E-bow.

[oldguy]

The e-bow is a way of "bowing" the guitar strings via a magnetic field.
The device itself is made to fit the palm of your hand, and operates on a single 9 volt battery. You "hover' the e-bow over the selected string and it begins to vibrate, creating sound w/o the usual pick attack. With practice you can mimic the sound of an oboe, flute, violin, cello, etc.
It's an interesting effect, somewhat like a volume swell + sustainer effect. I'm still practicing with mine, and I'm sure there are more ways to use it, I'm a beginner.

At $99 U.S. currency, I'm sure it's not for everyone, but if you're looking for something different you should check one out. I would caution that they are made of plastic and probably wouldn't survive being dropped on a hard surface, but I believe the plastic case is a necessity as metal would not allow for the magnetic field that drives the string.

It does take some practice to position the e-bow over the string properly in order to drive the string so that it begins to vibrate. I'm just starting to get the knack of it, but so far I'm enjoying it. A trick I've learned is use a humbucker equipped guitar on the neck pickup with the guitar volume turned down a bit and the tone control down almost fully. This seems to yield the best sound to me.......YMMV.
The video below will give an idea of the sound of the e-bow used on electric guitar.

[hubberjub***]

Cool. I have an E-bow too and it's a fun toy. I have watched videos of people doing multiple string arpeggios with them. I have yet to develop that skill.

[Tig***]

Wow, that's cool!
I've seen them advertised, but this is the first demo.

[Lev]

My wife got me one of these for Christmas. I'm looking forward to playing with it. I believe The Edge used one on the intro to With or Without You.

[SuperSwede]

Cool video Oldguy, sounds really great! I want one too!

[marnold***]

Some of the stuff at the beginning almost sounded like a reverse-delay effect.

[oldguy]

Some of the stuff at the beginning almost sounded like a reverse-delay effect.

Nice catch, Matt. I was running a delay to give the sound more breathing room. It comes in after the swell of the string beginning to vibrate.

[Kazz]

Very cool and as always...you make it look easy.

[Commodore 64***]

Very cool. Thanks for posting!

[Tone2TheBone]

I just posted a comment on your youtube vid. That sounded really neat! I did have a question....does it work while moving it to other strings, as in the ones adjacent to the string you've got it hovered over? I sometimes play classical bits on my guitars that my daughter is learning on the violin to help her and an ebow would be cool playing those but I normally work the 3 upper strings to play these pieces. I noticed your melodies were played on single strings. Would it let me do the same thing over the upper 3 strings?

[oldguy]

It would be really difficult, I think, Rob. It takes a split second to get the string vibrating, 'cuz the magnet has to start it moving before you get a sound. So when you "change" strings it takes a second to get "that" one sounding out.
Now, that being said............ I'm working on just "barely" brushing the strings to get them started, but I'm not getting the hang of it too well.
Hubberjub was right about people doing chord arpeggios with them, too.
So the answer is.........maybe. I can't do it yet, maybe w/ practice.
You might be able to get it done more quickly, but it's waaaaayyyyy different than anything I've used before, but it's fun.

[P.J.]

The e-bow is a way of "bowing" the guitar strings via a magnetic field.
The device itself is made to fit the palm of your hand, and operates on a single 9 volt battery. You "hover' the e-bow over the selected string and it begins to vibrate, creating sound w/o the usual pick attack. With practice you can mimic the sound of an oboe, flute, violin, cello, etc.
It's an interesting effect, somewhat like a volume swell + sustainer effect. I'm still practicing with mine, and I'm sure there are more ways to use it, I'm a beginner.

At $99 U.S. currency, I'm sure it's not for everyone, but if you're looking for something different you should check one out. I would caution that they are made of plastic and probably wouldn't survive being dropped on a hard surface, but I believe the plastic case is a necessity as metal would not allow for the magnetic field that drives the string.

It does take some practice to position the e-bow over the string properly in order to drive the string so that it begins to vibrate. I'm just starting to get the knack of it, but so far I'm enjoying it. A trick I've learned is use a humbucker equipped guitar on the neck pickup with the guitar volume turned down a bit and the tone control down almost fully. This seems to yield the best sound to me.......YMMV.
The video below will give an idea of the sound of the e-bow used on electric guitar.

How much do these puppies run these days? I had one about 20 yrs. ago. It came w/ an instructional cassette if I remember correctly. =-) PJ

[oldguy]

How much do these puppies run these days? I had one about 20 yrs. ago. It came w/ an instructional cassette if I remember correctly. =-) PJ

At $99 U.S. currency, I'm sure it's not for everyone, but if you're looking for something different you should check one out.

Now they come w/ a DVD. Used ones on c/list and fleabay are cheaper, and may or may not have the accessories.

[Ilovecheapguitars]

well, I know what I'm buying next.

[player***]

put this topic in elsewhere and asked if works on a Bass.the following was one reply:

I have one and have messed with a lot of different things.

Yes, it will work with bass guitar but the distance from the string is critical. Bass strings have a lot more mass to get moving so the response time is a little slow. Also you have to be careful in keeping the string at a distance where it doesn't touch the E-bow or the sound stops.

I have also used an E-bow with acoustic steel string guitar, (yep that works too), and my electric sitar, which does not work as well but does work. If I had a banjo, I would try it , but.......I do not.

this from a standup guy/fretter too