Arcus Musing Viola Bows

Musing carbon fiber viola bows are designed and manufactured by Bernd Musing, the founder and creative mind behind the innovative and highly acclaimed Arcus bows.  Musing viola bows are valued for their ease of play and exceptional value, being sold at a price point significantly lower than the other Arcus lines.  They are strong, yet extremely lightweight, and therefore offer the player both power and agility.  And, they produce a rich, nuanced tone.  The original C series is is slightly darker in tone and heavier in overall weight, though still extremely lightweight by most standards.  The new L series bows are more brilliant in tone and, overall, produce a richer, more nuanced tone.  C series is approx. 63 grams.  L series is approx. 60 grams.

 ** NEW Müsing L Series **

We LOVE these bows!  The new L series bows are somewhat lighter and faster than the C series, and produce a more nuanced, more brilliant tone.  The L series has the easy handling and playability that the Musing C bows have become famous for; but, with a tonality that is closer to that of the Arcus bows, proper.  We're getting rave reviews from our trial customers! 

Manufacturer's Description

With its tenor voice the viola is the - at least for us violists - the most beautiful sounding string instrument. But as we all know, the viola has its challenges, especially when it comes to the player comfort. And then there's the bow... too weak to safely grab the C-string, too heavy for the fast passages, a sound that can be nasal or harsh, lacking in power and projection.

But times are changing. You have found the bows that are a perfect match for modern strings, all repertoire, any circumstances. Light as violin bows, strong as cello bows, with amazing agility and bounce, pulling a sound that makes your viola sing out like Othello, Siegfried or Orpheus.

You will also love the fantastic response the Müsing viola bows provide, especially the higher up models, which allow to play even the fastest passages with utmost precision and clarity.

Due to the low weight and the favourable low frequency resonances of the Müsing viola bows, the stress on your bow arm and hand is much reduced.

Since 2017 we are making the C-series. Their sound character is very similar to pernambuco bows, only cleaner. Compared to other carbon bows within their price range, they sound significantly larger and much more colourful.

Since April 2025 we also manufacture the L-series. From the outside they are easily recognizable by the aluminum tip. The reduced wall thickness of the sticks delivers an incredibly clear and focussed sound. In direct comparison the L5 and L6 have surpassed every wooden bow they have come up against, no matter its age, provenance or price.