Guess what this is... (PIC)

[Lachlandavis]

Ok, Digging up a very old topic i know
Its coming up to easter and i have holidays and i would like to try and build this

But first i want to know, Using the Schimatics and all the information in this topic, do i have enough info to build it?
Just to clarify all that ive read
The coils are pole peices from a Gtar pickup spaced 1.2"

From lookign at the picture, and info its 200 turns on the output with #38
1000 turns on input with size #42 wires?

You said you potted the coils,  did you pot it like you would pickups and do in a double boiler in wax?

and u used steel pole pieces that are not magnetized and glued a small rare earth magnet from radio shack in the bottom. so what orientation and direction did you wind? Also the size of the poles radius wise, how long this the diameter, say if i cant get a pole peice from a pickup, i should be able to get any steel pole the same size and keep the same number of turns?
Is the earth magnet necissary, not sure where ill get one

Thanks

[Lachlandavis]

Also was any of it expensive? or hard to find?

[Paul Marossy]

It's tempting to try and build this thing since ebows are hard to come by at the moment - it's like every music store has them back ordered!

[GREEN FUZ]

If you do decide to have a go this stuff might be useful for creating an enclosure for it. Not to mention other possibilities. Custom knobs/parts etc...

[Eric H]

It's tempting to try and build this thing since ebows are hard to come by at the moment - it's like every music store has them back ordered!

Well, I say hold out until you can get a real one. I think it's the most remarkable piece of one-man engineering in the  history of the electric guitar.

[A.S.P.]

Gizmotron

[Paul Marossy]

Well, I say hold out until you can get a real one. I think it's the most remarkable piece of one-man engineering in the  history of the electric guitar.

Actually, I've got two coming to me as of last night. I should have them both within a week. I can't wait to start playing around with them! 

I agree, it's a freakin' clever invention! I have a copy of the patent it was filed under that I like to mull over once in a while. It would be a fun experiment to try and build a working one just for kicks. 

[runmikeyrun]

has anyone tried this on a bass guitar?  I have a 5 string and that big low A might be really hard to get moving.  I do play with some distortion though which might make it easier.

[DDD]

IMO E-bow do its work better on the bass strings (thick string = "more magnetic substance").

[runmikeyrun]

ok, didn't know if i'd need a bigger coil to keep that string moving or what. 

[Eric H]

I agree, it's a freakin' clever invention! I have a copy of the patent it was filed under that I like to mull over once in a while. It would be a fun experiment to try and build a working one just for kicks. 

Conceptualizing the original idea and designing the electronics would be remakable enough, but the mechanical engineering of the package, and the ergonomics --amazing.

-Eric

[DDD]

I think there are many people that have tried E-bow with bass. Just browse the Net and ask couple questions.

[mattpocket]

I must say that my first thought was that it could be an active pickup for playing Punk. In those cases 2 strings is usually enough.

*camp drama queen voice*

ooh, what a bitch!

[Paul Marossy]

I was reading thru the original ebow patent a little bit. It states that the input & output coils have a magnetic core made of Alnico-5 in "the preferred embodiment". Just out of curiousity, what are guitar pickup magnets/pole pieces usually made out of?

I wonder how much of a difference it makes...

[nephsuperman]

they are usually alnico 5. some pickups are starting to use the rare earth magnet mentioned earlier in this post, samarium cobalt is what i think its called.

[Paul Marossy]

I thought that they were Alnico-5, but I couldn't remember for sure. 

EDIT: You know, I also noticed that the generic schematic shown on the patent documents shows a pot between the output coil input and the opamp feedback loop - it's called a "variable gain" control in the patent docs. I wonder if that would be useful in controlling oscillations in a DIY circuit?

[Paul Marossy]

I think there are many people that have tried E-bow with bass.

Michael Manring is one of those guys. 

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

An ebow will 'work' a thick string...... I know this, because i managed to 'play' a piece of coathanger wire
Also, that is how i found the ebow was magnetised, the chunk of wire stuck to the ebow.

As an aside, the trouble that people jhave had trying to DIY the ebow, even with the patent published, goes to back the saying of Edison, "1% inspiration, 99% perspiration" (or similar). Anyway, I guess the patent is over now, so go at it, guys & gals!

[Paul Marossy]

Anyway, I guess the patent is over now, so go at it, guys & gals!

I did see that the duration of the patent was 14 years. I'm sure they must have extended it...

Anyhow, yeah, I've noticed that it really goes to town on the Low E string. It's seems to like a little more mass than the smaller gauge strings. 

[psw]

Yes, thicker strings respond more because of their mass, added magnetic material and lower tension...bass strings respond particularly easily.

The Sustainer Project (now on it's 188th page  ) http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?s=fed4c670ccc6452300849a87dc2cb2d1&showtopic=7512&pid=330039&st=2805&#entry330039
has had many advances in sustainer technology, but getting very light strings (0.09's) to vibrate well, has so far eluded us.

Interestingly, for all the sustainer stuff that has been built, no one has really built up a DIY ebow in the manner of this thread. Universally people are swayed by the total package of the ebow, it's ergonomics and design...while easy enough to get something that works, it is hard to make something as good to use...

pete

PS...Happy Upcomming Milestone Birthday Paul Perry