Head (tip)The carved end of the stick farthest from the hand. The far end of the hair is fixed here.
HairA ribbon of about 150 to 200 horse hairs. Rubbed with rosin so it grips the string.
StickThe curved wooden or carbon rod; its curve is called the camber. Pernambuco wood is the classic choice.
FrogThe block that holds the near end of the hair. Usually ebony. It slides to tighten or loosen the hair. Also called the heel.
Button (screw)The end of the stick that turns the screw. This draws the frog back to tighten the hair.
The head 1
Tip plateA thin plate on the face of the head. Made of bone, ivory or a metal such as silver.
The frog end 5
Winding (lapping)A wrap of wire, silk or whalebone round the stick. It protects the wood and gives a grip.
Thumb cushion (thumb grip)A leather or snakeskin pad on the stick where the thumb rests.
EyeA round pearl inlay on the frog's two sides. A Parisian eye has a metal ring round it.
SlideA pearl or shell strip that covers the mortise. That is the hollow where the hair is fixed in the frog.
FerruleA metal band round the front of the frog. It spreads the hair into a flat, even ribbon.
How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-27. (1) Wikipedia, Bow (music), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bow_(music) : a shaped stick with a ribbon of horsehair stretched between its ends; pernambuco wood, now also carbon fibre; the frog, most often ebony, holds the hair's near end and adjusts it; the slide covering the mortise and the round eyes inlaid on the frog's sides, a Parisian eye ringed with metal; near the frog the grip of wire, silk or whalebone wrap with a leather or snakeskin thumb cushion; the tip plate of bone, ivory or metal; 150 to 200 hairs for a violin bow; rosin on the hair; the camber of the stick; loosening the hair with the button; the grip or winding replaced from time to time. (2) Wikipedia, Bow frog, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bow_frog : the frog, also called the heel or nut, encloses the mechanism that tightens and holds the hair; the screw and eyelet system; the ferrule round the frog's tongue and hair that flattens and widens the hair; a pearl eye on each side and a pearl slide over the mechanism; the metal underslide. (3) Yamaha Musical Instrument Guide, the structure of the bow, https://www.yamaha.com/en/musical_instrument_guide/violin/mechanism/mechanism003.html : bow hair made of a hank of horsehair; the stick of hardwood; rosin for friction. Licence: own work
The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-27. Own work, nothing traced. Licence: own work
How it works
The parts of a violin bow on one tall drawing: the whole bow on the left, both ends up close on the right. Start with the 5 main parts, then the head and the frog end.
Read the full guide
From the head down
The hair is fixed in the head, behind the tip plate, and runs straight down to the frog. The stick above it curves in toward the hair; that curve is the camber.
The frog end
The hair leaves the frog through the ferrule, which spreads it flat. A pearl slide covers the hollow where it is fixed, and an eye is inlaid on each side. Above the frog sit the thumb cushion and the winding; turning the button tightens the hair.
Loosen the hair before the bow goes back in its case, and never over-tighten it: too much tension can damage the stick.
Questions and answers
What is the end of a violin bow called?
The far end is the head, or tip, with a thin tip plate on its face. The end in the player's hand is the frog, with the button at the very end.
What is the frog on a violin bow?
The block near the hand, usually ebony, that holds the near end of the hair. Turning the button draws it back to tighten the hair. It is also called the heel.
What is violin bow hair made of?
Horse hair: about 150 to 200 hairs for a violin bow, rubbed with rosin so it grips the string. Cheaper bows may use nylon.