User Guide

Online User Guide

Welcome to our online user guide! Here, you'll find everything you need to get started.

1. Before you begin

0:30 Min

Essential 🔵

⚠️ 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.

⚠️ Do not touch the bow hair with your fingers: 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.

ℹ️ We recommend using only uncoated strings of any type. When using coated strings such as Elixir, you won't be able to hear any sounds!

ℹ️ 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.

2. Applying the rosin

2:10 Min

Essential 🔵

⚠️ Before you start:

Rosin is delicate. If it arrived during hot weather, check it hasn’t melted. If soft, let it cool at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.
Store in a cool place, always in its case and deep inside your bag.
Do not touch the rosin directly — use the cardboard wrap to hold it.

📌 Note: First-time use will produce more dust than usual. This will decrease after 3–4 sessions.

ℹ️ 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. Always start with less rosin, test the sound, and add more if needed. There's no need to overload the bow with rosin — just enough to get a clean sound.

Watch:

3. The basics

1:55 Min

Essential 🔵

4. Care and maintenance

0:47 Min

Essential 🔵

5. Adjusting the Hair Tension

0:55

Essential 🔵

6. Cleaning the bow hair

1:45 Min

Optional

📌 Note: There is no reason to routinely clean your bow hair unless it has soaked sweat or 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.

Watch:

ℹ️ Troubleshoot and common questions

Pickaso Guitar Bow Red Color on red background with red paintbrush

The bow doesn't produce any sound! what should I do?

If you’re not hearing any sound from your bow, it could be due to one of the following reasons:

1. (Most common) Coated strings – As stated on the product page, strings like Elixir and other coated types are not suitable for this bow, as it may not grip them properly. To check if your strings are coated, search for your string brand and model on Sweetwater and review the specs chart.

If they are coated, switch to uncoated regular strings.
We personally prefer Ernie Ball 80/20 medium-light, but other regular strings, including Phosphor Bronze, 80/20, or Flat-wound, work well. 😊

2. (Most common) Insufficient rosin – You may need to apply more rosin, as the first application often requires extra. Follow the steps in your user guide, Chapter 2, starting at 0:17, and make sure to scratch the rosin with the provided sandpaper the first time you use it.

3. (Less common) Oily bow hair – Occasionally, the bow hair can absorb natural oils from your hands, preventing the rosin from sticking. To fix this, clean the bow hair with a paper towel and some pure alcohol, let it dry, then reapply the rosin. Full video instructions are available in Chapter 6.

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.

👉 It’s normal to get scratchy sounds when you’re just starting out. After all, we are guitarists used to strumming, not bowing. It takes some practice to get the hang of it, but if you follow the instructions, you’ll master it in no time! 😊

The key to soft and clear sounds is to apply very soft pressure on the bow with consistent movements, as shown in the "Basics" chapter.
It is highly recommended to practice the "No Pressure" exercises demonstrated in Chapter 3, starting at 0:28.

👉 That said, the bow will sound at its best after 3–4 uses, as the rosin adheres better to the hair.

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