Carbonbögen Viola Arcus/Müsing

Carbon Fiber Viola Bows – ARCUS and Müsing

The viola is ergonomically and technically the most demanding of the classical string instruments. Size, string tension, and weight vary considerably — and conventional wooden bows are simply outmatched by modern viola strings and the demands of large concert halls: too heavy, too soft, and the sound often nasal. Both bow lines in this category are purpose-built for the viola and address this problem in different ways.

What ARCUS and Müsing share: hollow carbon fiber sticks with a wall thickness under one millimeter, a resin content well below the market average, and a natural resonance frequency around 100 Hz — a full octave above classical wooden bows. The result is freer vibration, a bigger and clearer tone, and a reduction in bowing-arm fatigue that surprises many violists the first time they play one. Both are climate-proof, never lose their camber, and ship with a 30-year warranty on the stick.

ARCUS T Series – warm, brilliant, rich in nuance

Their sound is warm and brilliant at the same time — never nasal, but free, open, and richly nuanced. On the viola, that is anything but a given: wooden bows on larger instruments often sound sluggish. The ARCUS T bows bring out the character of the viola without robbing it of its warmth.

As with all ARCUS bows, every stick is individually tested and graded acoustically after curing. The number in the model name directly reflects the result. ARCUS is blunt: no wooden bow you have ever seen can match a T6 in sound or playability. From the T7, there is no wooden bow equivalent. The T8 makes the viola sound not one but two classes better. All T bows for viola weigh approximately 61 g.

We regularly stock the T6, T7, and T8 Silver. Higher models are available on request.

Müsing Viola Bows – C Series and L Series

Müsing had the viola in mind when it wrote: light as a violin bow, strong as a cello bow, agile as a feather. That is the design brief for both series — and it captures exactly what violists experience with these bows.

C Series (C2 through C4) — the pernambuco replacement. Approximately 61 g, spring tension well above average, a sound like a fine pernambuco bow — only clearer, because the hollow stick produces less bow noise. The C2 is the entry point, the C3 sounds like many master bows and has become a favorite travel bow among orchestral players, the C4 goes further still. Classic or ergonomic frog available.

L Series (L3 through L6) — available since April 2025, recognizable by the aluminum tip used as a deliberate counterweight. The L sticks have an even thinner wall than the C Series, allowing freer vibration. The sound is clearer and more focused: more open, more colorful, with greater projection. In Müsing's own comparative testing, the L5 and L6 have yet to encounter a wooden bow that can keep up — regardless of age or price.

The two series differ in tonal philosophy: if you want to stay close to the character of a wooden bow, choose the C Series. If you are looking for more clarity, openness, and tonal color — and are willing to leave the wooden-bow reference behind — you will find it in the L Series.