The Bow Maker
Our bow rehair and repair work is carried out by Brazilian bow maker and repairer Alecio Luiz dos Reis.
Alecio visits the shop every other Thursday, so please call us prior to bringing your bow in to find out when he will be in next.
We recommend that you book in your bow to make sure we have availability. Please call us on 029 20 22 77 61.
Bow Rehair and Repair Work Price List
Our bow rehair and repair prices are Inclusive of VAT. (Services list prices are a guide and in some circumstances, additional work may be required at an additional cost)
More extensive restoration work, such as crack repairs, bushings, head repair and splines can be undertaken. If you’d like a quote for your bow, please get in contact with us
| SERVICE | VIOLIN | VIOLA | CELLO | DOUBLE BASS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horse or Coruss Rehair | £80 | £80 | £90 | £95 |
| Clean (Clean Stick and Polish Metal Components) | £30 | £30 | £30 | £35 |
| Brass Eyelet Replacement | £35 | £35 | £35 | £35 |
| Button Thread Replacement | £55 | £55 | £60 | £60 |
| Mammoth Ivory Face Plate Replacement (Includes Rehair) | £225 | £240 | £260 | £295 |
| Synthetic Face Plate Replacement (Includes Rehair) | £200 | £210 | £225 | £255 |
| Silver Face Plate Replacement (Includes Rehair) | £260 | £260 | £275 | £300 |
| Leather Thumb Grip/Lap | £35 | £35 | £35 | £35 |
| Synthetic Thumb Grip/Lap | £35 | £35 | £35 | £35 |
| Silver, Whalebone and Tinsel Lapping (Other styles can be discussed) | £130 | £130 | £135 | £135 |
| Silver and Silk Lapping (Various Colours) | £70 | £70 | £75 | £80 |
| Ebony Slide | £50 | £50 | £50 | £60 |
| Mother of Pearl Slide | £55 | £55 | £55 | £60 |
| Mother of Pearl Eyes (Each Side) | £40 | £40 | £45 | £45 |
| Synthetic Eyes (Each Side) | £30 | £30 | £35 | £35 |
| Straighten Stick (*Please Note: This is at the customers risk) | £50 | £50 | £50 | £60 |
| Re-camber Stick (*Please Note: This is at the customers risk) | £50 | £50 | £50 | £60 |
Our Hair Supplier
SieLam Fine Bow Hair® is a European leading supplier of premium quality Bow Hair. We only sell the highest quality natural Siberian bow hair and Mongolian bow hair. With more than 25 years of dedicated expertise in this field, our range of Violin, Viola, Cello and Bass Bow Hair is trusted by the most distinguished workshops in Paris, Lyon, Munich, Berlin, Vienna, London and beyond.
Stringent quality control, combined with strong supply chain management offer our clients – professional bow makers, violin makers, luthiers and restorers – peace in mind.
Our family approach to business, sincerity to serve, and our stubbornness to strive for the best quality in the industry has made SieLam Fine Bow Hair® the preferred choice by world class bow makers and restorers.”
Sending us your Bow
We advise caution when sending bows by mail. Please read the following guidelines:
- Book the bow in with us on 029 20 22 77 61 or info@cardiffviolins.co.uk
- Wrap bow gently in bubble wrap.
- Pack the bow in a well sealed plastic tube (a drain pipe is ideal) no more than 90cm long. Please note, longer tubes won’t be accepted by the Post Office. Don’t use a box, as even boxes under 85cm are deemed too long. Royal Mail classifies boxes and tubes differently. (If the tube is refused, insist it’s a tube and not a parcel and that it’s therefore classified differently).
- Send via ‘Special Delivery’ so the bow can be traced, and insured for up to £2500. This is the top insurance possible with Royal Mail. If the value of your bow is higher than £2500, please check with your insurance company that it will be covered should it get lost or damaged during transportation. It’s also worth checking to see if they prefer a courier over Royal Mail. (Please note that we do not insure your bow during transit).
- Send the bow to Cardiff Violins, 15-23 The Balcony, Castle Arcade, Cardiff, CF10 1BY. Be aware when sending that we are not open on Mondays and will not be able to receive parcels.
- Inform us of its estimated delivery date.
We will confirm receipt of your bow. It will be sent back to you as soon as it has been rehaired or repaired, typically within a week.
We supply drainpipes to send your bow to us in, please click underneath to order a custom measured bow tube of 90cm for your bow.
Coruss Synthetic Bow Hair
Coruss hair is made from a synthetic fiber. This innovative material has the same characteristics as horsehair, but with greater strength and durability, ensuring that musicians can play for many years without changing their hair. What’s more, Coruss bow hair is insensitive to variations in humidity and is made without any animal matter.
It comes in a number of different colours, however we only stock the white hair. Other colour are available at an additional cost and require us to order it in. For more information on Coruss, please visit their website via the link below: