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The Arcus Bow

We are very proud to be the exclusive North American distributors of one of the world's most famous bow brands. Bernd Müsing and his team have been making the most innovative range of bows since 1999 and they have never stopped their dedicated, hard work towards improving their bows. Their research has opened up a completely new view on all things related to bows. The result is a range of bows with performance beyond any bow ever made.

A major step in the development of the Arcus bows was moving production from the initial, improvised workshop in Klagenfurt, Austria to a perfectly outfitted, new workshop in Würzburg, Germany in 2008.

The focus of research and development at Arcus has always been on the players, their instruments, and especially the modern strings used today. They are not copies of 19th Century wooden bows, which were designed for pure, unwound gut strings that were much lighter and softer than current strings. This led Bernd Müsing to design a bow with a much-improved resiliency (elasticity).

Over the years both weight and balance were optimized to perfectly meet the demands of professional players. This was found half way between the Baroque and Romantic era bows.

Although the strength of the stick and the low weight can be a little bothersome initially, these are the key features that are the basis of the global success of the Arcus bows and are easily adapted to.

Professional Orchestra Players: Comfort, Safety and Noise-Free Playing

The reason so many orchestra players use an Arcus as their primary bow is the unique level of comfort they provide. They eliminate all fatigue and pain by avoiding the dangerous 50 Hz vibration that Romantic era bows deliver. The lightness and easy response reduce the workload of long rehearsals and concerts. The sticks are extremely durable and survive most accidents and col-legno playing without a scratch. Those who play opera especially love the beautiful sound the Arcus bows pull in a pianissimo.

Amateur Players: Turning them into Better Players

Amateurs love their Arcus bows because they can play pieces properly they could not with any other bow, which enables them to become better players. The ease of handling, the perfect bounce, the improved articulation and, last but not least, the much cleaner intonation can have a truly profound effect on players.

Soloists:

Whether playing a competition, an orchestra solo, with a chamber music group, or solo with piano or full orchestra, most musicians need every bit of power and projection they can get out of their instruments. Only Arcus bows are able to wring the last bit out of modern strings and can play significantly higher dymanics than any other bow. They will still provide a truly beautiful sound with the richest overtone range and significantly increased projection.

Production, Classification and Pricing

All Arcus bows are 100% handmade in Würzburg, Germany. The half-finished sticks are tested and classified for their sound-quality, which differs significantly within every line. The 4 and 5-class bows far surpass any other composite bow and they are a match for fine wooden bows. The 6-class bows are up to the finest Pernambuco bows and are the best-selling Arcus bows. From the 7-class bows up the Arcus bows are in a league of their own and provide a sound never heard before. Only a very small percentage of the production comes out good enough for an 8 or even 9-class designation.

 

All Arcus bows made in Würzburg come with a 30 year warranty on the stick, which is transferable and not limited to the initial owner. All warranty claims must be processed through the initial re-seller. If that is not possible, through the distributor in the country the initial purchase was made, and failing that to Arcus, Germany directly.