04:27 New Ebow 04:54 Old Ebow 06:11 TC Aeon 09:08 Joyo Infinite Sustainer 11:56 Joyo harmonizer mode 12:26 Old Ebow harmonizer mode 13:06 Pros and cons of each

Ebow’s customer service is the best in all the music industry period. I have sent my Ebow in for repair and received a band new one with NO and I mean zero questions or rebuttal from this company. I proudly fly my Ebow sticker on my guitar case for everyone to see at my gigs! Great little device created decades ago and still works as designed.

After almost 20 years I finally bought an Ebow because of your video, I'm having so much fun. Thank you.

I have a E-Bow I got about 17 years ago. I LOVED this awesome video! I always enjoy your take on this type of stuff as I feel YOU are the king of Ambient guitar. Thank you for the fun demo!

Thank you for all your great demos and helpful info. This channel has been very helpful to me over the years. The demos have helped me make a few purchase decisions & the tips & tricks have helped me discover things I never knew about pedals I already own. Thanks again.

Thank you for the awesome review! I can see how passionate you are about your equipment and the music you make with it. Also...your attention to every detail of each device was extremely informative and helpful! Not to mention your excellent playing!

Wonderful, useful information, thanks! I have the EBow, having been introduced to it on your earlier videos, and love it. Keep up the great work!

Despite playing for 25 years, I just bought an Ebow a couple years ago and I LOVE IT!!! Thanks for making this video because now I don't have to wonder if there's something better out there. Also I am definitely gonna have to try that trick there where you started pushing the string into the pickup. I also keep meaning to try using the Ebow and a slide at the same time. I guess I know what I'm doing after work today.

It’s nice to have a truly nice guy that takes the time to look at the comments that we make-- and even takes time to REPLY to them ‼ I think the best word for that is… “CARES”… He cares what we think and I can tell all he wants , is to do WHAT we think , and improve what he is doing , ……. Trying to help those of us that need some NEW ideas ‼Excellent teacher‼ I’m new to his music- 70y/o and trying to learn . This is a place where I think I have a chance 🙏‼

Finally someone who can actually use the ebow instead of talking about it!

What a great video. I’ve been an Ebow for years, and didn’t know there were alternatives out there. Happy to be subscribed to your channel.

This is a wonderful demo. Thank you!

Your playing is as calming as your voice

Thanks for this review! Just ordered the Joyo!

Thanks for doing the shootout! I got my 1st Ebow a few months back and have been wondering id I made three right choice. I now know I have!

Proudly using the e-bow backwards for over 15 years!

Perfect review, thanks! I was just thinking about this dilemma! Now i have every information that i need; of course i don't know what i really want to do because you did not say: 'buy this, my friend', but you let me decide knowing what i would buy. These are just the best reviews, you make us use our brain and our heart ;-)

Thanks for another awesome video Bill🙏🏼☺️

You have a Bob Ross sort of vibe!!! Bought an Ebow for a friend of mine decades ago and it brings back memories. I'm gonna check out these other brands for sure.

First of all thanks for not using your site to sell. This looked to me to be a very honest comparison. I did notice the Joyo last week online and wondered how it compared to the Ebow. I've come to a point where I am going to get one soon. And I am on a budget. That means that I can fool myself pretty easy into buying something based only on price, only to break down and buy the better item later on. So I have been curious about the Joyo Infinite sustainer. I don't have any experience so I depend on honest shoot outs like this one. Long way to say thank you.

My EBow is probably 20+ old. Came with a cassette! Mine has the "Sith" red led!

Thanks for a great comparison video! I was interested in an Ebow for ambient guitar tracks on a studio project, and I thought, hmmm I would love to see a comparison of all the options. Answered all my questions! Thank you!

Man, I just KNEW you'd be my guy with regards to this shootout! Great work, again❤

I really love that distorted tone at 12:12 with the Joyo :) first I wanted that Aeon but now I think I will definitely buy the original Ebow or Joyo. Thanks for this video

Hey thanks for the comparison I needed this. !

