The Carbon Bow You’re Currently Using Might Be More Than Half Plastic

In fact, most carbon bows available on the market are a type called wet carbon bows, made by bonding carbon fibers with a plastic material called matrix resin.

With wet carbon bows, by principle, about half of the volume of a bow is made up of the plastic “glue”. When a wet carbon bow is magnified, the surface is covered with a layer of plastic, while inside, you can see a bundle of carbon fibers floating in the plastic.

In contrast, the ARTIGIANO&VIOLIN AD-500 series are manufactured using a special process where carbon fibers and matrix resin are mixed and then baked in a high-temperature kiln. This process removes most of the plastic glue. Carbon made by this process is called dry carbon. When you enlarge the surface, as shown in the image, you won’t see a plastic layer.

A bow crafted from pure carbon with minimal additives—this is the AD-500 series Bow.

How Does the Dry Carbon Bow Outperform the Wet Carbon Bow?

The first advantage is the bow's stiffness. This is simply due to the higher carbon fiber content in dry carbon bows compared to traditional carbon bows. The AD-500 series offer greater rigidity than conventional wet carbon bows (compared to our previous models).

The second point is durability. While carbon fibers themselves are extremely stable and resistant to degradation, the plastic that binds these fibers tends to deteriorate over time. Since the dry carbon bow contains far less plastic compared to wet carbon bows, it’s believed that its rigidity and other qualities will degrade much less over time.

The third, and most significant feature, lies in the acoustic properties when playing an instrument. The dry carbon bow is thought to have a distinct advantage over wet carbon bows in this regard, which we will explain in more detail next.

tanδ: The Scientific Reason Pernambuco Is Chosen as the Material for Bows Among Various Woods

Even when playing the exact same instrument, the bow used can greatly affect the sound, with some bows producing a rich, resonant tone while others do not. Recent advances in material science and measurement technology have scientifically revealed the reason behind this. The most critical factor in determining the resonance of the sound is the tanδ (loss tangent) of the material that makes up the bow.

Materials with a high tanδ quickly convert sound (vibrational energy) into heat energy. Conversely, materials with a low tanδ retain the sound within them for a longer period. Comparative tests with bows of various tanδ values have shown that bows with a lower tanδ tend to produce a louder and richer sound.

When examining the tanδ of pernambuco, which has traditionally been used as a material for bows, it was found to be significantly lower than that of other types of wood, and that this is due to the red pigment, braziline, contained in pernambuco.

How Plastic in Carbon Composites Hinders Bow Vibrations and Rich Resonance

We know that the smaller the tanδ, the better the sound a bow produces. So, what about the tanδ of carbon bows?

In fact, the tanδ of carbon fiber as a material is even smaller than that of pernambuco wood, meaning that carbon surpasses pernambuco, which is known for being the most acoustically superior wood. Carbon fiber is therefore an extremely excellent material in terms of acoustic properties.

However, the plastic used as a binder for carbon fibers typically has a tanδ about ten times larger than that of carbon fiber. As mentioned earlier, wet carbon bows are, by design, composed of more than half plastic by volume. Therefore, wet carbon bows end up having a much larger tanδ compared to pernambuco, resulting in poorer resonance.

On the other hand, dry carbon bows contain a significantly lower percentage of plastic compared to wet carbon bows, allowing them to achieve a smaller tanδ than pernambuco. As a result, they produce a bow with a rich resonance.

Choosing the Right Carbon Material Is Crucial, as Properties and Strength Vary

Although carbon fibers may seem identical at first glance, their strength and vibration characteristics differ depending on the raw materials and manufacturing process. Therefore, selecting the right type of carbon is of utmost importance. We are particularly meticulous about the types of carbon fibers we use.

For the production of our dry carbon bows, we source aerospace-grade carbon fiber from a leading Japanese fiber manufacturer renowned for its cutting-edge technology. This manufacturer is one of the few in the world that supplies carbon materials for large passenger aircraft.

By selecting a type of carbon fiber with a low tanδ, we create bows that minimize damped oscillation to the greatest extent possible.

Attention to Detail in Every Aspect

Due to the characteristics of the carbon material used in our dry carbon bows, the resonant frequency of the bow is higher, which prevents resonance in the lower frequency range—often seen as an interference in performance. As a result, our bows offer a clear sound with minimal noise and quick responsiveness, distinguishing them from traditional carbon bows as well as pernambuco bows.

Additionally, the AD-500 series is intentionally crafted to have a weight and balance similar to that of traditional wooden bows. This is because there is a close relationship between the weight of the bow and the richness of the lower tones, and bows that are too light often lack depth in the bass. We have also made the bending characteristics of each part of the stick as close to a wooden bow as possible, ensuring a smooth transition for players switching from wooden bows.

Moreover, to make it easy to bring your bow to a music store for rehairing, all bows come with a bow bag.