Free classes on a variety of sexual topics, with class support sections for each topic and instructor Q&A.
The contents of this class are very sexually explicit and intended for adults only!

Vibrators
Instructors
Jeff & Kris Booth
(text in black written by Jeff,
text in blue written by Kris)

Vibrator HistoryBasic Vibrator Tips    Choosing a VibratorUsing Vibrators
Types of Vibes
Smoothies   SculptedPocket Rocket   Hitachi Magic Wand Egg Vibrators
Magnums   Bullets   Combos  Rabbit Pearl G-Spot VibratorsFlex-a-Pleaser
Pearlessence Wand   LadybugThe Twig  Trojan Torch Warm Vibes  Waterproof Vibrators
Vibrators for Men

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A Little Vibrator History

Steam powered massagers became popular in the 1870's and were advertised in medical catalogs. They became very popular with doctors as a therapeutic tool used on women patients. They were not treating sore muscles or bad backs, though. They were used to treat hysteria, a disease that never actually existed and was not finally repudiated until the 1950’s. The cure? Manipulation of the genital area until orgasm was achieved (although doctors referred to it more clinically as "hysterical paroxysm"). Hysteria was the most common medical complaint throughout the Victorian era, and doctors quite happily treated the condition.

In 1907, a water actuated vibrator was invented. 1912 introduced the vibratory dilator, an electric device that plugged into the wall and was used to treat frigidity and dilate the vaginas of women who were "too tight". There were a number of battery operated vibrators introduced, inspired no doubt by the introduction in the early part of the century of cylindrically shaped flashlights. The modern vibrator, though, can be traced to the invention of Jon Tavel, who in 1966 patented a cordless, battery operated, torpedo shaped vibrating plastic dildo with variable speed that was also moisture proof.

Vibrators can be great fun, and they are nice to have "at hand".  In addition to those in the toy box, I keep a favorite or two in my night stand, next to the bed. The extra batteries live in a small tin in the night stand as well, because nothing spoils the mood like the big game hunt for a couple of Double A's. Besides, it's kind of fun, part way through lovemaking, to ask your partner if they can hold on for just a minute. As they nod, you slither across their body, snag a toy out of the night stand and say, "I really want to make you cum and I was wondering if it would be okay if I used this toy". Or you can just get a toy and kind of conceal it in your hands (this works well with the Pocket Rocket). If they ask what it is, you say, "Oh I have this toy that really drives me nuts, and I was wondering if it would do the same thing to you".

One advantage of plug in vibrators (like the Hitachi Magic Wand) is that you don't have to worry about batteries. It's big though, so some of my friends keep the larger plug-in vibrators in a tray, slid under the bed. They have an extension cord permanently plugged in under the bed to minimize fumbling.

I always keep a small squirt bottle of lube in my night stand too. It's really worth it to experiment and find one that you really like. After all, if you buy something purely for pleasure, why wouldn't you want to get the kind you like the best? I went to a gynecologist once who thought that anybody who used lube for sex must be "a little dry". Of course, his idea of lube was KY Jelly, (which while satisfactory for a medical exam and initially slick, gets "gummy" if rubbed for too long). My point is, lube is not just to increase "vaginal wetness". Use it because it feels slickery and good. It's great to use if you're giving a guy a hand job. And the prostate should not even be approached without lots of lube and foreplay. Always use a lube with vibrators, even if your partner is already all hot and bothered. While vibes can feel quite yummy, they don't feel like real skin. Take advantage of that difference, by coating them with lube as you begin to play. Also, think about how warm (or more likely cold) your lube is. If you're a kinky little person, you can dribble it right onto your partner, but I always squirt it into my hands and rub them together first, so it's nice and warm.

Some experts recommend cleaning vibrators with a soft cloth, but my favorite toy authority (boy is she a hottie) pointed out to us that this leaves small fibers on vibrators or dildos that can be transported inside the vagina and lead to infection. We used a cloth and when we held Mr. Rabbit up to the light we could see that she was right. It was covered with little fibers. My friend suggests rinsing the outside in hot water to clean it and let it air dry. Common Sense Alert:  Take out batteries or unplug vibrators before rinsing off the outside. Never immerse your vibrator in water.