Just ordered the Joyo . Thanks for the vid .

I was disappointed at first with my Aeon but over time I learned to use it and love it.

My e-bow is the original chromed plastic with a leather holster from 1970’s. Activates automatically when held against strings, no switches, not nearly as hot as the modern ones, and I love it!

Excellent video demo Bill ..

That Guitar is so beautiful it about brought me to tears

Just used an EBow for the first time this past year... It was kind of mystifying, but it sure was fun to experiment! Looking forward to seeing the comparison... Love your videos! :)

Yup I'm buying the joyo..I purchased the nueron after watching your channel the Neuron is next gen pre amp.. very happy with it...cheers

Luv my Joyo. Really useful and consistent.

i love this guy. that intro sounded so cool!

I have the single switch black one & the grey dual switch plus a Fernandez sustainer guitar. Love em all.

Thanks. For a very valuable comparison

Great presentation!

THANK YOU for making this video

Spot on. Thanks for a great, and fair, comparison.

After watching this video, my interest in owning an EBow was renewed. I found a mint used EBow Plus on Reverb for $65!

Wow, what a great review! So refreshing to see different genres of playing being considered, and pros & cons of each device, rather than "I like the ebow so everything else is trash & so are you if you don't agree". Thank you 😊

Great review thanks 🙏

Great review! Thank you

Really interesting comparison test - many thanks! My EBow has been a constant companion to my “ambient guitar” work since I bought it in 1996 (! - black, red LED, pre-Plus version). It hasn’t fallen apart on me yet, though I wonder if the electrical connections are getting a little “fragile” as it occasionally cuts out on me. Really appreciate your review here 🙏

The Joyo does seem to generate more vibration. Its definitely muscle memory that affects your ease of using the 3 (although the rectangular shape of the Aeon doesn't seem to lend itself to the most comfortable grip. Chalk 1 up for ergonomics!)

Love the bittersweet melody

I´ve used my E-bow on my acoustic guitar for many years now. It sounds great (I think) Great video

I had an e-bow over twenty years ago, and I remember that they are really "hot" when holding it right over the pickup, esp. the neck pickup...with some boost or distortion you can more easily get the stringy-to-string fake violin or cello type bow stuff. There is a huge dynamic difference between holding it over and not over the pickup..not over requires more time for the string to start up a strong vibration and get going. when over a pickup the e-bow just seems to "explode" the string down into the pickup directly below. It is probably the interaction of the e-bow not just vibrating the string physically but reacting with the magnetic field of the pickup right below..they are awesome, they just require some time to get down physically holding along different parts of the string and how that influences your volume and rate of attack.....have fun!

How funny, I was just thinking about the E-bow yesterday. 😁 It’s like you read my mind. 😏

My E-bow is so old that it has Horse hair.

FYI the EBow uses a ‘self-lubricating’ plastic explicitly to reduce string noise from contact on the support strings, and it has an easy throw switch for ease of switching between modes while playing. It’s the only device that can efficiently arpeggio across the strings at any pace you play. The trick to adding Cross String Bowing to your EBow technique is a matter of employing the dynamics of proximity to pickup (the EBow playing area) properly. Basically, stay away from the loudest spot (Hot Spot) when sustaining and move the EBow directly over the Hot Spot to cross strings quickly. The EBow acts as a handheld amplifier, amplifying each string as you cross. Another benefit of this ‘playing area’ approach is that the EBow can remain close to your picking/plucking volume - so it’s easier to use live. Fast arps tend to be quieter as each activated string doesn’t get the chance to vibrate up to full effect, but they still maintain the sound of a bow passing over each string. Another thing to try is tilting the EBow foot away from the driven string (with one of the foot’s guide grooves still resting on it’s support string) to get the amount of effect you desire/and or to keep your sustain volume the same but with a brighter tone. Nearer the Hot Spot is also where the staccato and spiccato effects live and breathe. One last detail to keep in mind is that the neck pickup is better because that’s where the strings vibrate the most freely, when playing close to the bridge the string tension increases and becomes less responsive to the EBow’s electro-magnetic drive. These notes may be helpful on the other handheld sustainers, but the cross string effects can only be done with an EBow. The knockoffs missed some major design details that the actual inventor of this magical device did not. Jus’ sayin’.

