The Heet Sound Products EBow is probably one of the most under-appreciated tools for guitar. It has remained in continuous production ever since 1976 and appeared on literally hundreds of recordings and hits, yet it rarely gets mentioned – even by players who have used one frequently. It’s not expensive (the current street price is about $100); it’s very easy to use; and it’s more versatile than most guitarists realize.
The EBow is sort of an “electronic bow,” but instead of dragging the device across strings it employs a pickup and pulsating magnetic feedback circuit to drive a string into vibration without coming into contact with the string. In addition to providing infinite sustain capabilities, the EBow gives players greater expressive control over a note’s attack and decay, enabling the emulation of various wind, brass and bowed string instruments as well as synth-like tones.
