Musical Washboard Links, Do-it Yourself Bells and Whistles
Do-it yourself bells and whistles for your musical washboard.
This lens is for folks who have just picked up their first washboard, and tries to be the webpage I would have wanted to find when I started playing a few years ago.
I truly love this very special instrument. Learning how to scratch out some good rhythms has been tremendous fun and what other instrument encourages you to modify it however you want?
It also would be cool to hear whatever tips and advice you care to share so don't hesitate; and please add your favorite washboard players and bands to my list (or send me a message so I can).
No One Way
These do-it yourself modules should hopefully give an idea of how you can add sounds to your board. However there are as many ways do do this as there are washboard musicians, which is pretty unique in the instrument world, so don't hesitate to experiment. It's your instrument, fine tune it to suit your needs!I would also like to stress the fact that I am figuring this stuff out as I go along so if you know better, which I'm sure many washboard musicians do, please don't hesitate to correct me and give your advice.
But what about thimbles?
Watch out, low flying thimbles!
Best keep them on your fingers but how?
After finding this tip by the late Rick Fielding on the Mudcat Café forum I just had to give it a try and am happy that I did! It really has helped.Get your thimbles together, but don't worry if they're a bit on the large side (some folks pinch 'em to make 'em fit.)
Take some white elastic (one inch wide) waistband material (available in strips at any department store) and glue it (with contact cement) around the thimble. Leave about three quarters of an inch off the thimble. Pull it quite tight before gluing, so that you really have to wiggle each finger a bit to get it past the elastic and into the thimble.
The elastic will keep the thimble firmly in place (without pain) and you won't lose the circulation in your finger-tips.
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W.D. Jones wrote that since he needs to switch between instruments pretty quickly, he made gloves to play the board with: "It's easier for me to slide on 2 gloves than 8 thimbles. I just bought cheap cotton gloves and added pearl snaps to each finger. The snaps come with the little kit for attaching them. It's cheap, quick, durable, and sounds great."
(I plan to try this out so stay tuned ;-)
Another little tip for thimble gloves was found at Cathy & Marcy's Song Shop among a few washboard suggestions for children: "...Gloves with bottle caps glued to the fingers,...
Obviously if you don't mind wearing gloves, you can just glue your thimbles on an old pair and presto: thimble gloves!
Thumb "Thimbles" and Washboard Whackers
Do-it yourself or not?
I like having a thimble on my thumb to tap with, but a good thimble is hard to find!However I happened to have a piece of 1 inch aluminum tubing in my workshop so I cut it in halve and then sanded down and glued each halve to a piece of the same white elastic used for the thimbles which had already been glued into a loop just big enough to fit smugly on my thumb.
This idea has worked out really well and with hindsight it's quite probable that it came from seeing McKnowall's Washboard Whackers (bottom photo) while looking for neat washboard products when I first started this lens. So if you don't happen to have all the necessary ingredients to do this yourself, this is a product that could be really be worth it.
Washboard Links
- Washboards International
- Welcome to Washboard Players
Washboard Concerts--2007
A Bit of HistoryHot LinksPhoto PagePhoto... - Let's Talk Antiques
- Antique washboards not scrubbed of their charm
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Washboard From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
- Columbus Washboard Company
- Manufacturer, Supplier, Wholesaler of Musical Instruments and Non-Electric Scrubbing Boards and Washing Machines made in the Hocking Hills. A manufacturer of tradition non-electric clothes washboards used as a percussive instrument for jazz, rhythm and blues performances.
- Zinc King Musical Lingerie Washboard, #703
- Boasted as the Stradivarius of musical rub boards the Vintage Zinc King Lingerie Washboard, #703 can be found at Dry Bone Musical Instrument Co.
- McKnowall's Beaut Aussie Washboard
- McKnowall's Beaut Aussie Washboard and Washboard Whackers from Australia!
- Key of Z Rubboards
- Tee Don's World of Zydeco. This is a great rubboard site with Instructional Video Frottoir Lessons!
- Washboard Music Festival
- The Washboard Music Festival is a 3 day extravaganza held in the streets of small town America.
- When were washboards invented?
- An interesting page tracing the washboard's history.
- L'Inoxydable
- French haute couture washboards!
- Zydeco Play-Wear
- Creator of the original Zydeco Tie (pat. no. D457287).
Zydeco Tie, Washboard Tie, Metal Thimbles, Mini Washboard Earrings, Cajun Triangle Earrings... - Carbolic Soap Co.
- UK distributor for washboard scrubbing boards
- Washboards For Sale.
- In the UK. Vintage, antique and used modern
- The Online Art Gallery and Antiques Mall at the-forum
- There are some antique washboards here for collectors since it would be kind of sad to use and damage them.
- MySpace washboard group
- The washboard player group at MySpace
Washboard Musician & Bands with Washboard Players
Submit your website!
Washboards are found in many cool bands and all sorts of music. I add them as I find them. Check them out and please vote since it will shuffle the list a bit. And don't forget to add your own website if you are a washboard player or have one in your band!
