When violin bow maker Matt Wehling offered to be a guest on Sweep the Floor, I couldn't resist. Violin bows look so simple - a long strip of wood, some horsehair, and something called a "frog" - yet they can command five or even six figures. How much work actually goes into them? How many parts do they actually have? Do they get better with age or retired? I had so many questions.
Wehling - who practices his craft in Northfield, Minnesota - didn't disappoint. This five-time Gold Medal winner from the Violin Society of America walks us through the history of the modern bow, the actual woodworking he does, the importance of Francois Tourte, the varying styles players expect and outlines how a scarcity of bow-grade pernambuco challenges all newcomers to the craft. Wehling fielded all my questions and, after listening to this episode, I don't think I'll ever see a violin bow the same way again.
Sweep the Floor is a new podcast where we celebrate the stories behind the best makers in the world, including woodworkers, brewers, bootmakers, mechanics, designers and all points in-between.
Listener suggestions or sponsorship inquiries welcomed at podcast@fretboardjournal.com.
Host: Jason Verlinde
Music: Paul Rigby
A Fretboard Journal Podcast production.
