Electronic Bow roundup
The Best Electronic Bows for the Money
There's no big shootout here, just one lineage refined over fifty years. Here's which version to buy and how to actually get the best tone from it.
Right, I'll be upfront: this isn't going to be one of those "ten pedals ranked" round-ups, because there genuinely isn't a crowded market of competing electronic bow gear to pick from. What there is, though, is a design that's been refined over fifty years by one dedicated maker — and honestly, once you understand what you're choosing between, that makes this an easier, more satisfying buy than half the gear I write about.
Why There's No Big Shootout Here
Heet Sound has owned this space since inventor Greg Heet built the first prototype in 1969 and the company launched commercially at the 1976 NAMM show. Nobody's seriously challenged that with a rival product line the way brands slug it out over overdrive pedals or humbucker pickups. So the "best for the money" question here isn't about which brand wins — it's about which version, and how to squeeze the absolute most tone out of it once it's in your hand.
Best for Most Players: The Original Electronic Bow
The standard model is still the reference point, and for good reason — it's the design that basically every guitarist mentioned in EBow folklore, from Steve Hackett to Big Country's Stuart Adamson, actually used to define the sound in the first place. If you want the classic electromagnetic sustain experience without overthinking it, this is where I'd point a first-time buyer.
Best Refinement: The PlusEBow
Heet Sound updated the design in 1998 with the PlusEBow, building on the same core electromagnetic driver and feedback circuit rather than reinventing it. If you're the sort of player who wants the most current version of a classic tool — the way you'd want the latest reissue of a vintage fuzz rather than a decades-old original — this is the one to look for.
Best "Free Upgrade": Your Amp and Pedalboard
Here's the bit that genuinely changes the value equation, and it costs nothing extra if you already own the gear: the device itself only gets you halfway to those legendary EBow tones. Reverb and delay build the ambient, orchestral character it's famous for. Distortion pushes it toward those feedback-style drones. Pitch-shifting and octave effects open up the brass and woodwind-like textures players like Ed O'Brien have leaned on with Radiohead. Spend an evening running yours through your existing pedalboard before you decide you need anything else — I promise it's the best-value upgrade available.
| Effect | What it adds |
|---|---|
| Reverb / delay | Orchestral, ambient sustain |
| Distortion | Feedback-style drone character |
| Pitch-shift / octave | Brass and woodwind-like textures |
| Clean amp, no effects | Pure, exposed sustain — a great practice setting |
Best for the Curious: Watch the Experimental Fringe
If you love gear history as much as I do, keep an eye on what guitarist and electronic musician Victoria Shen has been building — a spinning, multi-string device inspired by the same electromagnetic concept, designed to work across several strings rather than just one. It isn't a Heet Sound product and you can't currently buy one, but it's a genuinely exciting sign that people are still pushing this fifty-year-old idea somewhere new.
Best Electronic Bow Value Overall
If I'm ranking value for money honestly: the standard model wins for anyone starting out, because it's proven, well-documented and it's what most of the classic recorded examples were made with. The PlusEBow earns its place if you specifically want the newer build. And either way, don't skimp on the reverb, delay or distortion pairing it with — that's where the real tonal payoff lives. For the full technical rundown on how the electromagnetic driver actually works, see our complete explainer on the electronic bow, and if you haven't bought one yet, our buyer's guide covers guitar compatibility properly before you commit.
One Thing I Wouldn't Do
Don't buy one expecting it to work brilliantly on a bass or an acoustic just because a forum post said so — there's no solid manufacturer backing for that, and you'll get a far better first impression sticking to a steel-string electric. If you're brand new to all this, our beginner's guide walks through getting a good result on your very first try.
The Bottom Line
There's no bad electronic bow to buy here, because there's essentially one lineage doing the job properly. Get the standard model or the PlusEBow, pair it with a decent amp and at least a splash of reverb, and you're getting genuine fifty-year-old magic for a fraction of the fuss most "legendary tone" gear demands.
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