ebow...

Wout Blommers · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:22 pm Post subject: ebow...

There is or was a little gadget which makes or made a guitar string sound if it is bowed. Does this thing still exists?
Is it possible to construnt one self? (special to a bass guitar)
Any schemes?
Any experiances?
Any information? Smile

Of course I found this already:
http://www.ebow.com/
but is it still up to date?

Wout

v-un-v · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:25 pm Post subject:

Yup, it still exists.

How about this for starters?;

http://www.electro-music.com/forum/topic-28104.html

ark · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:36 pm Post subject:

And then, of course, there's the higher-priced spread.

Oskar · Joined: Jul 29, 2004 Posts: 1751 Location: Norway

Wout, I haven't tried one in donkeys' years, but I remember thinking that I wouldn't have the patience to really take advantage of its possibilities, although there were a few guitar players I heard play live who did really interesting things with it. Hence, I didn't get one, more fool me!
I really wouldn't know how it works for bass - electric or double, but it should be playable, as they're more or less one-string-at-a-time jobs anyway.

Let's hear how you get on, brilliant idea! Very Happy

v-un-v · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:39 pm Post subject:

Oskar · Joined: Jul 29, 2004 Posts: 1751 Location: Norway

DrJustice · Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 5:41 am Post subject:

v-un-v · Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:27 am Post subject:

And then there was Michael Brook and his 'infinite guitar'! 'Ocean Motion' was it? Top stuff! Cool

Wout Blommers · Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 7:20 am Post subject:

How about the hurdy gurdy? Wink

Thanks for the info, special Tom!
That Brook guitar, that was the one with the build-in feedback, wasn't it?

Wout

mtvic · Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 9:30 am Post subject:

Taken from EBow.com
http://www.ebow.com/ebow/faq.htm

Does the EBow work on bass?
The EBow was designed for guitar string spacing. It gets its necessary alignment by resting on the strings adjacent to the one you're playing. To play the EBow on bass, you must accomplish this critical alignment in challenging ways. You can rest the EBow between the strings and tilt it sideways to get the string you want to play to run down the drive channel. You can use your forefinger and thumb off the edges of the EBow to create "grooves" that catch the adjacent strings. Or, you can just hold the EBow in the proper position through sheer will and determination. Light gauge strings and a touch of distortion can prove useful, especially in the harmonic mode. Michael Manring has perfected the use of EBow on bass.

GovernorSilver · Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:27 pm Post subject:

The best E-bow user I've heard so far:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwq0i6jP7dQ

Funnily enough, the same guy makes a Moog Guitar sound good too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF2OwtdlTaM

I've used my E-Bow on fretless bass before - it's not that hard. I'm not as good as Michael Manring though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONf9Otiq4Kc

Antimon · Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:52 pm Post subject:

I got one just a year ago. I can use it on my steel-stringed acoustic as well as the electric gits. Whether or not you're good at using it (I'm not), you can have great fun with it and sample it and make use of that. It's pretty confusing (but enjoyable) how the harmonics "take over", and the fundamental drops off sometimes.

/Stefan

varice · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 5:01 pm Post subject:

I got one of the first EBow models (single mode) many years ago. When the Plus EBow (dual mode) was introduced, I also got that model. I’ve not had the chance to use them to play a bass. But, the EBow is a fantastic gadget. I highly recommend it.

Daniel Ash of Love and Rockets (one of my favorite bands) uses the EBow on many tracks. He also plays a Fernandes Sustainer with a built-in sustainer circuit similar to Brook’s “Infinite Guitar”.

I have a Jackson DK2S Dinky with a built-in Sustaniac Stealth Plus. Great for that traditional loud amp feedback type of sustain.

http://www.sustainiac.com/

http://www.sustainiac.com/jackson.htm

My DK2S has a Black Cherry finish and looks like this catalogue picture:

DK2S_Dinky_xl.jpg

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Jackson DK2S Dinky with Black Cherry finish

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RF · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 5:32 pm Post subject:

Interesting this topic should show up - I just placed an order for an E-bow last week - it should be here Monday or Tuesday.

I have read of using hand held vibrators and even battery powered electric razors in the same way as an E-bow - although I've not tried it.

bruce

Wout Blommers · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:53 am Post subject:

Oskar · Joined: Jul 29, 2004 Posts: 1751 Location: Norway

Antimon · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 6:33 pm Post subject: