How Do Guitar Sustainers Work? | Ebow and AEON

[@ScienceofLoud]

Sustainers for guitar allow your strings to ring out forever, giving the player the opportunity to mimic violin bows or synth-like effects. How do these little devices work though? Ebow: US: bit.ly/37MnOiT Europe: www.thomann.de/gb/ebow_ebow.htm?offid=1&affid=367 AEON: US: bit.ly/2OPvbxB Europe: www.thomann.de/gb/tc_electronic_aeon_string_sustainer.htm?offid=1&affid=367 More from CSGuitars: Gain access to exclusive content at: www.patreon.com/csguitars Buy CSGuitars Merchandise: www.csguitars.co.uk/store Website: www.csguitars.co.uk Contact: [e-mail]

[@chomp_5412]

CSGuitars which sustainer do you prefer?

[@JDWheels1]

Can it be used on a bass??

[@JDWheels1]

watched again, never mind... saw my answer

[@lvr3039]

FOR ROHAN!

[@NahtramMetal]

Big plus for the Rohan Theme :D

[@nooralamgir3703]

I LOVE YOUR MUSIC!!!!

[@NahtramMetal]

@@nooralamgir3703 Thanks! :)

[@isaac_doesnt_lift]

Bro, LOTR music? Love it.

[@lukaslmguitarcorner]

Goosebumps, right?

[@Talmie]

@@lukaslmguitarcorner god yes

[@jjrusy7438]

If you put an ebow over a sustaniac, do you open a portal to another dimension?

[@ScienceofLoud]

Probably. It's the equivalent of dividing by zero.

[@certifiedpossum8655]

You can theoretically play the forbidden [REDACTED].

[@ArmandKarlsen]

This needs to be done!

[@vipervidsgamingplus5723]

The dimension is hell

[@mk_rexx]

You get to sustain more than the time before the 9volt battery dies. So more than infinity..

[@tertin_studio]

0:46 Liked on the Rohan theme . you just made me smile

[@madeinuk01]

Yet again you have answered a question that I was going to ask about in the TATA series..!

[@arvedbohn6133]

Colin: Lighter gauge strings work better Me: *cries in 13-74*

[@klobberz7634]

I know! I was thinking this would be cool for some doom/drone metal

[@jacobjefferies-mfam]

You have it easy. I'm crying in bass (32-130).

[@Theminebros122]

Baritone?

[@nicolasreveco3748]

*Laughs in 9-46*

[@natalielastname1022]

Nicolás Reveco Campos laughs even harder in 9-42

[@mikrokorg4403]

The woodwind-tone control tip is amazing!

[@Salien1999]

I usually opted to move the sustainer closer to the 12th fret to prevent the excitation coil from directly exciting the guitar pickup (thus avoiding the square-wave sound). Up there, the string is moving the fastest, and it is easiest for the excitation coil to accelerate. Sometimes you have to move it back, because the string starts bumping into it, or because you're playing higher on the fretboard, but otherwise, you shouldn't have any problems with it.

[@jakethemisanthrope9442]

That ride of the rohirrim theme made my day thank you

[@hazrod13]

I discovered sustainers in your Christmas gifts video, and although it sounded cool, I wasn't sold. But those soundscapes melodies might just change my mind, so dreamy !

[@jakebigcas3069]

(3:52-4:44) that suspense like sound. Fantastic. I was thinking of buying one sustainer. Now I have learned of its function and beauty. I think that will work pretty well together with reverb and shimmer pedal.

[@Craighetfield2024]

There’s no iconic e-bow sound than the u2 track with or without you

[@tonyisyourpal]

On record it’s an Infinite Guitar - one of three customised guitars built by/for Michael Brook (Daniel Lanois has the other one) - it affects all 6 strings, like a Sustainiac or Sustainer system, so you could play chords. Not sure if Edge uses a Sustainiac equipped guitar or an ebow on stage though - he certainly doesn’t take the Infinite Guitar on tour.

[@robcerasuolo9207]

So, this suggestion is post-punk/psych, and not metal, but "Constant in Opal," an old song by The Church, is a great example of some excellent e-bow technique, if anyone is interested. Peter Koppes still uses the e-bow after all these years, too.

[@pabcrane]

I realise I'm responding to a comment from several years ago which you may have forgotten about: Crickey The Church are a smashing band. I remember my older brother went to see them around the Priest=Aura tour - I wasn't old enough to go unfortunately - and he told me that Peter had a guitar vibrator, that was the first I heard of what I'd learn was an Ebow. I did manage to see them myself about ten years after that. What a great song is Constant in Opal.

[@robcerasuolo9207]

@@pabcrane Blasts from the pasts! 😆

[@shinjial]

Man, I've always dug the sound of these devices, but they rarely show up where I live. Importing it causes it to become way to expensive for what it is. Though you mentioned not being proficient at it, you got some sweet tones with them. The haunting tones were awesome, and I've never seen them used to emulate the breath instruments like you mentioned and ilustrated. Very cool, inspiring sounds indeed.

[@Jolgeable]

It is used in the song "Salustiano Song", by Chico Science & Nação Zumbi.

[@JammyGit]

I had an E-Bow for Christmas last year and I think they're great for getting creative with un-typical guitar playing. What I really enjoy doing is playing it through an ElectroHarmonix Mel 9 pedal, you can get some great E-Bow sounds from that. You can also get some very nice sounds playing an E-Bow through a delay pedal or 2, and delay + Mel 9. In fact most of EHX's "9" pedals sound interesting with an E-Bow, as do a lot of regular guitar effects pedals, especially modulation effects like tremolos, phasers, leslie effects, vibratos and so on. If you've got an E-Bow then a good purchase to go with it is some kind of multi effects unit. 👍

[@texanfournow]

Thank you. A simple, clear but thorough explanation of these devices. I have an Ed O'Brien Strat w/Fernandes Sustainer (love it). BTW, do you teach? If not, you will always have a second career waiting....

[@ScienceofLoud]

Is this not technically teaching? I consider this channel an education platform, welcome to my lectures.

[@texanfournow]

@@ScienceofLoud You are right, it is the "new age" of teaching I guess. I went to teacher's college many moons ago, all classroom-based, so I am "old school" in my thinking. Anyways, your channel is quite different from others, esp. the way you make every word count and, yes, educate.

[@starwolffan13]

Sounds like the intro from damage inc on master of puppets or at least I think that's the song where they do that

[@kalerug]

It does sound like that! But Damage Inc. is actually a bunch of volume swells iirc

[@mitchhamburger6024]

I was given one as a gift about 10 years ago and they are perfect for ambient guitar music. I like using it with different length delays or even looping a drone note. Slide works well too for accessing quarter tones and half tones. I would note that these work best with only the neck pickup engaged

[@Dipper1459]

I've had a Fernandes guitar with a sustainer for years. Just sent off for my Ibanez baritone to have a sustainiac fitted. I love infinite sustain

[@danieltaylor9970]

I thought the theme to Halo was coming when you started playing!

[@wilsonsguitarlounge8244]

The first thing I did when I bought an E-Bow was record myself playing the Halo theme, it’s just perfect for playing that song.

[@VoidSixx]

@@wilsonsguitarlounge8244 I believe Vai used a Fernandes sustainer (very similar to the sustaniac), so it's not far off at all.

[@VoidSixx]

@Dave Mendoza Uh... Who are you talking to?

[@VoidSixx]

@Dave Mendoza And what does the Halo theme, one of the greatest video game themes of all time, with guitar performed by the legendary Steve Vai, have to do with the likes of Bieber?

[@danieltaylor9970]

@@VoidSixx I think the totally unprovoked troll has retreated to his cave, not sure how my comment offended him, not that I care tbh..!

[@JamminClemmons]

**The Guitarist from "Flock of Seagulls" was a Master** A few years ago, he had a stroke. I never purchased a FOS album, but his guitar sound is what shaped their entity.

[@natqevalhiindisguise141]

Everyone’s rightfully pointing out the Rohan quotation, but my ear is particularly drawn to how 3:53 sounds right at home in the Rain World soundtrack. Specifically reminds me of Dustcloud a ton.

[@ericgiova1663]

Amazing explications... I understood everything ! As you said "it's the opportunity to mimic" others instruments, but with the character of a guitar. Cool. Thanks.

[@kenoakee]

And now I know!! i have wondered about those for a while now. thanks Collin for your fantastic videos!! keep up the fantastic work.

[@spiralfirst6488]

Interesting stuff. I've been using an ebow since 1991 but never really understand how it works. And you have an excellent accent and perfect teeth too.

[@jim.missywyant.kennedy2334]

They reminded me of a Talk Box in the sense that after about half hour your either completely done with it or it's all your using for the next 3 years, Lol. It's one of those things that you wished you'd remember to use more often when you sit down to play cause you can get some really cool sounds out of them. Great video, I didn't know someone else had done one other than EBow, Thanks.

[@derpimusmaximus8815]

Highland Cathedral always hits me right in the feels, you git.

[@jamietaylor8663]

I’m picking up good vibrations, this ebow gives excitations

[@wilsonsguitarlounge8244]

Never thought I’d hear Colin play Amazing Grace, I guess there’s a first time for everything.

[@rickc2102]

I assumed he was hearing bagpipes in his head.

[@kirkbolas4985]

Thanks for explaining that. I didn’t know how it worked and now I do.

[@hogie1259]

Awesome video Colin. Probably the best demonstration on how and why these work that I’ve seen.

[@erichobbs4042]

Listening to Colin play around with this effect, I was half expecting to hear Geddy Lee and Niel Peart come in for the rest of Cygnus X1 book II.

[@arachnenet2244]

I'm getting such a Malcolm Jones vibe from these things. Wish it'd work better on basses. maybe with a stronger exciter coil and amp?

[@Aruk02]

The spooky music sounds awesome!

[@PhantasmaGothico]

4:00 Dark Knight soundtrack in a shell

[@micahsnyder7299]

LOVE the spooky horror stuff. Sounds PERFECT.

[@maryannmoran-smyth3453]

Aye laddy another fine show. I like how you mix the sustainer with the effects it-kicks it to the next level. ….Very cool…. I got to get me one of those wee sustainers … anyway ,Keep on rockin..

[@Andresdha]

This channel is amazing!

[@danielforcier565]

Can you explain what the “ground/lift” switch on my amp does more in depth? Google gives me a bit of a vague answer. Great video by the way!

[@Furtheronmusic]

Another really fantastic video. I've had an ebow for years but not done it justice. Your tips might just help rectify that

[@oncameramastery]

Loving the Howard Shore vibes!

[@marks9197]

Another awesome video. Well done! I have a question: Can you use the ebow with active pickups?

[@micheledirocco4994]

Nice work as always, sir! I have two questions: is this much different from using volume knob in order to do volume swells, and if so, how? Plus, what was the second effect in the chain you used to do the spooky music effects? I mean the yellow one. Maybe a flanger? Thank you for your beautiful and always appreciated work!

[@ScienceofLoud]

1. The volume control doesn't give you infinite sustain. You'd have to pluck the string, then swell the volume and the note will die. You'd have to pluck or hammer on every new note. With a sustainer it is vibrating the string so all you need to do is move it to suit the style you need. No plucking, on hammers. 2. Ibanez FL9 Flanger. MIJ sometime in the 80s. All the die cast is stamped with Maxon, so it was manufactured during the era where Ibanez were re-badging Maxon pedals.

[@micheledirocco4994]

@@ScienceofLoud Nice! Thank you again!

[@bpabustan]

Never heard Amazing Grace played that sweet in a while.

