Anyone have an ebow?

[Mincer]

Mick Ronson is probably my all time favorite guitarist. He used one on "Heros" so yeah, I get what it does and it's appeal. I'm just not that interested in them. I have a Violin bow, no interest in using that a'la Jimmy Page. I'd probably be more inclined to use a Sustainiac system. I'm just not interested in holding anything but a pick. About as gimmicky as I get is a thumb pick. Only as it relates to playing the blues. It's great that you guys love them, but I'm surprised they are a thing.

FYI Heroes was Robert Fripp using actual feedback, not an ebow.

Fripp certainly did the lead part into a Fender Princeton with no Ebow. He marked places on the floor where he could stand to get feedback. Mick did the rhythm parts, but not the identifiable melody. Nothing gimmicky about an Ebow, any more than a chorus pedal. It is just something else people use to get another sound that is pretty impossible with anything else. Even a Sustainer pickup doesn't sound like one.

 

[playas]

Or tried one? Always thought the idea was kinda cool, but I've never laid hands on an ebow. Worth the cash?

It's a cool gadget, useful for certain sounds but not something that will keep you endlessly entertained for months on end.

I don't own one and don't miss having one but if I got a present of one, or came across a cheap one second-hand I'm sure I'd get some use out of it.

 

[Guest]

FYI Heroes was Robert Fripp using actual feedback, not an ebow.

Do you like you're crow fried, broiled, or baked? I never said he recorded it, but you can make assumptions. I must have been dreaming.

 

[Guest]

Mick did the rhythm parts, but not the identifiable melody.

See the attached video. I never said he recorded it. I said he used one, reading comprehension please. I've never seen such a petty attempt at a "gotcha" moment on both your behalves. Pound sand.

 

[JOLLY]

Do you like you're crow fried, broiled, or baked? I never said he recorded it, but you can make assumptions. I must have been dreaming.

See the attached video. I never said he recorded it. I said he used one, reading comprehension please. I've never seen such a petty attempt at a "gotcha" moment on both your behalves. Pound sand.

Really? Give me a freakin' break. You were wrong and now you're back tracking. That's like me saying something to the affect of "Eddie Van Halen played a Fender Champ", and then when I got called out for being wrong, I say something idiotic like "I never said he recorded or played live with it. Here's a picture of him backstage with one....derp, derp, derp".

 

[Guest]

Really? Give me a freakin' break. You were wrong and now you're back tracking. That's like me saying something to the affect of "Eddie Van Halen played a Fender Champ", and then when I got called out for being wrong, I say something idiotic like "I never said he recorded or played live with it. Here's a picture of him backstage with one....derp, derp, derp".

How is actually watching Mick use one backtracking? Obviously you can't read either. GFYS

 

[alex1fly]

I'm not sure that I'm angry enough to comment, but I picked up an Ebow at the beginning of this year and have been enjoying it with my loops. As mentioned, it's great with delay. Kinda needs it, otherwise it's a bit harsh on its own as it introduces some distortion. I can see it being cool with a volume pedal. You can get a similar effect by moving it along the string - depending on where I hold it, the volume will increase or decrease. It's fun to play legato melodies with it, and loop some harmonies for a background shimmer. Using it this way gives a kind of synth lead/synth pad vibe. The "strumming" is cool too. One thing I've noticed is that the B string responds very well to it, while the other strings are little trickier to get a good response. So in the end I think it's a little fussy, and a little limited, but it makes my guitar sound like it's never sounded before and adds functionality that a pedal can't give you. I can see it being cool in a jam situation too where you want to provide some atmospheric sounds.

 

[GuitarStv]

Has, anyone played the other 'ebows'? There's a TC Electronic one that is supposed to suck, but I also see that Joyo has come out with an 'infinite sustainer' that looks pretty similar to the regular ebow.

 

[alex1fly]

Has, anyone played the other 'ebows'? There's a TC Electronic one that is supposed to suck, but I also see that Joyo has come out with an 'infinite sustainer' that looks pretty similar to the regular ebow.

I haven't, but they can't be all that different... can they?

 

[Mincer]

They work about the same, but they are harder to hold. The TC Electronic one is awkward, and the other one obscures the strings in a weird way. They don't improve enough on the original to make the switch.