Don't use a vibrator if it is cracked or pitted, because that's unhealthy. And, if, as sometimes happens, it doesn't quit all at once, throw the damn thing out. There's nothing worse that a vibrator that works intermittently. Whether you need a new one or not, who really needs an excuse to get a new sex toy for the one you love? Even if it isn't exactly what he or she would have picked out, you earn major brownie points for showing you care about your sexy baby. And what's a better gift than one that keeps giving and giving and giving (orgasms)?

Poorly made toys can be spotted by looking for bubbles in the plastic or rubber. These air bubbles near the surface can create little pits. This is due to pouring the second layer  before the first has cooled, and these tend not to hold up as well.

Think about the type of stimulation you or your partner likes. Is it soft and gentle? Then a lower powered basic vibrator may be what you need, such as one of the variable speed smoothies. Do you like more intense clitoral stimulation along with penetration? Something like a Rabbit Pearl may well do the trick. External and intense stimulation? The Hitachi Magic Wand can't be beat. Are you looking for a small convenient vibe primarily for clitoral stimulation? The Pocket Rocket is very popular.

Although each vibrator has its own special features, here are some basic concepts to help you get more out of using vibes:

The first vibrator that Jeff and I bought was what is known generically as a smoothie. It is made of smooth plastic and tapers to a soft point. It's very nice for sexual exploration and of the battery powered vibrators available in adult stores, these offer the most vibration for the size. It's also easy to bring to a friend's house, because it fits easily in a purse or fanny pack. Smoothies are also a good choice for an introductory vibrator because they won't scare the hell out of your partner. (And they come in colors!)

Sculpted vibes are simply those that have been molded into unusual shapes designed to create interesting sensations.

The vibrator I use most often is my Pocket Rocket. It's small and handy and has a lot of oomph. The batteries last a long time, so you're not always searching for more. It's great to use if you're fantasizing alone because it feels good, is dependable, and gets you off relatively quickly. It looks like it was designed by a woman, because it's so compact and unassuming looking. Every woman that I know has one.

The Hitachi Magic Wand is a foot-long, two-speed vibrator with a soft, tennis ball sized head on the end. According to several sources, this is the most popular vibrator in the world.

Egg style vibrators are very small egg shaped vibrators connected by a wire to a battery powered variable speed control pack. They offer quite a bit of vibration for something so small and are quite fun to play with. They are a good toy to use on guys, especially if the phallic shape of most vibes is a little disconcerting to them.

These are variation on the egg vibrators. The bullets are just a little longer than the egg vibrators. Of the three similar types (eggs, bullets, and magnums), bullets are by far the most popular.

These are similar to bullet and egg vibrators. They are about twice as long as the bullets and shaped like a torpedo.

Do you know what the first modern adult toy to be designed by a woman is? The "Rabbit Pearl" AKA Mr. Rabbit. And boy, did she know what she was doing! Lovers, please note:  THIS IS MY FAVORITE VIBRATOR.

Mr. Rabbit  is about 7” long with a rubber tip, shaped like a cock. At the base there is a little rabbit head with little jack-rabbit ears. While this sounds goofy, when Mr. Rabbit is inserted, his rabbit ears wind up around your clitoris, and they vibrate. The base is slightly flared, and the section just below the rabbit is filled with little plastic beads. The base rotates right at the entrance to your vagina, which also feels yummy.  You control how fast the rabbit ears vibrate and how quickly the base rotates. The control box lets you turn either off or adjust the speed of the rotation or the rabbit ears, independently of each other. It's one of those things that you just have to try to believe.

Do you like G-Spot Stimulation? I have very intense orgasms through G-Spot manipulation, but not every person can find the G-Spot and not every woman enjoys having it stimulated, although most do. It should be something that you do after or during oral sex, once they are quite stimulated. If you're not sure if your honey likes G-Spot stimulation, just ask yourself. Does she like to get hand jobs (combined with oral sex and lots of lube, of course)? If so, she probably likes G-Spot stimulation.