I’d say the longer rails on the Joyo may help prevent accidental slipping (don’t know, haven’t tried it). I have trouble with that sometimes with my ebow, especially when singing & ebowing at the same time

I own Phil Keaggy's first e-bow. It has the chrome finish and comes on automatically when you hold it over the strings. He gave it to me about 7yrs ago.

Thanks for sharing! Btw, I love your guitar ;-)

i love you sir davos, thank you for the video

wow! recently bought an EOB strat (with the"near infinite" fernandes pick-up) and i thought i'd be satisfied but hearing the volume swells in particular and also that string smashing thing you did with the EBow - i am reconsidering. I thought the Aeon sounded fuzzier and i didn't like it's form factor - the EBow both old and new sounded cleaner than the Joyo - wish there was a polyphonic version but i always want more :) - thx for the info and much food for thought, cheers from Tasmania

Great demo , Joyo gets my vote .

Thanks, very helpful!

I still love my elbow classic . I found mine in the recording studios dumpster smashed to all hell and it worked once I soldered it back together plus I modified mine to attach to my finger and hooked down my arm to the battery with a wire and a 2.4 volt booster circuit . Guys omg these things are the shit

Great comparison, thank you for a very useful content :)

It humours me that I'm still on the Ebow Official Artists page from videos I did 12 years ago

The E-bow wins followed by surprising entrant Joyo Infinite Sustainer follow by t.c. Aeon which appears awkward in shape and perhaps lacking in smaller magnetic design. Thank You for your always insightful demo's. The Joyo would do if it is significantly less, but the 2 modes on the E-bow make it a no brainer, making a case for "you get what you pay for".

I have never used one, but thought when you said 15 years, "I don't think that is old" as far as how long the Ebow has been around. I use GTR, Roland GR1 to seperate amp. I have a new freeze pedal but it is still in the box. Thanks for the time and effort to make the video for us!!

Got 3 ebows. The first is a vintage silver model. The second is from the '80s (I rmember i bought it in London at Rock Stop - Charing Cross Road). The third is the last model with harmonic mode. I love the black from the eighties, 'cause I've used it manily live and in studio for the music I've payied/recorded.

Great video 👍

The JOYO web page shows it is intended to be held the other way round to the way you hold it in the demo. I remember seeing a demo somewhere where the player slides the EBow vertically up and down across the strings to produce a rapid bowing effect similar to a cross string violin technique. I don't know how that was done, maybe just lots of gain. I've never been able to do it since the sustain effect takes time for the sustain to build and anyway the rails tend to hang up on the strings.

love all your video ...

would this work with a guitar with 3 pick ups? not sure if there'd be enough space between pickups to work the EBow for expression

I got my eboy around 1990. Still have it - needed to drop in a new battery connector recently. It's black with a red LED.

Thank you! But what's the best when you bend a string?

Ok I got the Aeon. It’s absolutely fantastic and it feels magnificent in your hand makes it much easier to manipulate. If you can’t change strings easily, practice it! It’s not hard at all it’s very very smooth for string changes. It’s an absolute beast. I can imagine the people who are saying it might be difficult to change Are accustomed to a different feel. But it’s very smooth and changes strings effortlessly.

Hi sir i bought Joyo sustainer and i got the item today, gonna ask you is the harmonic mode of your joyo sustainer is producing strong vibration ? Like normal mode? I am suspecting the item i got has a factory defect coz the harmonic mode it's not producing a strong vibrate like normal mode..

