I recently picked up the violin, after switching to the drums for several years. I am trained in Classical Violin and fiddle style, and have a semi-wide range of experience on different types of violins and fiddles. So, after deciding I missed playing violin, what did I do? Buy an old violin off eBay.

I also purchased a Brazilwood Bow for $19.95 plus shipping. The total cost of this bow was $26.95. When it arrived, I discovered that the STICK was soft. I wasn't able to get a good tone from it. The sound I got was messy, and wobbly, like a beginning violinist. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get one strong tone from using that bow!

The second bow I got was a Shar-Fusion bow made of carbon fiber. This was supposed to be a "good beginning students bow that plays like a $300 bow." WRONG! That is a good thing to look for: don't assume something is good for a beginner just because that is how it is advertised. Instead, go to local shops and TRY OUT bows you like. No bow is made exactly the same, but you will get a good feel for what type of bow you like. Once you find that, you could try your luck finding one on eBay.

Some helpful hints:
Never buy a cheap bow because it is cheap. The product you will get will also be CHEAP.

If you MUST buy a bow on ebay, make sure it is something you've tried out, and from a seller that a)offers a return policy, and b) has 99.5% or higher positive feedback.

I generally would recomend NOT buying a violin bow from eBay, as different bows will sound different with your personal instrument.

Good luck and happy hunting!