Are you planning on releasing any more episodes of your conversation with with Mr. Yung Chin? It's always a privilege to hear what a Master Craftsman has to say about his craft, and his insights earned by decades of dedication to it. Thanks
@@aTonalHits That's great news! I'm sure he's got much more to share. I find it very interesting to hear about the subtle interactions between wood and string vibrations. Thanks
There is! Yung has so much good stuff to say that we ended up having to carve it up into many episodes- it's so hard to cut anything! Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it :)
i have like 100+pcs of violin bow blanks and one slab or Brazilian pernambuco but I'm a guitar make,honestly looking for somebody to get the bow blanks from me
I really enjoy this series! (did you ask him about portuguese colonialism? ;-) A very interesting detail is the ductility of heated wood. One could think bows are carved in their final form, but in fact the stick is carved straight and bent later. So, if your bow is not straight any more after some years, you don't have to throw it away. A skilled bowmaker can bend it easily back straight. It also fascinates me that, as good tonal wood has grown slowly, it's quite usual that if you buy a new violin, the tree has been planted 200-250 years ago. If you buy one from the last century, the tree has maybe grown up together with Bach :-) Unfortunately, there are so many low quality things produced from rare tropical woods. E.g. ebony fingerboards on $90 factory-made violins. Or pencils made from Pernambuco that you cannot even refill... which makes it difficult to get the material for high quality work that may last for centuries (if noone drops it)... we'll see if the trees will grow fast enough. Looking forward to the next episode!
I know- I love this idea that the wood itself has it's own life, before it ever gets turned into a bow or a violin. In a way, and I know this might be quite... I don't know, elitist? - it's wonderful that they do at least end up as bows, rather than pencils. A pencil might very well create a beautiful work of art as well, or writing- but just as likely not. Whereas a good bow... well, one hopes it gets into the hands of a good player! More episodes to come! :)
YES, that is true. Back then they got a lot of Pernambuco from brazil and they realized that Pernambuco is very good for making bows and because of that they used up the best Pernambuco
This is a tricky one- they used up a lot of the good pernambuco wood awhile ago, this is true- but newer pernambuco wood can be just as good. It's very much in the eye of the beholder, you know? Because people like Yung, and other bow makers, have this wood they've been holding onto for decades, slowly seasoning it and waiting for the perfect moment to create a bow with it. On the other hand, I play on an antique bow, and I love it SO much. It's wonderfully responsive, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Also, the comment below on baroque bows is very interesting- at the same time, I'm not sure you can compare modern and baroque bows this way, because their functionality is totally different: they are different 'species' of bows.
@@johnalexander301 That's tricky- I have heard that, but I honestly haven't put much credence to it- take the bow I use, made in 1816- it's definitely been in full use these past two hundred years, passing from person to person with, perhaps, a few years of break here and there. It still responds beautifully, but, for instance, the connection of the frog to the stick has worn down over the years. Sometimes I feel the shifting beneath my fingers, and know that in maybe another hundred years, if it survives that long, that shift will be even more drastic. Maybe it was even more responsive a hundred years ago, but I don't know how one could ever gauge that, as it varies hugely from player to player!
I'm looking forward to commenting on all of these videos as a musician, collector, and maker of violas and bows myself. Re the choice of wood: it is very precious and the trees are becoming fewer and fewer. I saved up 550 euros for just one blank pernambuco material only to find out that could not be shipped to me legally from Germany. It's mildly annoying that the same bit of wood if it had been made into the finished product *could* then be shipped to me... but it makes sense, I understand all these protection rules. Pernambuco (paubrasilia echinata) is gorgeous and I didn't realise until about 10 years ago that it could be as highly flamed as maple (of violin backs)! I struggle to find top quality bows made by the great makers which is made from other wood. I find two (and bought one) - one is made by Prosper Colas from a species called 'abeille' wood which is what the majority of $50 student bows are made out of these days, and the other was a Dominique Peccatte bow made of 'swartzia bania' also known as ironwood. Some people think ironwood is "too clumsy" or "not as fine" as pernambuco. Not in this case! The price difference though: Colas- $2200, Peccatte $110k. So guess which one I sprung for? Haha.
Brazil's wood is the best sounding in the world. Every guitar player knows that. What a surprise learning how it could be put to good use violin-wise. And how good to know reforestation is a top priority in western latitudes. Keep up the good job!
Fascinating ! Thank you so much.
I love my pernambuco bow! Thanks this is so informative!
I find it surprising that most violinists arent obsessed with the violin-making process as much as they are with playing. Personally I love both
Are you planning on releasing any more episodes of your conversation with with Mr. Yung Chin? It's always a privilege to hear what a Master Craftsman has to say about his craft, and his insights earned by decades of dedication to it. Thanks
Next Thursday! Hopefully. There are a few more episodes that we are working on! Glad to hear you're enjoying it :)
@@aTonalHits That's great news! I'm sure he's got much more to share. I find it very interesting to hear about the subtle interactions between wood and string vibrations. Thanks
Ahhhh, the release! Been waiting for episode 2. I feel like there's more?
