full-size violins. The firm’s existing steel E string is now joined by aluminium alloy-wound A and D strings, and a nickel alloy-wound G string. The strings are designed to offer more detailed sound than the previous steel core versions, which were wound with chrome tape.

Astrea synthetic steel-core violin strings £23.99 email contact via website

web www.astreastrings.com

VIOLIN CASE

A LIGHTER TOUCH

Case maker Musafia’s new Alisea version is available for the company’s Momentum, Superleggero, Luxury Ultralight and Master Series models. The Alisea is lined with SuperSilk velvet, which is designed for optimal stability in all climates, and the cover is made of lightweight Cordura nylon. It is lighter than the models’ original cases.

Musafia Alisea version from €837

email info@musafia.com

web www.musafia.com