eBow - what is it?

[BillMason]

Does anyone have any sound clips of what these things sound like? I've never seen one being used, just have heard the name mentioned, and it struck my curiosity bone. What are they and what do you do with them?

[3toes]

Only time I've ever heard the term "ebow" used is as a moniker for the Gibson EB-0 bass guitar (that looks like an SG).

But upon further research I found this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-bow

Says it isn't too well suited for bass due to heavier strings.

[bongomania]

It's an electro-magnet that vibrates the string where you'd normally pluck it. It creates a "bowed" sort of effect with a long smooth attack, and it sustains as long as you hold the magnet in place over the string.

They are difficult to use on bass due to the higher mass of the low B, E, A strings and the amount those strings travel up and down in their vibration. But some people manage it.

[wazzel]

The ebow electronically simultes a bow. This site has some sound clips. It is on my list of things to get.

http://www.ebow.com/

[wazzel]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMNIF...eature=related

[wazzel]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A46l0...eature=related

[Bassin']

I once played in a three piece jam band and use the e-bow on 2 or 3 songs, mainly atmospheric like intros. They can be a little tricky for bass because they're more designed for guitar, but they do open up a lot of options once you get the hang of it. Hmmm, I think I'm going to have to track mine down and start tinkering with it again.

As far as sound clips, you might want to do a search on Michael Manring- he's the bass playing master of this technique.

[TaySte_2000]

It's something I don't have but really really want

[cybersnyder]

Yeah, very tricky on bass. far more tension on bass strings than on guitar strings so I found that you need to get the string vibrating a little to start with a hammer on and it helps the ebow do its thing.

[mjolnir]

I find the E-Bow more useful to throw at overzealous guitards than to "bow" a bass with. Then again, I've never been much good at anything but fingerstyle and slap on a bass.

[wazzel]

It is also tricky due to the spacing (the little groves on the bottom of the unit) on the ebow is set up for guitar, not bass. It will take more precision to get it close enough to get the strings moving and not touch them.

[TaySte_2000]

The vibrator I use sounds just as good IMHO I will post sound clip agin tonight

[bassmasta18]

Check out Michael Manring, on de album 'Thonk' he plays an entire soung with an e-bow. Sounds amazing but you would never thing it was bass!! Think the song is called 'adhan' but i cant remember. Maybe someone else will know

[Sir Edward V]

dammit guys, now i want one again

[greenboy]

I ground down the bottom guitar-string alignment grooves with a Dremel but you have to be careful not to go too far - because beneath the plastic is the metal of the actual magnetic excitation assembly which you don't want to expose. Anyway, grinding them down a little gets them out of the way somewhat to get the magnetic force closer to the strings.

Because the limited magnetic force is low, it helps to have less string tension and string mass. Go to lighter strings and it will speak faster and easier. That's only partly why Manring uses it so well, however ; }

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I love using my EBow- works much better with fretless IMO. A lot of people hold it close to the pickup, which makes for a cool distorted tone, but holding it higher up on the neck gives you a much better "bowed" tone. Here's a soundclip I made a year or two back:
EBow sample 2

Here's an even older one with a bit more of that distorted tone I mentioned:
EBow sample 1

Originally Posted by bassmasta18

Check out Michael Manring, on de album 'Thonk' he plays an entire soung with an e-bow. Sounds amazing but you would never thing it was bass!! Think the song is called 'adhan' but i cant remember. Maybe someone else will know

He actually is using two EBows simultaneously on that track. Very cool stuff.

[LarryR]

Brian,
You play the bass. You paint. You do both very well.
You use a brush to paint pictures and basses to paint sound.
Just sayin'....

[Stuggi]

Really cool, it seems to work very well with the fretless. Sample #2 has a very cello-like sound to it IMO. I really need to get a fretless and one of these...

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Originally Posted by LarryR

Brian,
You play the bass. You paint. You do both very well.
You use a brush to paint pictures and basses to paint sound.
Just sayin'....

Yeah, but I can't bowl over a 160, so that sort of negates everything else

[TaySte_2000]

http://www.myselfalone.com/tayste2000/Weird_Effect.mp3

Ebow on the cheap