There is! Yung has so much good stuff to say that we ended up having to carve it up into many episodes- it's so hard to cut anything! Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it :)
i have like 100+pcs of violin bow blanks and one slab or Brazilian pernambuco but I'm a guitar make,honestly looking for somebody to get the bow blanks from me
I really enjoy this series!
(did you ask him about portuguese colonialism? ;-)
A very interesting detail is the ductility of heated wood. One could think bows are carved in their final form, but in fact the stick is carved straight and bent later. So, if your bow is not straight any more after some years, you don't have to throw it away. A skilled bowmaker can bend it easily back straight.
It also fascinates me that, as good tonal wood has grown slowly, it's quite usual that if you buy a new violin, the tree has been planted 200-250 years ago. If you buy one from the last century, the tree has maybe grown up together with Bach :-)
Unfortunately, there are so many low quality things produced from rare tropical woods. E.g. ebony fingerboards on $90 factory-made violins. Or pencils made from Pernambuco that you cannot even refill... which makes it difficult to get the material for high quality work that may last for centuries (if noone drops it)... we'll see if the trees will grow fast enough.
Looking forward to the next episode!
I know- I love this idea that the wood itself has it's own life, before it ever gets turned into a bow or a violin. In a way, and I know this might be quite... I don't know, elitist? - it's wonderful that they do at least end up as bows, rather than pencils. A pencil might very well create a beautiful work of art as well, or writing- but just as likely not. Whereas a good bow... well, one hopes it gets into the hands of a good player!
More episodes to come! :)
I have heard that all the best pernambuco was used up 100 years ago. Therefore antique bows are favored by many. Any truth to that?
YES, that is true. Back then they got a lot of Pernambuco from brazil and they realized that Pernambuco is very good for making bows and because of that they used up the best Pernambuco
and they made the not very good Pernambuco into furniture and other instrument fittings
This is a tricky one- they used up a lot of the good pernambuco wood awhile ago, this is true- but newer pernambuco wood can be just as good. It's very much in the eye of the beholder, you know? Because people like Yung, and other bow makers, have this wood they've been holding onto for decades, slowly seasoning it and waiting for the perfect moment to create a bow with it. On the other hand, I play on an antique bow, and I love it SO much. It's wonderfully responsive, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Also, the comment below on baroque bows is very interesting- at the same time, I'm not sure you can compare modern and baroque bows this way, because their functionality is totally different: they are different 'species' of bows.
Is there any truth to it being said that an antique bow can get “played out” from too much use? Or even a violin for that matter?
@@johnalexander301 That's tricky- I have heard that, but I honestly haven't put much credence to it- take the bow I use, made in 1816- it's definitely been in full use these past two hundred years, passing from person to person with, perhaps, a few years of break here and there. It still responds beautifully, but, for instance, the connection of the frog to the stick has worn down over the years. Sometimes I feel the shifting beneath my fingers, and know that in maybe another hundred years, if it survives that long, that shift will be even more drastic. Maybe it was even more responsive a hundred years ago, but I don't know how one could ever gauge that, as it varies hugely from player to player!
I'm looking forward to commenting on all of these videos as a musician, collector, and maker of violas and bows myself.
Re the choice of wood: it is very precious and the trees are becoming fewer and fewer. I saved up 550 euros for just one blank pernambuco material only to find out that could not be shipped to me legally from Germany. It's mildly annoying that the same bit of wood if it had been made into the finished product *could* then be shipped to me... but it makes sense, I understand all these protection rules.
Pernambuco (paubrasilia echinata) is gorgeous and I didn't realise until about 10 years ago that it could be as highly flamed as maple (of violin backs)!
I struggle to find top quality bows made by the great makers which is made from other wood. I find two (and bought one) - one is made by Prosper Colas from a species called 'abeille' wood which is what the majority of $50 student bows are made out of these days, and the other was a Dominique Peccatte bow made of 'swartzia bania' also known as ironwood. Some people think ironwood is "too clumsy" or "not as fine" as pernambuco. Not in this case!
The price difference though: Colas- $2200, Peccatte $110k. So guess which one I sprung for? Haha.
humans have a way of making virtually anything difficult and complicated....
Brazil's wood is the best sounding in the world. Every guitar player knows that. What a surprise learning how it could be put to good use violin-wise. And how good to know reforestation is a top priority in western latitudes. Keep up the good job!
Can’t what for the Brahms. One of my favs!
Such a great video! Love it!!!!
Interesting!