This is my first introduction to an EBow. I was wondering if you were to use an EBow in conjunction with a backward pedal would you get close to a backward guitar sound like the solos on some of the early Beatles records like Rain and I’m only sleeping or tomorrow never knows ? Thanks 🙏

I still have my 1970's Chrome eBow. Haven't used it in forever. I guess it's time to pull it out of storage and re-power it.

Great demo. How much do you want for the old ebow?

Very good, but, any of them is a getting familiar with relationship for adaptation in playing. Correct? Curious here, have you tried a stainless steel pick? There was a company at a NAMM show selling them, you get a hawaiian guitar sound supposedly.

Years ago I got an EBow and thought it was great...until I played a guitar with a Sustainiac built in. The guitar was the Jackson DK2S (since discontinued, but available on eBay for under $1k). Schecter makes guitars with Sustainiacs built in and Fernandez makes guitars with their own sustainer system. Having the sustainer built into the guitar frees up both hands for soloing. The eBow (and the other, similar products) sound different than the Sustainiac, so I can see why you might want both. But the Sustainiac does everything I need.

04:26 The two first notes you play make me think of Gizmo's song in Gremlins.

Thank you for this review. Yes, for me the original ebow has a warmer sound, but I choose the joyo because this extra high freq make a better sound on a bass guitar. An useful review, thank you again

FANTASTIC !!! 💓💓💓👏👏👏👏👍👍🏻👍👍

Did you get the new ebow or ebow plus? The plus has a 3-way switch for regular and "harmonic".

Another consideration that you didn't mention is the ergonomics of the device, how it feels in the hand and how the design makes for comfortable and easy playing. Looking at how you hold the Aeon in an upright position in relation to the strings makes me think that perhaps it is more awkward in use.

Like the new ebow 👍🏻

It sounds to me like the Ebo is "rightly" sensitive and seems to have the ability to have a little more control over the sound as well as the harmonizing feature.

Bill, the way you roll out the words in your presentation almost make me think you perform a new composition to us. If all electric equipment commercials were performed like this, I think my wallet will be emptied earlier 🤣🤣.

Thank you!!

Oh wow this video reminds me i have an E-Bow in one of my guitar cases i didn't use it for quite some time now but i'll find and use it again!

Quick question, how often have you had to replace your ebow? Mine seems to be not putting out as strong of a signal anymore and before I buy a new one I wanna know if it's worth paying full price again

I remember trying ebows out in the 70s and they were chrome. Did a photo search and sure enough there are some pics of them.

Will there bee a difference if you use the Joyo with the switch and light turned to the Neck?

Boy that sure is a beautiful guitar.

Interesting. It’s the first time I’m seeing this device somehow and it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for.

2 questions: Have you ever used an ebow on a fretless guitar or bass? Do you know if Mick Ronson used an ebow on 'Width Of A Circle' at the beginning of Bowie's 'Man Who Sold The World' album? Cheers!

I like the Peter Frampton tv concert where he's playing the Song " Black Hole Sun"....that was a weird but cool BADASS jam...I love it.......

Thanks for the shoot out. I’m interested in seeing what you think of the The Sound Stone Handheld Guitar Sustainer by Merkaba Electronics. It’s hand made in Austin and a lot cheaper than all three of the other sustainers.

Given you're knowledge of sustainers, If you've got one or used one then Id love to hear your take on the Fernandes Sustainer?? I had an eBow and had to let it go but have just got a Fernandes Sustainer and its on its way...

Your channel should be called "Chords of Onion Knight"

How do you like the PRS SE guitars? Thanks

Have you tried combining a sustainer with a glass slide on the left hand? I've seen some videos of people doing this, especially when they combine it with reverb and echo, and the effect is very cool. Btw, I have the TV Electronic version and don't like it very much.

Last time I needed to I sent my ebow into the factory, and they did a rebuild. I use the "much hated" 90s black ones, and do not love the sound of the new ones by comparison. It was having switch issues, they popped it open, replaced the switch, and resealed.