Two years ago, we launched Chroma, a way to turn any CodaBow into something unmistakably yours. Since then, hundreds of players have used Chroma to either personalize one of our proven carbon fiber bow models or design a fully custom bow built around exactly how they play. 

Every Chroma bow, Standard or Custom, starts with the same construction and craftsmanship from CodaBow’s master makers. The only question is how much control you want in designing it. Here’s how to decide between a Chroma Standard and a Chroma Custom.

Chroma Standard vs. Chroma Custom

Customizations for the Chroma Standard

The Chroma Standard begins with your choice of one of our most popular bow models (Diamond SX, Joule, Luma, Revelation, Infinity). From there, you select a winding, hair type, shaft color, leather grip color, and optional slide engraving (with font and color choices). 

To summarize, with the Chroma Standard, you can customize:

  • Winding pattern
  • Hair type
  • Shaft and grip colors
  • Optional slide engraving 

Building Your Chroma Custom

The Chroma Custom goes beyond aesthetics. Start by choosing your bow action (which affects flexibility/stiffness) and frog design (which can affect balance and tone). Then, you can choose a winding pattern and hair type, with more options than you have with the Chroma Standard. Just like the Standard, you can select a shaft and grip color and slide engraving, but you can also add an eye engraving and choose your frog color. Other subtle customizations include the CodaBow fill color on the shaft and the Coda inlay color on the frog. 

To summarize, the Chroma Custom lets you customize:

high quality carbon fiber bows
  • Bow action
  • Frog design
  • Hair type
  • Winding pattern
  • Shaft and grip colors
  • Frog color
  • Optional slide engraving
  • Optional eye engraving
  • Colors of CodaBow fill on the shaft and Coda inlay on the frog

If you aren’t sure which action or frog will feel right for you, you can request a Chroma Studio Trial to explore the shaft and frog options from home. There is a $90 fee for the 7-day trial, but if you purchase a Chroma within 30 days of your trial, you’ll receive $40 of that fee back as a credit. 

 

Chroma Standard and Custom at a Glance
Customization Chroma Standard Chroma Custom
Bow action Fixed, matched to your chosen model Customizable
Frog design Fixed, matched to your chosen model Customizable
Winding pattern Standard options Expanded options
Hair type Standard options Expanded options
Shaft and grip colors Yes Yes
Frog color No Yes
Slide engraving Optional Optional
Eye engraving No Optional
CodaBow fill / Coda inlay colors No Yes
Personalized Bobelock bow case No Yes

 

You can learn more about bow customization in our blog What to Consider When Customizing a Violin, Viola, Cello, or Bass Bow.

Who Should Get a Chroma Standard?

The Chroma Standard is the right fit if you already love how one of our standard models plays (the Diamond SX, Joule, Luma, Revelation, or Infinity) and simply want it to look and feel a little more like yours. Because the bow action and frog stay exactly as built for that model, you get a faster build, a lower price point, and the freedom to choose your winding, hair, colors, and an optional engraving. 

Choose the Standard when you’re already happy with how your bow performs and want a personal touch on top of it, not a different playing experience. It can be a great option for students celebrating a milestone, such as their first professional-caliber bow, or for gig players who want to easily add personal branding to their performances. 

Who Should Get a Chroma Custom?

The Chroma Custom is built for players who want a bow shaped around exactly how they play, feel, and perform. Because you choose the bow action and frog design in addition to every finish detail, the Custom tends to appeal to:

  • Gigging musicians who want a bow tuned to their exact playing feel and the demands of frequent performance.
  • Ensembles and studios that want to coordinate more than shaft color, like matching frog colors, eye engravings, or inlay finishes to unify a section or program.
  • Professionals and experienced players who know exactly how they want their bow to feel and perform, down to the balance, stiffness, and frog response. These are details only the Custom lets you shape.

How the Ordering Process Works

To order your customized bow, visit the Chroma Shop, and:

1. Select Your Chroma Type

Choose either Standard or Custom for your instrument type (Custom isn’t currently offered for bass bows.)

2. Build Your Bow

For the Standard, you start by selecting your base model, winding, and hair type. For the Custom, you choose your action and frog (a chart showing balance, weight, action, and stiffness will adjust depending on your selections), winding, and hair type.

3. Design Your Bow

To design your bow, you’ll select your shaft and grip colors. If you are ordering a Chroma Custom, this is where you’ll also choose a frog color and select either gold or silver for the Coda inlay. 

4. Personalize Your Bow

If you want personalization, you can choose to add a slide engraving on both the Custom and Standard. You’ll enter your text and choose a text font and fill color (or no fill). For the Custom, you can also add an eye engraving — selecting from our provided designs or uploading your own. The Custom also lets you choose the fill color for the CodaBow logo on the shaft. 

5. Personalize Your Bow Case (Custom Only)

Custom Chroma bows include a CodaBow-branded Bobelock bow case. You get your choice of logo fill color and have the option to add a personalized engraving. 

6. Add to Cart and Check Out

Once you’ve made all your selections, it’s time to order your bow! You’ll need to agree to our Terms & Conditions, including important return policy and warranty information, before adding the bow to your cart. 

We aim to deliver Chroma bows within 14 days of your order, but this is an estimate, and delays can happen. 

Order Your CodaBow Chroma Today

Two years in, Chroma has helped hundreds of players design a bow that is unmistakably their own. Whether your perfect bow is waiting in our Chroma Standard lineup or you’re ready to design something truly one-of-a-kind, CodaBow has the bow for you. Visit the Chroma Custom Shop to start designing yours.