 

[Dave Locher]

I tried once but found it slow on the uptake. If I lean my guitar headstock against the edge of my cabinet I get the same infinite sustain but it comes on quicker and is less stagnant as the note drones. Kinda disappointed me because I always thought I'd really like them and I was excited to find one to try.

 

[Mincer]

I tried once but found it slow on the uptake. If I lean my guitar headstock against the edge of my cabinet I get the same infinite sustain but it comes on quicker and is less stagnant as the note drones. Kinda disappointed me because I always thought I'd really like them and I was excited to find one to try.

Certainly tricky to activate, but a little time with one and you can get it instantly. It is really great in a recording, when you want a sound that isn't quite like a normal guitar or keyboard- especially if you layer many tracks of one.

 

[alex1fly]

I tried once but found it slow on the uptake. If I lean my guitar headstock against the edge of my cabinet I get the same infinite sustain but it comes on quicker and is less stagnant as the note drones. Kinda disappointed me because I always thought I'd really like them and I was excited to find one to try.

Definitely can get stagnant. Hence the massive amount of FX you throw on it. Then it sounds pretty awesome.

 

[Blille]

Has, anyone played the other 'ebows'? There's a TC Electronic one that is supposed to suck, but I also see that Joyo has come out with an 'infinite sustainer' that looks pretty similar to the regular ebow.

I got one - I've been trying to remember the brand since you started the thread but can't for the life of me. I think I may have done a review as well here but can't find it. I'll report back if I do lol

 

[GuitarStv]

​Well, I found a used joyo ebow clone for 40 canadian dollars (couldn't find an original for under 90) so figured I'd give it a shot . . .

Never used a real ebow, but this is pretty easy to play with. Stick the grooves on the strings and it vibrates the string in between. It's pretty easy to switch from string to string except the high E or the low E - since there's only one groove to catch for these I have trouble with them. Move it over the neck pickup and it's louder, further away and it's quieter. Two modes, one that plays the fundamental and one that sounds more like high volume feedback to my ears. The feedback-y mode is a little harder to get sustaining than the regular mode. Took me a while to find a tone that I like while playing with it - seems to work best with some delay, compression, a little overdrive, and the neck pickup with the tone rolled back.

It's fun, and is much less gimmicky/more musical than I thought it would be. I recommend.​

 

[alex1fly]

​Well, I found a used joyo ebow clone for 40 canadian dollars (couldn't find an original for under 90) so figured I'd give it a shot . . .

Never used a real ebow, but this is pretty easy to play with. Stick the grooves on the strings and it vibrates the string in between. It's pretty easy to switch from string to string except the high E or the low E - since there's only one groove to catch for these I have trouble with them. Move it over the neck pickup and it's louder, further away and it's quieter. Two modes, one that plays the fundamental and one that sounds more like high volume feedback to my ears. The feedback-y mode is a little harder to get sustaining than the regular mode. Took me a while to find a tone that I like while playing with it - seems to work best with some delay, compression, a little overdrive, and the neck pickup with the tone rolled back.

It's fun, and is much less gimmicky/more musical than I thought it would be. I recommend.​

You use OD with yours? Man, my ebow is like turning on an OD pedal no matter what. Very strong.

 

[GuitarStv]

You use OD with yours? Man, my ebow is like turning on an OD pedal no matter what. Very strong.

Just light. Along with the compressor it just smooths everything out.

 

[Mincer]

I've never needed any OD or compression with mine- it tends to compress the signal just fine on its own. Delay helps, though.

 

[Blille]

I got one - I've been trying to remember the brand since you started the thread but can't for the life of me. I think I may have done a review as well here but can't find it. I'll report back if I do lol

FINALLY remembered (I actually found it).

https://soundstone.co/?gclid=Cj0KCQ...4ZxmcSbw8WYmX2ug6yJ9MO8talO7XRbsaAtqwEALw_wcB


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[GuitarStv]

I have an Ebow.

I found the instructions confusing and self-contradictory.

I played with it for an hour and put it on my coffee table, where it got completely buried under medical documents over the next few months.

I have a couple of elbows I could use instead.

Mine didn't need too much in the way of explaining. Stick over strings - noise ensues.