[@onevoiceinc]

If there were two effects on my wish list, it would be the Game Changer Plus pedal (which I'm trying to justify spending that amount for a single pedal in my mind) and probably an Ebow. I typically use amp feedback to achieve a similar effect, but obviously the Ebow can do more than just feedback alone can. Cool video, though.

[@victorymansions]

Big Country used them, I think The Chameleons did on a few tracks, hell it was even used for Halo's Bungie title on the original Xbox. Cool little piece of kit that I wanna add to my equipment

[@andrewmuelleranantababaji8073]

you can strum chords with hopd over pup at 89 degree angle to strum direction

[@doccarson63]

Thinking about adding one to the Pedal Steel Guitar

[@XenoTravis]

Tom fountainhead Geldschläger uses this ebow really well. If you want to see someone playing it a lot better check out his KZbin!

[@josephcooper9043]

Check out the barley jazz ensemble with micheal Manring to see some really good use of an ebow

[@DragonofLimerick]

I thought it was magic that made it work until you said 9 volt battery...tears flowing now, lol. Seriously though great video, loved Amazing Grace too.

[@Jbsantos54]

Awesome broo Amazing grace was realy nice too

[@brningpyre]

Can you run some batteries in series to push more power into it to work better with bass strings?

[@smithfield06]

Excellent video 👍

[@Tommyhearnsrighthand]

Check out mick ronson playing heroes with bowie at the freddie mercury tribute concert. I remember seeing that as a kid and thinking he had some magic robot in his hand. I Finally got around 2 getting one.

[@MichaelSnidaro]

Quality content, as always! Thank you!

[@mrbaiser4133]

Do you have a wiring scheme for the earliest version of the Fernandes Sustainer?

[@descendinguniverse]

also it`s fun to sweep with E-bow, a bit dirty sound yet cool in a way

[@musoseven8218]

Cracking video and insights - thank you✌️👍💜😊

[@megacahh870]

Holy shit! I didn't know this thing could do massive things! Prob getting one when buying my gears!

[@Nobody-xf5zq]

What is the different between E-bow and AEON ?.. thanks from Nellkey of Philippines

[@sydmichel]

cool. You're a hero, just for one day.

[@NomadHills]

very interesting, thank you!

[@R0CKDRIG0]

Thanks for the explanation Mike Patton.

[@kurtklingklang5918]

It’s worth noting that it’s not essential to have a pickup on the guitar. Ebows, and copies, will work on acoustic guitars. Position-wise in roughly the same place along the string, but this is to do with scale length, as is the positioning of pickups on electric guitars. The ‘overtone’ mode is necessary for the high E string on acoustic guitars.

[@gjbpark8061]

Do some more hear collection videos

[@woodchucksquirrel]

Very informative!

[@ruassmarkt]

I love the video where Evan Kale built his own version of a sustainer from spare electric components

[@5BBassist4Christ]

I have a friend who has this, and I've tried using it, but it is difficult to get right. I've thought about getting one to try for my bass (my main instrument), but I think I have an answer to that idea.

[@swissarmyknight4306]

I've got a TATA for you: What are the ins and outs of volume and tone pots, as well as capacitors in guitars? I kinda partially know the answers, but I feel like a CSGuitars breakdown would really clear things up for me and others.

[@ScienceofLoud]

Are you looking for an introduction to guitar electronics course?

[@Skidmaster180]

Doesnt the pickup sense the signal from the output coil hence the distortion? Otherwise your string would have to output a square wave.

[@subtropicrecords7674]

Just got my Sound Stone sustainer - only cost me 35 bucks !

[@formisfunction1861]

Cool! Thanks!

[@andreaswahyudi7283]

This is support for acoustic-electric guitar too?

[@jordanlake471]

Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers was among the first to receive an EBOW in 1976-77

[@666warschau666]

witch one do you like better?

[@kieranhoare7239]

I did not know these were a thing. I need one.

