vibrator for steel?

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 5 Jan 2007 10:45 am

This may be controversial, but I had a suggestion from someone to use a vibrator (yes, the adult toy) made of steel, glass or some other slide material. Being experimental, I'm wondering if anyone has ever tried this. Seriously.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 5 Jan 2007 11:16 am

The motor on mine made so much hum thru the pickup that I couldn't use it on the steel guitar.

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 5 Jan 2007 11:21 am

hmm, I was thinking that hum might be useful. What did it sound like? Was the hum not humming to the pitch of the note you were playing? Did your vibrator have variable speed settings?

Michael Douchette · Post by **Michael Douchette** » 5 Jan 2007 11:32 am

This is supposed to be in Humor, right?

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 5 Jan 2007 11:37 am

Actually, not really. I'm curious as to what it would sound like. I love my eBow and and my salt-shaker sitar bar. I'm always looking for new sounds. Forget it's conventional use for now, what would a vibrating slide sound like? Would it make any difference? Would it be unusable?

Michael Douchette · Post by **Michael Douchette** » 5 Jan 2007 11:40 am

I can't even imagine. Aren't they... uh... a little too "curved" to make contact with all the strings?

I do not EVEN want to go with what color jewel should be in the end of it...

Morton Kellas · Post by **Morton Kellas** » 5 Jan 2007 11:55 am

All the ones I have seen are for at least 14 strings. I don't think they make them for a 10 string.

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 5 Jan 2007 11:59 am

A little research online revealed 3.5 inch versions. I haven't found a good one at that length that is steel and not lacquer coted. Apparently, glass and pyrex are popular. Looking for portable versions now.

Don Discher · Post by **Don Discher** » 5 Jan 2007 12:19 pm

I would be afraid someone would ask "who's the dildo playing steel" ? he sure uses a lot of vibrato (r).

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 5 Jan 2007 12:19 pm

"Steely Dan III from Yokohama" WS Burroughs

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 5 Jan 2007 12:25 pm

""Steely Dan III from Yokohama" WS Burroughs"

I don't get it.

Morton Kellas · Post by **Morton Kellas** » 5 Jan 2007 12:36 pm

I just tried a song with one. It sounds good on the Hank Williams tunes. You get that moaning sound.

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 5 Jan 2007 12:48 pm

That's funny. Moaning is exactly what I am seeking.

Seriously, does anyone have any speculation on how this would sound?

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 5 Jan 2007 1:33 pm

Satisfied, James. VERY satisfied...

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 5 Jan 2007 1:44 pm

I can say no more. All the good lines have been taken.

Greg Simmons · Post by **Greg Simmons** » 5 Jan 2007 2:39 pm

James Mayer wrote:""Steely Dan III from Yokohama" WS Burroughs"

I don't get it.

ah, you will when you go here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steely_Dan

and note the second paragraph

Gordy Hall · Post by **Gordy Hall** » 5 Jan 2007 5:28 pm

Morton had the best one.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 5 Jan 2007 6:26 pm

I can just hear your guitar singing now:

"I'm pickin' up good vibrations."

Ben Elder · Post by **Ben Elder** » 5 Jan 2007 7:30 pm

More than thirty years ago, Martin Mull had a song about white people's particular type of blues ("Made me so mad/I threw my drink across the lawn"...). His axe was a ukulele (played lap style) noted with, if not a vibrator, a dildo. (On "The Midnight Special," it was a baby bottle.)

Nothin' new under where the sun don't shine.

Clyde Lane · Post by **Clyde Lane** » 5 Jan 2007 7:34 pm

How could I explain that to my wife when she saw it in my pack-a-seat?

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 5 Jan 2007 7:36 pm

...edited after much thought...

Keith Cordell · Post by **Keith Cordell** » 5 Jan 2007 10:28 pm

If you looked at my blog on myspace.com, I've been writing about using such devices for a while. The one I have does a great job but was expensive; you have to get a really hard surface, and the motor in the pyrex one does come through the pickups, enough to drown out the strings. There are some taht are very hard plastic, about 4" long and about 1" in diameter. You have to try them and see how loud the motor is compared to the actual vibration of the surface you apply to the strings.
www.myspace.com/witchdocsmusic

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 6 Jan 2007 5:03 am

Depending on what kind of bar you were playing in, it seems as though an "Audience Participation" segment could get pretty interesting....

Bo Borland · Post by **Bo Borland** » 6 Jan 2007 6:49 am

When I first saw the subject title.. i thought it was a typo ..
There will be no rude coments from me ..

Cliff Kane · Post by **Cliff Kane** » 6 Jan 2007 9:25 am

Seriously: The pickup will pickup the reving magnetic field that is generated by the vibrator's motor. I've heard of people doing this with a vibrator and an electric guitar. I saw a guitar player do this with an electric drill (obviously a much stronger magnetic field than a vibrator) and he got some good synthy effects, plus it was a great visual. I've tried it with an electric toothbrush and a delay when I was playing in a dub band, and it was a cool one-trick-pony thing.

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vibrator for steel?

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