The first time we used a G-Spot Vibrator was when we were in a sex education video in a segment on sex toys. The first thing we were supposed to do was watch a sexy video. I hit the play button, but didn't realize that a technician already had. When it was hit twice, the video went into visual fast forward. We burst out laughing at the really fast sex scenes. Cut! Then, we were supposed to use the G-Spot vibrator. I was so turned on from an entire day of having sex that I really enjoyed having this toy stimulate me right there. After the scene the Director said in a very professional voice (I think he was trying to deny that he had a little wood) that we could keep the vibrator and try it later under more normal circumstances. Cool! By the way, it seemed to work pretty well then, too.

This is a variable speed vibrator that has a little longer reach than most. The vibrating head is 3 1/2" long by 1" in diameter, and it is connected to a flexible 6" long rod. It offers a more gentle vibration, even at high speed, the extra length allows a wide reach.

This one is a little bit different. Both ends can be used. One end has a short, round knob which makes is insertable, and the other end has a larger flat knob which makes it better for holding against sensitive areas you want to vibrate. It vibrates in a circular motion, quite differently from other vibrators.  It is 7 1/4" long, 1" to 1 5/8" in diameter.

This is a soft jelly ladybug shape about an inch thick and 3 1/2 inches long. Molded inside is a bullet vibrator, and it is attached to a long cord and a variable speed control box. It has two elastic bands that go around your legs to hold it onto the pubic bone. Two little vibrating feelers rest over the clit when it is in position. Once it is on, you can have sex and the man can also feel the vibrations as he enters you.

Not very promising looking, it eats batteries like crazy, and yet is very low powered, so why do we carry it? Because this unassuming little toy with its extra little branch, feels fantastic. We hope that its as pleasant a surprise for you and your friend as it has been for us. It is multispeed and about 5" long.

Here is another toy that you would not expect to be as good as it is just by looking at it. It is very quiet, and offers a different type of clitoral stimulation. It has a metallic looking handle and a rubber jelly "flame".

We've been looking for vibrators that could be warmed up. There have been products that could be filled with warm water, but we were concerned about them leaking. Finally, there is a product that gets warm just by putting it in the microwave for a few seconds

You often don't think of using vibrators on guys, and certainly the phallic shape of them is a little off putting for a lot of guys. There are a number of vibration gizmos that you can masturbate into that look like disembodied vaginas or the lower half of a face, but I just can't get aroused by half of a woman's face that looks more like something from a horror movie than a toy for getting off.

Here are some of the vibrators that we have found men enjoy. My first recommendation is the Rabbit, not because it is used on men, but because it is so fun to use. Guys love to be in the driver's seat, and you have several controls to play with here. Skillful use of them will bring your lover to a very satisfying, squirming around on the bed orgasm. For a similar reason, any of the vibes with the Giga X controls are also fun, but still nowhere close to the Rabbit.

As to vibes used on our bodies, an egg in the hand can feel quite nice, but I personally prefer the Bullet/Magnum combination. Kris has given me head with the magnum part right against my penis and the bullet part right underneath my balls. It almost blew off the top of my head.

Her favorite toy, the Pocket Rocket, also feels quite good when she holds it against the base of the penis while giving me head.

Kris has introduced quite a number of guys to her anal toys, and if you can get beyond the notion that having something in your ass makes you gay, a lot of guys can get a pretty mind-blowing orgasm from prostrate stimulation.  You either like it or you don't, and from Kris' experience, most guys do. A good introductory toy for this is the Red Hot Vibrating Anal Toy.

There are a number of jelly rings that fit around the penis and typically have a bullet vibe inside. These are a vast improvement over the older hard plastic kind that usually pinched. Most use a powerful multispeed bullet and a knob that can rest against her clit when you are deep inside her.

Finally, there are the male masturbators. We'll skip the disembodied celebrity vaginas and oh so life like sucking lips. We have yet to find one that we are very excited about, but if you have, we'd love to hear from you. We'd also love to hear about your experiences with penis pumps. Just write to us at eroticguide.com