4/4 Violin Bow ‘Hill style’
In the style of A. Baltitude of Hill & Son in London. Standard quality
4/4 violin bow. Pernambuco stick, oil finish, Macasar Ebony nut,
Mother-of-pearl eye, nickel-silver ferule and button rings, bone
head-facing, leather thumb-grip.
A violin can
only come fully to life when played with a well made bow!
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These evening classes are not intended to train professional bow makers, since to learn every aspect of the craft would require a student to register full-time at a bow-making school – for a period of three to four years! The classes are held at 22 Firfield Road, Plumstead in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town. They are intended for amateur hobbyists and will bring together people who have a passion for stringed instruments and would love to make their own bow in an unpressured, relaxed environment. The time it takes to finish a bow will vary according to how fast each student works and the standard of work they wish to achieve. On average, working only during the evening class hours, a student should complete their first violin bow within a period of about 16 months to make both the stick and nut/frog. |
Quarterly fees for students enrolled in the violin making
class are R1500 (R500 per month) payable in advance. Should
a student decide to leave the course for any reason, fees paid are
non-refundable.
The course comprises 46 classes a year.
The year is divided into four quarters. There is a two-week break around
Christmas/New Year, another two weeks in the midyear school holidays and one
week in each of the other school holidays (spring and autumn break). The
exact dates will be given to students at the beginning of each year.
Bow making tools are highly specialized. Students can choose to buy these tools, however it would be preferable if students made their own under the guidance of Jimi. This way one would have exactly the right tool for a particular job and would also be cost effective.
Jimi Glenister commenced study of the violin family instruments in September 1992, graduating from Newark School of Violin Making in 1994, where he majored in restoration under the tutelage of Glen Collins. He was the first student in the history of N.S.V.M to graduate as a restorer and repairer with an informal commendation by Charles Beare who was responsible for judging graduate’s work in the final year.
Jimi’s repair and maintenance of bows for orchestral instruments began in
1989 during which time he studied the making of all parts of the bow with
Arthur Bultitude (previously head bow
maker of the renowned Hills firm). His bows stylistically favour models of
Dominique Peccate, Pajeot & the Hill bow by W.C.Retford.
Jimi Glenister
Tel: 021 7830933
jimi@jglen.co.za
www.jglen.co.za
The evolution of the bow from arch to camber; changes in
materials and decoration; head and nut design; Balance, weight & response;
Musical demands influencing bow design.
Design a bow curve and templates.
Modification and use of standard lutherie tools and how bow material influences the tools used. Working methods as used by the French ‘school’ as opposed to the English ‘school’. Making Test wires; planning jigs; lathe work.
Carve a practice head & practice octagon stick dimensioning using local Iron wood.
Practice camber bending.
Make the final bow stick in Pernambuco for modern bows and Snakewood for baroque bows. Dimensioning & camber in octagon; Making the nipple and nut mortise (eyelette slot); Designing and cutting the fluting on a baroque bow. Consider and design bow weight, presence, balance point and response.
Design & Make the metal mounts: ferrule, head facing, tip/adjuster rings & decoration rings. Design & Make the Nut body, slots and mortises. Fitting the parts. Consider Nut and bow final weights.
Practice rehair on student quality bows. Cutting head, nut & spreader wedges. Selecting hair; tying hank; fitting hair. Discuss and practice differing hairing methods.