CELLO ROSIN

As a bowmaker, the recent thread on rosin seemed the appropiate point
for a comment.

Rosin is very important.  Equally so is the hair used and the skill of
the rehairer.  Insist on only the very finest double drawn white
unbleached, unoiled hair and be willing to pay extra for it.

Do NOT ask the rehairer to add extra hair into your bow.  This will not
enhance the playing qualities, tonal qualities, or make it last longer
before the next rehair.

Do not let the rehairer put any of the shop rosin on your bow unless
your exact same type of rosin is used.

Always clean the fresh hair with mild warm water followed by pure
denatured ethyl alcohol. (wrap the stick in thin plastic kitchen wrap to
prevent any alcohol from touching the stick)  Do this several times with
a clean old under shirt.  Rosin up the bow with your brand of choice. 
Play the bow for 30 or 45 minutes.  Carefully wrap the bow in kitchen
plastic wrap again, repeating the ethyl alcohol cleaning but this time
do not overly clean the hair.  Only remove the excess rosin dust melting
the remainder into and around each and every hair.  Using a fine hair
brush, (not a comb) carefully brush the hairs until they are completely
dry making sure none are rosined together.

Now, using your rosin of choice, rerosin the bow only to the point where
all the hairs are coated.

Make sure the bow is tightened to playing tension during all the above
cleaning and rosining steps.

Do not forget to clean your strings of old greasy rosin.  Remember,
rosin carries a strong negative electronic charge.  Everytime you play
the instrument, static electricity develops on the strings and hair
attracting all sorts of dust, dirt, etc.

The cleaner the strings and cleaner the well rosined bow, the more pure
and consistant the tone.

All the best,
Dennis Braun, Bowmaker

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