[@aristidesvillegas7167]

Hi bro how you can change from one string to another one? Every time I do it there is a lot of noise and also the sustain is affected. Maybe fading away from the mic?

[@MaxxDoberman]

The best use of the Ebow was done by Stuart Adamson of Big Country.

[@mikebuildsum]

Whats your view on iron gear pups (e.g hot slag and rolling mill combo)

[@ZoeSummers1701A]

Brilliant!

[@mr.nobody68]

Large bulky and impractical I like how you didn't talk about changing strings or string skipping. Probably extremely difficult at best The horror movie effects would be great behind an intro on some epic Viking metal shit Song starts with just "what the hell *IS* that? 🤔" Ebow horror movie sounds constantly moving around the stereo spectrum Clean lead guitar fades in down the center Opposing heavily distorted big ominous chords panned hard left and hard right with Hall reverb to sound far away but loud Clean guitar part intensifies building anticipation All at once: Ebow horror sounds stop Clean guitar stops Aforementioned dirty guitars suddenly lose the excessive reverb so they're right in your face playing one massive sustained ominous chord Hi hat Tss......Ts...... Ts ts ts ts Epic Viking metal riff Rhythm Guitar on point Thor hammering drums Odin himself killing the bass Berzerker vocals 🤘

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

Tidy. Liked the rendition of Amazing Grace.

[@dogehellkitty2926]

I personally love the idea. I play a lot of ambient stoner stuff. I get more use out of my volume pedal than anything else.

[@dogehellkitty2926]

4:00 in is Amazing

[@DrCarlosMusic]

Does it work for tremolo style picking?

[@flyingrobotpig]

Where was gondor when the westfold fell?

[@reverendayglow]

I did always wonder!

[@AcidTripwire]

Would this be how they got that long wailing note in the beginning of Station To Station by David Bowie?

[@voidiara5181]

I heed this!!! Right NOW

[@emilfalkknudsen2537]

Hey there Does anyone here have experience building sustainers for guitars? I've wanted to have a system similar to that of a Sustainiac for years, but haven't had the money for it. As such, I've been working on coming up with a homemade design that would work well for my guitars and the way I play. The only thing left in the planning process is to figure out how to construct the driver/speaker/exciter coil. Currently, I’m planning on buying the cheapest hotrail pickup I can find, pull it apart, remove one of the coils and then rewind the remaining coil. However, I’m not sure which gauge of wire to use or even how much resistance to aim for, with many saying that 8 Ohms would be ideal, but others recommend more, some even stating that, theoretically, 40 Ohms would be better. However, no one has any sources or documented experiments to back this up, and I’m worried that the 8 Ohms thing, which everyone is talking about, is just something someone once said without knowing what he was doing and now everyone is just repeating what they once heard from someone, they thought knew what he was doing (it wouldn’t be the first time the guitar community has acted like that after all x) ). The reasoning behind getting a hotrail pickup is to make sure the "pole pieces" will always be perfectly aligned with the string, so I can get sustain when bending too. I'm unsure as to whether I should remove one of the coils completely from the circuit and use the neck pickup as the sustainer circuit's pickup or keep the other coil from from the hotrail and just use that as the sustainer pickup. Furthermore, I've been told that the closer the driver coil comes to the pickup, that goes the actual guitar amplifier outside of the guitar, the more feedback issues, you get. Hence I've chosen to use the bridge pickup for the guitar outgoing signal and the neck position cavity for installing my sustainer input pickup and driver coil to maximize the distance . However, I haven't been able to find anything on the optimal distance between the sustainer input pickup and the driver coil. Up until now, I've assumed that they should just be as close to each other as possible, as that would make the signal, that affects the string, as close as possible to the actual vibration of the string, which I'd imagine would improve the sustainer system's efficiency. However, I'm definitely not an expert, I'm just a cartography student. Can anyone here help me out with finding proper sources on this? I would love to get more concrete information about it

[@christopherderycke3603]

Just bought an Aeon.

