1. Disclaimer: By using our products, you acknowledge that you are using them at your own risk. Pickaso Innovations LTD and Pickaso Innovations LLC disclaim any responsibility for damages or losses resulting from the use of the Pickaso Guitar Bow and any related products.
2. Do not touch the bow hair with your fingers, as the natural oils on your fingers can adhere to the bow and potentially affect its sound production. If this occurs, please refer to step 5 for guidance.
3. We recommend using only uncoated string of any type. When using coated strings such as Elixir,you won't be able to hear any sounds!
4. Inside the box, you will find 7 items: the Pickaso bow, a soft case, a microfiber cloth, vacuum-sealed rosin, a rosin box with sandpaper inside, 2 stickers, and an online user guide card.
Online User Guide
First steps
1️⃣ Before you begin
2️⃣ Prepare and apply the rosin
In this video, you will learn how to prepare and apply rosin to your new guitar bow.
Before you start:
1. Rosin is a delicate material. If your rosin arrived by mail and the weather is hot, ensure it hasn't melted and remains solid. If it's soft, let it cool down for a few hours at room temperature. DO NOT refrigerate it.
2. Store the rosin in a cool place, and always keep it in its case, deep in your bag.
3. Avoid touching the rosin with your fingers and use the cardboard that
surrounds it to hold it.
Preparing and applying rosin:
1. First Application:
When using rosin for the first time with a new rosin and bow, start by scratching the top surface of the rosin with sandpaper until it produces dust. Then, apply rosin to your bow, spending at least one minute on each side. Begin with short and quick strokes across all the hair and finish with long strokes.
2. Day-to-day Routine:
It's not necessary to scratch the rosin every time before you play, and you don't need to spend 2 minutes applying rosin. 15 seconds on each side should be sufficient.
But remember:
1. If the bow produces weak sounds, apply more rosin!
2. Occasionally, you will need to scratch the top surface of the rosin with sandpaper. You'll notice it when the rosin no longer adheres effectively.
3️⃣ The Basics
4️⃣ Care and maintenance
5️⃣ Cleaning the bow hair
Note: There is no reason to routinely clean your bow hair unless it has soaked sweat/Natural oils. If your bow has become slightly dirty, using a paper towel and pure alcohol should suffice. In the event it has absorbed a significant amount of natural oils or sweat, you can wash it with water and soap. Before you begin, please watch the video entirely.
Troubleshoot and common questions
The bow doesn't produce any sounds
Usually, if you can't hear any sound from your bow, it may be due to the following reasons:
1. Your strings are coated (e.g., Elixir, etc.). Coated strings, as explained on our website, are not suitable for our product. This is because the bow may not get sufficient grip on the strings. To check if your strings are coated, enter the brand and model on www.sweetwater.com and review the specs chart.
2. You may need to apply more rosin to the bow. Please repeat the steps outlined in the user guide, starting at Minute 0:17.
3. The bow hair may have absorbed some of the natural oils from your hands, preventing the rosin from adhering properly. To address this, take a paper towel and some pure alcohol to clean the bow hair. Allow it to dry, and then reapply the rosin.
Do I need to use the sandpaper each time before playing the bow?
Generally, you only need to scratch the rosin surface once. However, if you find that the rosin isn't sticking well to the bow, you can scratch it again as needed. Regardless, it's essential to apply rosin to the bow before each use.
I can't get a clean sounds out of the bow.
In that case, you need to apply soft pressure on the bow with consistent movements, as seen on "the basics" chapter.