GlasserX-Series Carbon Fiber X-Bow with Horsehair (4/4 Violin)

The Glasser X-Series Carbon Fiber is a nice bow, much better than the bow that came with my violin. It plays smoothly, is well-balanced and produces great tone. However, the photo advertised here on Amazon shows a Glasser Braided Carbon Fiber bow, not an X-Series bow. As a result, when I opened my package, I was shocked to see a plain, black bow with a half-lined Paulus frog, no brand markings and no braided carbon pattern. I originally thought I had been duped and that someone had slipped a generic bow into the box. After doing some research on Glasser's website, it seems the X-Series bow is not a fancy braided carbon bow, but a plain black, unbranded bow with no Glasser markings. I've notified the vendor in hopes that they'll place a correct photo. Other than initially thinking I received the wrong bow, I'm pretty happy with how the X-Series plays.UPDATE: March 21, 2014 (this is also my reply to the comment to my review)Since I made my purchase years ago, this seller has corrected the photo they are using. However, part of the confusion is also the way they are naming the bow in the title. They refer to this as the Glasser "Carbon Fiber" bow, when it is in fact a "Carbon Graphite." The Glasser Carbon Fibre bow uses a braided carbon fibre pattern, and shows the Glasser logo on the bow, which was shown in the photo they used when I made my purchase. What they are actually selling is the X-Series Carbon "Graphite" bow, which shows no logo that I know of. The names are quite similar, so I can't fault the seller too much for such an easy mistake to make.To sum things up, if you're expecting the Glasser Braided Carbon "Fiber" bow as I was, that is not what you will receive. This is the Carbon "Graphite" model, not Carbon "Fiber." Still a good price for a nice bow though; it's the best I've found so far.

To start off, I played violin in high school, put it down for 6 years while I was in the Navy, and then went to college and have been playing again for the past 2 years. I am no pro, but I like to think I make very critical observations.Its a bit on the light side but it makes it easier for faster playing. My violin plays a little bit brighter with this carbon fiber over my wooden bow because of the lower mass, but requires a little more down pressure to get the volume out. So its a bit of a trade off. Balance point is a little closer to the frog than others I have tried so its easier to bounce. The only thing I dont like about the Glasser x-series carbon bow is that the difference between too little and too much tension is about one turn. Its hardly a big deal as I will just turn the screw a little after I notice it, but that means I've got to make sure its set before performing. I initially bought this bow because I thought my chinese made pernambuco bow was limiting me, only to discover it just has different qualities. (Then the whole saying of "its not the bow that makes the man, its the man that makes the music" sorta deal, haha)Well, anyway, thats my take. If I am playing high spirited fast pace music I will use the carbon bow, if I am playing melodic waltz's and baroque pieces I will go with wood.

The price of this bow was almost unbeatable. The one I actually wanted, the Fiddleman, was not offered with shipping to Europe, so this was my second choice. It arrived quickly, in good condition despite its long journey. I like the unusual frog, and the bow plays nicely, but the huge, bulky stick is rather off-putting. The bow is certainly robust, and would be suitable for beginners, but personally, I would probably prefer one with a finer stick.

I am an adult beginner so my review is more about the service the the quality. I am still debating whether to return it because I simply do not know enough if what I see is a defect or not. I got the bow in a box with just a bit of crumbled brown in it. The bow itself was in a plastic bag and tossed in the box so it must have been tossed around during shipping. The bow itself has a bunch of very loose hairs that stay loose even when the bow is tightened. Absolutely no paperwork - no thank you - no return info etc... - just the bow tossed in the box.I don't think this is a respectful way to treat customers. I heard good things about their Carbon Fiber violins. I was thinking of getting one in the future. However, not so sure know

I am an adult beginner playing for 3 years. My first (wood) bow came with my violin and always felt a bit unbalanced. It wasn't a bad bow but this one is much better; it's light and smooth throughout the entire length making playing a bit easier. The length is a tad longer than normal though.UpdateNow as a solidly intermediate student, I can see how unbalanced the bow is; the sound is forced and heavy. Bowing and bow changes take "work." From a weight perspective, the upgrade bows I'm looking at are roughly the same but the balance and flexibility is quite different. However, at the price-point I bought this, it's a good value and has served me well.

Good

Using with Dominant strings, the sound is a bit forced. It is lighter than a wood bow so more pressure may be needed. Took a while to get the rosin right on the horse hairs. Seems good, but this is one item that only time can tell. It's a good price for a well made product.

Just received my bow a couple of days ago, the balance seems good and the quality of the horse hair and weight are as well but there is a blemish on the metal piece before the pad. The bow is also about an inch too large for my 4/4 violin case to accommodate. Don't know what happened here. It plays ok so far despite these issues, maybe a quality control problem.