E-Bow - Have you used one, or own one

guitars4you

Chatting with a good old friend of mine yesterday and a chat about the E-Bow came into play - I suppose you could argue this could go under F/X, but is it an effect or a form of a 'pick' in that it generates movement in the strings

But my first question to him was is it is still available - As I've not seen any buzz about them amongst our big dealer friends for ages - But yes it is still available but as I said, no buzz about them anywhere

Have you ever used one - Do you still own one (indeed do you know where it is - readily available or hidden in some draw somewhere) - Do you ever master the art of using one, or gave up with it as you couldn't really grasp it 

I dare some might not even know what the hell I'm talking about 

guitars4you

in case you don't know what it is - plus a YouTube demo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fDpMo9k-N4&t=47s

nero1701

Had one couple decades back. I couldn't really make a good use of it. 

Danny1969

I had one, only ever used it for With or without you, it was great for that 

lustycourtier

I have one for 2 songs. The cutter and with or without you. Great to use occasionally, but a tad clumsy 

drofluf

They’re still available, a quick google indicates several that could be delivered tomorrow. 

I had another manufacturer’s version but it was faulty and I never go round to getting another after I was refunded. £100 for the genuine article is a bit steep for me to try on a whim. 

koss59

I don’t use one live really but it’s a tool you shouldn’t be without in a studio 

ewal

I've used one and I thought I still had one, but can't find it.

This little ditty has me playing e-bow I think. Not properly mixed, but you get the gist...

Elfa Dogg | Scrambler (Audio) - YouTube

chrisj1602

I used to have one, was good fun. I sold it for some reason, then got one of the TC Electronic ones… don’t get a TC one.

Roland

I’ve got one. It has its uses, but not on any of the songs I’ve been playing in the last couple of years. The same could said of a slide. 

stickyfiddle

I've had one in the toolkit for about 20 years. I don't use it often these days but it's a brilliant little thing to have available. 

The Dessner brothers from The National both use them loads

thermionic

I bought one in probably the early 2000s - they still came with a tutorial/demo cassette and a badge saying “No picks!” I used it on several recordings for a lo-fi synthpop project I did with a friend. Even got some radioplay!

https://youtu.be/ajws1M_PoZY?si=eoBWaqRkMQO9Uuec

ScreamingDave

I had one, but iI barely used it.  I realised it wasn't the 70s and I wasn't in a prog rock band!

I kinda liked the idea of it, but the practicalities of using it live (the massive volume boost, being the main issue) without a sound man just put me off ever getting to grips with it.  I like them, though.  Gaz Combes used to use one brilliantly live with Supergrass

Snags

Got one, used it a few times, but opportunities were relatively rare. It's been languishing on a shelf for the last 15+ years, I ought to dig it out again.

{ETA}

JHS Josh did a little thing on them not that long ago, I think, so there may be a resurgence of interest.

DartmoorHedgehog

Yes I use one regularly on a few of our (more goth-influenced) songs.  You do need to turn the guitar volume down a lot from your normal playing setting or it comes out way too loud, but that isn't hard to get used to.  They are pretty expensive (I think I paid about £60 for mine second-hand about ten years ago) but in the right context it's a really useful sound, and really expressive.

I don't often see anyone else using one around the local music scene - it attracts a fair bit of interest from people who want to know what it is.
Does annoy me though when people complement us on how good the keyboard player was... were they even looking at the stage?  

Sporky

They are an excellent place to keep a spare battery.

I find the Sustainiac a much more usable thing.

ToneControl

I had one.
I much prefer a sustainer fitted into the guitar

gatheredinsong

I used one regularly for originals stuff in the two bands I was in during my twenties. Sold it at some point but would buy another.

DartmoorHedgehog

Sporky said:

They are an excellent place to keep a spare battery.

I find the Sustainiac a much more usable thing.

Ah, but with a sustainiac can you vary the volume, turn it sideways and touch the strings for weird effects, switch to harmonic mode etc...?   I've never tried one, but it seems to me that a sustainiac would be just like using an ebow and holding it dead still with no expression.  I'm a wind player at heart, and I love the extra expression possible with the ebow.  I know some people manage to do similar by riding the volume knob with their little finger or using a volume pedal, but the ebow just feels more natural to me.

Creed_Clicks

I have recorded using one on a metal bodied resonator. Sounded really cool.

Kurtis

I've always fancied trying one but they're a bit pricey.