Hey guys, so this is my first post but I have been stalking this site for quiittee a while haha

Anyway, I need help/advice. So after a 5 year absence of cello playing, I took it up again about 4 months ago with the strongest passion I have ever played with. Everything was going great until I started playing
pieces with a lot of fast legato and staccato. The problem is, my bow keeps cutting out during the legato and either just scratches or makes no noise at all. And it just doesn't grip during staccato. So my question is, do you think I need a new bow? Keeping in mind both the bow and strings are over 5 years old now, never changed or re-haired. It might seem a stupid question, but I dont want to spend so much money (even though I know it is inevitable eventually) only to find out it was my technique letting me down the whole time...

Im not sure if there is a way to edit these posts, but I forgot to mention I have of course added more rosin, but after a few strokes it seems to stop making a difference.

Try cleaning the strings and the bow hair. I am not optomistic that it will work, but there's nothing to lose. Thebow hair in warmwater, a touch of hair shampoo if you really must. Don't let the ends get wet. Dry it out and rosin it up well. Strings can probably take washing up liquid or something stronger. I would try the bow first.

If that doesn't work then you dont need a new bow, but it will need re-hairing. If it is not a good bow then often you can get a cheapbow for less than the cost of a re-hair. If you can, it may be worth trying to get a pernambucco bow, trade bows are available for the cost of a set of strings and they will be worth re-hairing in the future when it is needed. Strings remain playable for a long time, I have picked up many violins with strings over 10 or even 20 years old and unused and they have made a sound.

HMMMM! Well beats me. My best guess it that your rosin sucks! LOL! I have 2 different blocks, one didnt do much to my bow, but the other made my bow stick real well to the strings.

Oh and take a key or something and scratch the rosin block so the rosin from will actually go on your bow, when you rub it as funny as that sounds.

Matt, This is weird, I am had the same problem on my violin the last time I practiced.
I was wondering if I had too much rosin on the bow? Is that possible?
I am going to try wiping some off and see what that does.
One more ? is it possible for rosin to be to old to use? Mine is about three years old.

I found it's the rosin on the strings that builds up and stops the new rosin on the bow from sticking. I just rub the strings with a soft cloth to clean the old rosin off.