thread hijacked... good price for ebow?

[ataraxia]

i got one and i feel really ripped off, don't get me wrong you do a lot of interesting stuff, but not $75 woth of stuff, if i had to do it all over again i'd probably go with like 3 danelectro pedals and get more out of it. i'd probably be willing to trade for mine if any one is interested? i think i still have the tape/instructions that comes with it. but i think used correctly it sounds awesome, i'm a just add water "instant rock" kinda man myself. (it's shamefull i know.)...

[vvv]

One use for it as a home recorder is to get feedback at the end of a phrase and/or a solo, just like you had your amp "dimed."

But I admit, I prefer the Fernandes Sustainer.

[ubertar]

Has anyone tried taking one apart to check out the circuit? I imagine it's just a pulsing electromagnet, probably with a constantly varying speed to the pulse. It's gotta be pretty simple, to fit in such a small space.

[Meriphew]

I love the Ebow. I use mine like a madman.

[kayagum]

It's my secret weapon for building soundtracks and additional ambience. Beats the hell out of cheap-ass synth pads

[cassettefetish]

ataraxia,
what's your asking price?

[frank]

...scored an Ebow for $5 at a flea market after asking the guy what he wanted for "...this kid's toy-thing". actually, it's a great way to angle on stuff at garage sales too. "aw, cute...a big muff. will ya take three dollars for it?"

[superluminalmagus]

Ages ago I bought one on a whim for about $70 and I really like it. I've tracked a lot of songs with it, for ambience, lead/solo accenting and stuff and its more than paid for itself really. Well, I never got paid for the songs, but the sentimental value, can't put a price on that, eh?

Now, I'm not actually sure that its WORTH what they're selling them for, but I'm happy with it at any rate. People I've recorded seem to like it and they've wanted to use it for recording and stuff - nice piece to have when people come in.

[phalex]

I love my e-bow. I went as long as possible trying to make synth sounds without an actual synth, the e-bow and frequency analyzer both helped out alot. I have just discovered e-bow without reverb, I always put reverb on it out of habit, I turned it off and the thing sounded like a cello. I love it.

[A.L.]

Ubertar: yeah there's gotta be an easy way to make yer own (minus the plastic casing). I saw some guys perform with a pen-shaped ebow thing... blue LED and everything, just slender like a pen with a notch for the string you're sustaining. They were germans... not sure if it's some mysterious european product, a custom job or what. Didn't get a closer look but they were passing it around between songs, using it on acoustics.

I'm told you can sneak up the power to boost the ebow a bit, increase its range, etc. Maybe wired into a variable wall-wart set to 12 volts instead? Who wants to risk destroying their ebow to find out?

Is the ebow worth $75? Eh. It's not 'easy' to use right off the bat, which is the main turnoff. You have to teach yourself not only how to use it in and of itself but how to use it with whatever types of guitars you've got. Dif. pickups, distances between strings, string types, etc. all demand a refinement of technique. It's kind of worth it, kind of not. I've got enough dorky keyboards and fx it doesn't blow me away. I usually end up reaching for the actual cello bow, gunking up my strings with rosin, etc. Of course you can only conveniently play the first and sixth strings this way but whatever.

Ebows are clunky, too. Just plain clunky.

One I get a new electric I'm sticking a sustainer pickup in my crappy current guitar, that sounds more appealing to me.

But seriously, every time I think 'hey a good part for the ebow!' it ends up being too synthetic, too harsh and out comes the cello bow in replacement.

[Greenlander]

You can't find them for less than $150 here new.

Were getting completely screwed!!

[Mark67]

Hmmm.. that shit don't play in L fuckin' A, homies.

I wanted to use it for a p-bass... probably won't work too well. I just want a really loooooooong sustain... something drippy.......... and warm.

--Nick

It should work fine, but it won't "fit:" the bottom of the eBow is grooved to seat itself against guitar strings so it will be a bit more awkward.

I think it's totally worth the dough if you intend to use it. It can do more than just play long sustained lines. Has anyone listened to the demo tape that comes with the eBow? Those maniacs get incredible sounds, play arpeggios across several strings...

[housepig]

Hey, housepig! I used that wire recorder for one of the above-mentioned sound designs as well. Sounded great.

exxxxxxxxcellent! glad it's in good hands... it was something I always meant to drag out and use, and never got around to.

[jerfo]

For a good example of eBow on bass, look for a copy of Michael Manring's "Thonk" album. I believe that it's out of print, so check eBay or your friendly neighborhood used CD store. One track is a live bass solo in which he uses two eBows simultaneously. He uses the eBow extensively on most of the other tracks as well.

If you've never seen this guy play bass, you should go out of your way to do so. His playing is so beautiful that it's easy to overlook the onscenely difficult things that he pulls off. He plays three basses simultaneously on the song "My Three Moons," and two of them are fretless. Ack!

- Jerfo

[cassettefetish]

Well I am officially hijacking this thread...
I have this sound I want to achieve... I think my lack of knowledge will show through here, but oh well.
I really like the song "Roseblood" by Mazzy Star. It's seems "shoegazy" or dreamy... and I also like the REM e-bow the letter guitar sound.

I want to make something bigger... and maybe something more "shimmery" .... just looooooong sounds, but with texture.

Any ideas? Am I a total newbie? Where to start?

--Nick

P.S. Anyone esle a Mazzy fan?