Anyone ever try bowing a guitar?

[KaosCill8r]

Maybe this is slightly off topic. but using a vibrating sex toy on your strings can get some interesting sounds. Awesome sounds!! And it doesn't leave rosin all over your guitar and strings.

[Uncle Grandfather]

Maybe this is slightly off topic. but using a vibrating sex toy on your strings can get some interesting sounds. Awesome sounds!! And it doesn't leave rosin all over your guitar and strings.

EELS with strings, the string players used vibrators on their violins etc. sounded good.

[D.o.S.]

Maybe this is slightly off topic. but using a vibrating sex toy on your strings can get some interesting sounds. Awesome sounds!! And it doesn't leave rosin all over your guitar and strings.

The guitar track for System of a Down's Psycho, from their toxicity album, was played with a vibrator.

Word is it was BNIB and unused for its primary function, in case there's any serious tone purists reading.

[KaosCill8r]

Maybe this is slightly off topic. but using a vibrating sex toy on your strings can get some interesting sounds. Awesome sounds!! And it doesn't leave rosin all over your guitar and strings.

The guitar track for System of a Down's Psycho, from their toxicity album, was played with a vibrator.

Word is it was BNIB and unused for its primary function, in case there's any serious tone purists reading.

BNIB!! But where is the fun in that. I like things to multi-task. Not to mention the awesome aroma's while playing

[BitchPudding]

Maybe this is slightly off topic. but using a vibrating sex toy on your strings can get some interesting sounds. Awesome sounds!! And it doesn't leave rosin all over your guitar and strings.

Soooo, Anvil?

[julius_deane]

Key Grip at Mangia-8 by theottomodest, on Flickr

IMG_5261_1 by theottomodest, on Flickr

I left it in St. Louis and I is mad about it.

[BitchPudding]

Nice!

Wait, left the bow? Aren't they pretty cheap to replace?

[Achtane]

I got my bow for $5 from a Chinese hair salon's eBay store.
I've never been sure what to make of that.

[Bartimaeus]

Jonny G uses a bow for live performances of Pyramid song. I'm not sure how he deals with the rosin, though I guess he doesn't use it enough for it to get all over the guitar (unlike Jonsi).

He also used a "finger massager" in the 90's, for Anyone Can Play Guitar. Scary looking thing.

Screwdrivers can be great too as mentioned.

I've tried the bow a few times, but I never liked what the rosin does to the strings. After reading this thread I might give it another shot, though. Someone mentioned using flatwounds, do those make it easier to play?

I really like playing with a coin, specifically sort of tremolo rubbing with the serrated edge. Sounds sort of like an EBow and very cool. Plus it's small and simple.

[Achtane]

Flatwounds are less screechy and they don't shred the bow. You can still get the fugly harmonics by bowing right next to the bridge, but with flats you can also get a muuuuuuch better clean sound than with the KKHHRHHSHSHSHSHSH of rounds. For me. This is with bass strings, though, never tried it on teeny tiny guitar strings.

[MrNovember]

Well then, now I want a bow
And a cheap Squier to do this...

I'm in the process of setting up a cheap bass just for bowing, put a massive shim under the neck and raised the bridge so that you can adjust the string heights to a very round radius and not hit the body with the bow. Of course this makes the action really high on the two middle strings but it works ok. Also using flatwounds and tied the strap to the headstock so I can hang it almost vertically which really helps with the fretting/bowing ergonomics. Now I just need to get the hang of using the bow properly.

And I'm very interested in this book.....

Yuri Landman has made a great book called Nice Noise which contains all types of alternate ways of playing and preparing the guitar, including bowing.

This site man, the wants just keep coming

[julius_deane]

Maybe my friends and I weren't doing as precise bowing as some people do, but I don't get the need for mods, holding the guitar weird, etc. We bowed Jags, Les Pauls, Teles, P-shape basses just fine.
What's more important is the dirt/reverb/delay combinations.

[MrNovember]

Maybe my friends and I weren't doing as precise bowing as some people do, but I don't get the need for mods, holding the guitar weird, etc. We bowed Jags, Les Pauls, Teles, P-shape basses just fine.
What's more important is the dirt/reverb/delay combinations.

I have no idea if I'd *need* to mod anything considering I've never tried bowing.
I just like messing with guitars and the idea of building a weird bow-able bass or guitar is really intriguing me.

[BitchPudding]

Hmm....think when I get home ill try and set up the les Paul for bowing exclusively...

[Tristan]

And I'm very interested in this book.....

Yuri Landman has made a great book called Nice Noise which contains all types of alternate ways of playing and preparing the guitar, including bowing.

Here's the soundcloud that goes with the book, to get an idea of the sounds presented:
https://soundcloud.com/nicenoisehopkinl ... nice-noise