washtub bass construction

[bottleneck]

howdy low end!!!
i really need your help here.
i've seen washtub basses made all different ways.with the broomstick attached with a hinge,or just leaning against.i've seen the clothesline tied around a handle and using the edge of the rim as a bridge,and i've also seen it come out of the middle,secured by a knot inside or an eye-hook outside.
what sounds best,and what makes hitting the right note easier?

[bosco]

[updated:LAST EDITED ON Jan-24-04 AT 09:29 AM (EST)]Bottleneck-

The design on the attached webpage makes the most sense-

[link:www.ehhs.cmich.edu/~dhavlena/bass.htm|Washtub Bass Design]

A flat neck board is used instead of a broomstick and is actually bolted in two places to the side of the washstub as opposed to hinges or balancing. This provides additional resonance comparable to a guitar neck being bolted to the guitar body. A lever that hinges through the center of the neck to the string pivots to fluctuate the string tension for the notes. The string bottom attaches to the center of the tub which also seems like the logical design choice for maximum volume.

Unfortunately the details on the design page are illegible, but the illustration is sufficient to get the idea. Hope this helped-

Bosco

"The joy of living is his, who has the heart to demand it."

[bottleneck]

thanks bosco that's a BIG help!!!!

[bosco]

No problem, bro...let us know how your project evolves!

Bosco

[guitarslim101]

I am building one of those. It reminds me of the whammola...

[jaybird]

Howdy,

This is the set up I built.

#2 wash tub, info on internet says #3 is best, but I get all the sound I need on a #2, get rid of the metal handles they rattle.

1 to 1 1/2" dowel (a spruce closet clothes hanging rod??)

Parachute cord

wood blocks screwed through the bottom edge of the rim for feet to lift the tub off the floor an inch or so.

Drilled 1/4" to 1/2" hole in center of tub. Sawed off couple of inches of the dowel drilled hole in same threaded parachute cord through dowel knotted it off, thread cord through hole in tub. Drilled hole at downward angle near top of dowel, now called a staff.
Sawed a notch in the bottom of the staff to fit over lip of tub bottom. Threaded cord through hole in top of staff and knotted it off. Now you can customize things like staff height and cord length. Also you will need to protect the cord form chaffing where it comes through the hole in the tub, I use a good layer of duct tape wrapped around the base of the cord at the hole. I also used a long piece of duct tape to hold the 2" dowel stopper thing up underneath the top of the tub.

Now you have your own original custom down home musical instrument.
Just don't let anyone get any photographic evidence of you playing this thing and you'll be o.k. Unless you are already a tobacco chewing, overall wearing hillbilly, in that case the wash tub bass is the perfect accessory for you. Hee Hee! They are fun and easy to play!

Thump On,

Jaybird

[bosco]

> Hee Hee! <

I'm sure you meant to say "Hee Haw."

[david]

>Unless you are already
>a tobacco chewing, overall wearing hillbilly, in that case
>the wash tub bass is the perfect accessory for you.

Just how the heck do you know so much about me?

[ricochet]

We've seen pictures.

[david]

You're trying to make me paranoid, aren't you. Well, it won't work, I've known your plan all along.

[ricochet]

Remember "Romper Room?" How the lady hosting the show used to look through her "Magic Mirror" and see every kid watching the show and call their names as it went off? Well, it works with computer monitors, too.

[cas]

Okay, I could make a joke about being able to see thru the computer and playing your Johnson, but....well, I'm afraid it'll get censored.

Carol }>

[ricochet]

Hmmm, tying that in with the blonde lady on Romper Room with the big beehive hairdo leads to some interesting mental images...
CENSORED

[david]

Romper stomper, bomper boo. Tell me tell me, tell me true.

Rico, was that YOU on the other side of that magic mirror dealie?

[ricochet]

I was on one side of it.