[@thulsa_doom]

Great video! Do you have any experience with this e-bow on a bass? I've just bought one, and can't manage to make it work on my bass. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong.

[@ScienceofLoud]

The thickness of the strings is what's wrong. The ebow simply doesn't have the power to make that amount of mass vibrate.

[@pabcrane]

Hiya, I realise that your comment is several years old and this might be out of the blue, however if you're still interested but check out Godless by The Dandy Warhols - Pete is using an Ebow on a Bass VI, and not just the two high strings. If you gave up with the Ebow on bass it might be that the gauge of strings was a bit much for it but lighter gauges do work - I've got it going on my Bass VI after I saw The Dandys do it. (Though the low E is a bit of a struggle!)

[@iNDERUdmg]

How did you manage to get the Ebow to make a sound so quickly? Unless I tap the string I can't get it going quickly or reliably... I also play it over the pickup. Maybe it's because I tried to use the harmonic mode? Or maybe I'm not holding it properly...

[@ScienceofLoud]

I'm not sure where you are going wrong with this. A few things to check: 1. String gauge, are you using a ridiculously thick set of strings? Thick strings with lots of tension could be more difficult for the sustainer to start moving. 2. Are you holding the sustainer too far away from the strings? It should rest on the two strings on either side of the string you are trying to sustain and push it down only far enough that the vibrating string doesn't bottom out on the device. 3. Is there a fresh battery in the thing? A battery not providing enough voltage could weaken the amplification making the output weaker. It shouldn't require you to actively provide movement to the string to get it working.

[@iNDERUdmg]

@@ScienceofLoud I was resting in on the strings, but I wasn't pushing down - I think that might be it. Thanks 😁

[@armax00]

Some improvements in the video editing? Great job and thanks for the info. One question: why the feedback loop? Could the device just generate the wave to vibrate the string?

[@ScienceofLoud]

How would it know what note to play? If it didn't sense the string then it wouldn't be to replicate whatever note you were playing, making it rather redundant. It needs to sense the string to continue making the string vibrate at the same frequency as it was already vibrating at.

[@armax00]

@@ScienceofLoud this is possibly counter intuitive to me but if I pluck a string more or less strongly I get the same note but more or less loud and my assumption was that this would change its frequency, but maybe what's changing in that case is the amplitude only? Hence, I was assuming that this and string plucking where in a way similar.

[@ScienceofLoud]

By hitting a string more strongly you are changing its amplitude. By shortening the string by pressing it down to a fret you change its frequency. The sustainer is driving the string into vibration, the frequency of which is determined by the length of the string. The sustainer will change the amplitude of the vibration based on how close it is to the string. That's deeply simplified and there are many points attached to that, but to keep the concepts clear how hard you hit a string won't change its frequency. The volume swells are an example of maneuvering the point of maximum vibration closer to the guitar pickup.

[@armax00]

@@ScienceofLoud understood, so to a certain degree the sustainer would have the same effect as pressing on a different fret if it was not reproducing the exact frequency picked up the?

[@ScienceofLoud]

If the sustainer couldn't sense the string then it would only be able to generate a predetermined frequency of vibration. No matter what you were playing, the sustainer would only be able to sustain its note.

[@DrowningTimeOfficially]

what's the main difference from acoustic and electric steel guitar strings

[@oresteschiavone1984]

Was that from Dunkirk

[@michaelsnydermusic]

Question: David Gilmore used one of these (I believe) in later years but it sounded like something very unique. Almost like a nylon string fretless guitar. He did this on Division Bell and The Endless River Floyd album. Anyone know what he did?

[@rickc2102]

Ebow + slide?

[@michaelsnydermusic]

Rick C good call. What’s odd is you can sometimes here the frets almost bottoming out. Like it’s super low action. It’s so hard to describe honestly.

[@dicecard921]

Instant "Drapery Falls" vibes