Howard Green Bows

Handmade violin, viola & cello bows available to play at Ruschil London

Ruschil London stock violin, viola & cello bows by renowned bowmaker Howard Green. Handmade in Scotland, they are famous across the world for their exceptional playability and craftsmanship.

What people are saying about Howard Green bows:

  • "I have known and played with the violin bows made by Howard Green and consider him to be a maker of exceptional talent. His bows combine strength and sensitivity and I take pleasure in using them. I am confident that his work will be of importance in the English School."

    EMANUEL HURWITZ C.B.E. FRAM. FRSAMD, FRSA

  • "Howard Green is a bow maker of exceptional ability, with an understanding of what is required both tonally and technically by violinists of all levels. An important maker whom I recommend without reservation."

    RODNEY FRIEND

    FORMER CONCERT MASTER NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC, PROFESSOR ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC

  • "I like Howard Green’s bows very much. I bought two of them myself and have performed with them. I would not hesitate to recommend them to any serious performers and anyone looking for fine bows."

    CHO-LIANG LIN

    JUILLARD SCHOOL SOLOIST, PROFESSOR OF VIOLIN, SHEPHERD SCHOOL OF MUSIC, RICE UNIVERSITY

Customers are welcome to contact us using the link below, where we aim to respond to you within the hour:

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The maker in his own words:

My Bow Making Philosophy

“My work is to make bows that are a natural extension of the arm with balance, strength, tone, flexibility, and many other attributes, making a bow that becomes a living entity with its own ‘soul’.

Soul for me means that undefinable quality that works with the player’s technique to turn notes into music. Soul means a player’s instant realisation that something special is happening after playing the first few notes. Soul means an abundance of empathy between the player and the bow.”

Materials and Making Philosophy

“Every element of my bows is handmade by me from materials of the highest quality.
I use no bought-in or semi-finished parts except the adjuster screw.

All this individual preparation of parts inevitably makes for a significantly longer build-time, but results in bows with originality, personality and individuality.

This is especially true when they are made to specific order, as I much prefer, after thorough consultation with the player. We discuss specific requirements (which can include the need to match with a particular instrument and its characteristics), and aspirations - what it is the player hopes the Howard Green bow will help them achieve. As a cellist myself, I have the player's understanding of the complexities which a bow must handle, and as a maker the satisfaction of these (sometimes contradictory) requirements gives me my greatest pleasure.

Working to make a bow in harmony with both player and instrument inspires me; and to all the many string players for whom I have achieved this goal, I thank you for your trust and look forward to a beautiful future, continuing to make bows for great musicians, and enabling their music to resonate in our age.”

Leonid Gorokhov - Cello Professor, Royal College of Music

“After playing just a few sounds it becomes very clear that the bow was made by a talented and thinking string player on a quest to excite, please, and give us fellow string players new possibilities. As you keep playing the bow becomes invisible in the hand, and there is a feeling of direct contact of your fingers with the string. The sound is mellow, full, but also has plenty of bite when needed. They also are beautifully made.”

Available Bows:

Violin, viola & cello bows available now at Ruschil London