My first post in this one...Violin Bows???

[AWSchmit]

Ok, so my uncle showed me his Led Zep. dvd the other day and forwarded it to the part where Page is useing a Bow on his Gibson 6 string. So now, I need one. I just checked ebay and found an auction where bows are being sold for under $2 a piece, I almost started to buy several (Cuz you know I will ruin the first few immediately), but then I stopped and remembered every other time I bought something I didn't really know too much about on an impalse... I almost always regret it, no matter how cheap the item was. so basicly my question is: Where to find a decent quality bows for a good price? and if not where, what makes and models are good starter bows that won't break the bank, but will work? Thanks so very much.

[ugly casanova]

get a cheap one but dont forget to buy rosin or else it wont work !
i used my bow several times but nothing happened to it so far so i dont think they break easiely if you dont do something really nasty with them.
besides that: it's quite boring if you ask me.

[AWSchmit]

what's boring? playing useing a bow?

[AWSchmit]

Just bought a one on ebay for $13 with some rosin.

[ugly casanova]

yeah it gets kinda boring because its quite limited. mainly to the high E and low E string. it kills the strings because they'll be covered in rosin.

[AWSchmit]

humm... Yeah, I didn't think about that. I don't really want to rosin up my mustang or my cigarster... how easy does it clean off, or does it actually ruin the strings?

[crazyzeke]

Just clean any rosin that comes off the bow onto the body after you finish playing so you don't damage the finish.

I used a 3/4" size bow and heavy duty rosin.  One nice trick I found - and I do believe this only works on some types of multieffect - is to play chords with it using a variable rate expression pedal controlled vibrato.  For example, I had my GT-8 set with the rate on 0 at the heal and around 75 on the toe.  By going slowly from heel to toe after you change each chord you can effectively mimic the wide finger vibrato that is a "signature tone" of real violins and other cellolike instruments.

[fibreman]

There's some quite good 'in the mix' cello sounds to be had from the low 'E', played clean but with some reverb/echo.  Then there's the full on disortion/fuzz/reverb bow sound, my favourite example being the first Sigur Ros album, particularly the track Sven-g-Englar.

You can then take it forward another step by finding other stuff you can use to bow the strings, beside bows.  Drumsticks is a fairly old one, those chrome knobs (like on current Marshall effects pedals and Fender P-Bass etc), they sound good on the higher strings.

Keep going, stack up the tracks, and before you know it you'll have a complete guitar orchestra.  Mr Branca will be pleased.

[Junkyard God]

I think its a bit posuer. Everyone has seen that footage since the music video they made with it. I think SY got it way better with drumsticks.

[BlixaFan]

i got one for free from my local music shop. it's cool,, i've used the sound before, i don't use it lots, but it is cool to have available. tune your guitar down to a C chord, and go with it

[AWSchmit]

I think its a bit posuer. Everyone has seen that footage since the music video they made with it. I think SY got it way better with drumsticks.

Well, it's a fairly new idea to me, so I figured I'd try it...

[crazyzeke]

I think its a bit posuer. Everyone has seen that footage since the music video they made with it. I think SY got it way better with drumsticks.

Well, it's a fairly new idea to me, so I figured I'd try it...

Don't let him put you off.  There's still plenty of mileage in bowed guitar sounds.

[AWSchmit]

I'm not put off. I was trying to be condescending...


Thank you though.

[El Pr0n]

There's nothing poseur about it - it's the only way to get that sound.

And as for it being boring; people have been playing with plectrums for ages. That's boring 

[Pingu]

I use a cello bow, works fine as long you apply a shitload of rosin, a lot more than you would need for a normal bowed instrument. Spitting on the rosin before applying also helps a lot.

Maybe it's just me, but I find it easier to play when sitting down and holding the guitar in my lap with the neck straight up, sort of like a cello. Makes it a lot easier to get a proper bowing motion.