Rediscovering Baroque Bows - a chat with historical bowmaker Ralph Ashmead

The bow is a string player's primary "tool for tone," but like any tool, sometimes we need more than one to get the job done. In this episode we speak with historical bow maker Ralph Ashmead, learning all about the differences between Baroque, Transitional, and Modern bows, the reasons why we might choose one over another, and exploring the factors that caused bow design to change over time. Having crafted bows for over 40 years, we hear Ralph's story into bow-making, and learn about his process for choosing wood and "wrestling" bows into being. Our chat concludes with tips for players looking to purchase a historical bow, and practicalities, like what to do when it comes time to re-hair your Baroque bow. Show Notes: Ralph Ashmead website (check out the gorgeous pictures of his bows!!): https://www.ashmeadbows.com/ Rachel Barton Pine on Baroque bows and Bach https://youtu.be/b73g8LR3zD4 ~ For more information about her performances, recordings, and teaching, please visit host Laurel Thomsen's website ⁠⁠https://www.laurelthomsen.com⁠⁠ To check out Laurel's Violin Geek Blog, a companion to the podcast, sharing tips, insight, and inspiration since 2007, please visit ⁠⁠https://www.laurelthomsen.com/violin-geek-blog⁠⁠ If you have a violin, viola, fiddle, music biz, or practice related question or topic you’d like to have covered on the Violin Geek podcast or in the blog, have someone you'd like Laurel to interview, or have a story or insight to share, please send Laurel an email at [email protected]. You're also welcome to post your comments, suggestions, or a success story to ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/laurelthomsenmusic⁠⁠⁠. If you’d like to inquire about violin, viola, or fiddle lessons with Laurel via Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom, please visit the Teaching tab on her website and reach out via email at ⁠[email protected]⁠. Happy Practicing!