Conference napalm::guitar

What exactly do you want to know?

I have one. It's a cool tool but I'm not very expert wth it.

dave

    Well..... There are reports that the E-Bow gives infinite sustain .
    Is it easy to manipulate ? hows the sound ? Price ? etc.
    
    JJT

You can get them usually for around $60-65

Infinite sustain, absolutely but there's a price.

It's a funky looking thing, sort of a bent L shape, takes a 9v battery to give
you an idea of the size (the base is not much bigger than the battery). You
have to hold it perfectly parallel to the strings in two axis, lengthwise along
the string, and parallel the the body

You can do some really interesting things with them. For example, there's a
"hot spot" near the front and back of your pickups and the sound get's sharper
and raspier as you near those spots, a clever bow man can make a low e sound 
like a cello, if you turn your guitar's treble all the way down, the plain 
strings will sound like a flute etc.

It's sort of a "poor man's synth" for guitar. The technique is demanding, the
darn thing is difficult to hold while you use a pick for normal playing.

I've not heard any of this but I understand that Phil Keagy did a rendition of
"Amazing Grace" with an Ebow that's quite beautiful. I do believe that it's
a worthwhile tool  if you can master the various techniques.

dbii

    Manring uses one on his ablum "Thonk" also, if you want to hear
    what it sounds like used on a bass.

    When I tried one out in the shop it vibrated the strings so much it was
    rasping, and it was a lot louder than just picking the strings, it
    sounded like the pickups were being overloaded.
    
    I would really like to use one but first impressions in the shop
    weren't good, and they had no-one who knew how to use it so I'd be
    interested to hear other experiences.
    
    tmp

    > When I tried one out in the shop it vibrated the strings so much it was
    > rasping, and it was a lot louder than just picking the strings, it
    > sounded like the pickups were being overloaded.
    
    Yes, it can easily sound like that depending on where you place it.
    You can't just sit it down and hold it steady while you play. Particularly
    if you're near the pickups, you constantly have to adjust the position on 
    the string (moving either toward the bridge or neck, depending), or
    actually back off from the string (IE, lift it up a bit).
    
    Overall, I think it's more useful for "special effects" than extended
    playing. That's mainly what I've used it for - sounds cool on acoustic,
    too - very eerie.  It's a neat idea, but in practice it's just a little 
    too awkward.
    
    Tom

    Keaggy seems to bounce his off the strings a lot, as well as hover in a
    circular and vertical motions.

    I love the E-Bow....The first time I ever heard one used was on some
    " BIG COUNTRY " albums that I have....
    
    Stuart Adamson ( the lead singer & guitarist ) uses it very
    well....makes his guitar sound like a bagpipe. :-)
    
    Are there any other artists, besides the ones already mentioned, that
    use it as well ?
    
    I am really quite interested in hearing their material. :-)

    Sonny Landreth uses an Ebow to make his guitar sound like a violin.
    If you're interested in checking out a Sonny disk, I'd reccomend
    Outward Bound. 
    
    Mark Jacques

    re: E-bow
    Phil Keaggy has done some recording with the e-bow.   You'd have to go
    back a year or two - nothing recent.
    

>    Phil Keaggy has done some recording with the e-bow.   You'd have to go
>    back a year or two - nothing recent.
    
    not true, Mike.  He just released a 2-CD greatest hits set that has him
    using it on some live recordings.  Sounds nice and nasty on a Les Paul 
    with distortion on. ;-)
    
    Mike

    My mistake. I don't spend nearly enough time scavenging new music...
    Mike