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Post by LTB on Dec 16, 2020 22:49:19 GMT -5
Anyone use a bow for electric bass ( not double bass)? If so which ones? Looking for one less than $100
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Post by themaestro on Dec 17, 2020 7:58:35 GMT -5
I wouldn't think you can use a bow on an electric bass. The fingerboard radius (and thus the bridge radius) is too flat to allow a bow to excite just a single string. There is a little device called an ebow that can magnetically excite strings. I have no experience with it. Here's a link to the ebow website. There are also youtube videos of it. It appears to be available at Sweetwater and other music equipment vendors.
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Post by LTB on Dec 18, 2020 3:25:15 GMT -5
Thanks maestro! I don't want it to do fast stuff or over several strings. I have a couple songs I just need a longgggggggg sustain on maybe 2 or 3 notes. That device looks cool. I really liked what this guy did on guitar with it Here
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Dec 18, 2020 11:12:16 GMT -5
The E-bow is a cool device. Years ago we played Bowie's tune Heroes at a Jersey Jam, and I pulled out the E-Bow. Other players later said they wondered how Mick Ronson got that sound. That's how he did it.
I've used a bow on electric guitar. Using a bow on roundwound strings will shred the horsehair on it, and the rosin will gunk up the strings. Don't spend too much on a bow if you're playing roundwounds, and be sure to get a small cake of rosin with it because it won't work without it.
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Post by LTB on Dec 18, 2020 13:05:32 GMT -5
Thanks Gino! Good info. I may try an ebow
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Dec 18, 2020 19:23:06 GMT -5
I just tried the E-Bow on my Lakland bass and it does the job. It seems to get the best effect when held over the target string, right over the edge of the neck pickup.
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Post by LTB on Dec 19, 2020 0:13:51 GMT -5
I just tried the E-Bow on my Lakland bass and it does the job. It seems to get the best effect when held over the target string, right over the edge of the neck pickup. I just bought an E-Bow plus on Sweetwater $99 and 2 year guarantee
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Post by LTB on Dec 25, 2020 9:07:18 GMT -5
The ebow came yesterday. I guess I will learn how to use it effectively 😄
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woody
Wholenote
Posts: 245
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Post by woody on Dec 25, 2020 12:56:20 GMT -5
Looking forward to hearing how it goes. Merry Christmas, LTB!
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Dec 25, 2020 13:09:14 GMT -5
Everybody needs an E-Bow... That's why I withheld the following info until after you got one A cool and simple way to sustain notes when playing is to hold the front or back of the headstock against the top front corner of a speaker cab. The volume has to be up a bit to make the cab start to 'sing', and that vibration transfers into the neck of the bass or guitar and makes it pretty easy to control feedback. With enough volume you can sustain sparkly clean notes too. The easiest way to get this effect is when the plane of the headstock matches the front plane of the speaker grill. You don't have to be in front of the speaker. You can stand or sit next to the cabinet or combo amp and rest the back of the headstock against the top front of the cab. Top front works best because the top of the cab vibrates more than the bottom (the feet on the floor damp the vibrations considerably). As with any kind of controlled feedback technique, string muting is critical because all the strings will start to sing. Use the fingers of one or both hands to selectively mute the strings you want silenced. It takes a little practice, but it pays off. In a studio/recording situation this is really easy to do because you can sit on a chair and have the headstock against the cab. Playing live is a bit more of a challenge, but it's not impossible.
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Post by LTB on Dec 25, 2020 19:28:46 GMT -5
Geno, since the Ebow was designed especially for guitar and it’s string width I think I am going to get used to it on guitar then move to bass so maybe I can get a feel for it more quickly. Thank you for the tips. I will definitely check them out 😊
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