David Langlois
MySpace music profile for David Langlois with tour more...2 points
Fish Fry Bingo
MySpace music profile for FISH FRY BINGO with tour more...2 points
The Doghouse Skiffle Group
An amusing and diverse musical experience performe more...1 point
Three Blind Mice
Three Blind Mice is an acoustic blues trio based i more...1 point
The Jug Dealers
A Vaudevillian comedy, and the Whisky Box as a Mus more...1 point
Washboard Jackson
MySpace music profile for Washboard Jackson with t more...1 point
Rogue River String Band
MySpace music profile for Rogue River String Band more...1 point
Special Ed and the Shortbus
Jug band, Bluegrass, Old-Timey, String Band, Vaude more...1 point
Jo Momma Burke
Official website of Washboard Player Musician Jo M more...0 points
Uh-oh, split wood!
Recently I bought a Zinc King #703 and added bell, cymbal, bathtub drain plate bell and a small home-made woodblock. These are small washboards and since they are old have been used to wash clothes the wood is dry and brittle and is very easy to crack and split!This is true for most old washboards (and many new ones made in soft pine) so think twice about your do-it yourself skills before attempting anything. And if you do decide to add something, be extremely delicate: for instance drill small holes first and enlarge them bit by bit.
The Columbus Washboard Company
Established in 1895 when Frederic Martin Sr. started building washboards in his backyard for resale the Columbus Washboard Company is more than well known to musical washboard players.Their website presents their washboards, both musical and not, some arts & craft washboards and the company's history.
10 years ago they moved from Columbus to Logan, Ohio. Here is a short article with an interview of co-owner Jacqui Barnett (below the fold) recounting the move.
These are great washboards! The one that have a spiral crimp profile have a very smooth surface to tap and scratch and a distinctively sharp sound.
And BTW: Beware of CHINESE made Washboards, also named " Authentic Musical Washboard " that are circulating among Music stores all over the country. They are made of an inferior wood and have the words " Authentic Musical Washboard " printed in brown ink on both sides instead of having the Columbus Washboard brand name, phone and email printed on the back.
Attaching a Bell
The new version...
It's easy to put stuff on your washboard, especially if you have a few power tools lying around. Just remember to use all the necessary protection!I have to admit that for my bell I have given up on the drop-in anchor way that I had previously posted. Live and learn...
Fortunately I found a wing nut that fit in the space between the bell and its "handle" So I was able to screw the bolt in from behind. Two lock washers help preventing the bell from turning too much.
Fender's Excellent Adventure
with many a jazzed up washboard!
Fender's Excellent Adventure
Joe and Jack from The Dirdy Birdies Jug Band visit scenic Logan, Ohio for the International Washboard Festival.
Runtime: 10:00
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1 Comments:
More About Drop-in Anchors
Add some glue!
Although I have often used drop-in anchors successfully with wood it is a fact that they are made for concrete. The main problem is preventing them from turning on themselves when you screw in a bolt or threaded rod so a few spots of contact glue can help.You can also use anchors that are specially made for wood (pictured here). I don't know what these are called so please send a message if you do! They have little spikes that hold them in place but watch out that you don't split the wood while hammering them in. If necessary drill 4 tiny holes (smaller than the spike's width) where the spikes will go.
A little glue to hold them in place is not a bad idea.
Rattlebrained Designs, T-shirts & Gifts
A few years ago the members of one of the bands in which I play the washboard, wanted to have their own t-shirts. I enjoyed making a design for them and decided to try my hand at designing a few more. Rattlebrained Designs was born.
Spotlighted here are a few of my designs, I hope you enjoy them. Your purchase will both encourage me to keep this page active as well as send money to Dos Margaritas, a non-profit working in the Chilean Patagonia since 1999. More at the bottom of this page.
Halloween Washboard Skeleton Greeting Card
Share some Halloween fun with your musical washboard playing friends! A unique Halloween greeting card.
Price: 3.99
Got Washboard? Dark T-Shirt
Got Washboard? A humorous design for musical washboard players!
Price: 24.99
Washboard Bones (dark) Women's V-Neck Dark T-Shirt
Raise a ruckus with this awesome design. Perfect for your washboard player's Halloween party! Two spooky skeleton hands play on the rib cage with thimbles, jazzed up with a bell.
Price: 25.99
Washboard Here White T-Shirt
A dotted line bordered vertical rectangle with the words Place Washboard Here. This design makes a funny gift for all musical scrubboard players!
Price: 22.99
Washboard Abs White T-Shirt
Strut your washboard muscles with this uniquely funny exercise t-shirt design!
Price: 22.99
Bulb horns and a way to avoid drop-in anchors
Although you still need to drill a hole
Another problem with drop-in anchors is that you need to screw the attachment on to them. This is not always convenient especially when you are attaching things close to each other.As the picture shows, I first drilled a hole that corresponds to the bolt size. This Bulb horn came with a accommodating "handlebar clamp". Perfect actually, all I need to do was find a bolt that was long enough to go all the way through and leave enough room to tighten with a wing nut.
So: The bolt goes through the "handlebar clamp", then I put a spring lock washer (hoping that it will help prevent the horn from moving too much), these are tightened with a nut to hold the horn correctly, then I put a thick spacer washer to put space between the horn and my washboard. And don't forget to add a washer before screwing on the wing nut.
I think that this way of attaching something reduces the risk of cracking the wood!
Clamps
How to avoid drilling holes in your board
I have yet to actually try this, however I know many washboard player use clamps to attach stuff.At first I was worried that clamps would get in the way too much and perhaps fall off at an inconvenient moment. However that does not seem to be as great a problem as all that, plus they would be a great way to try out different arrangements.
I think that for a cymbal, for instance, you will probably need to drill a hole on the side marked by an arrow in the picture and then bolt it on to the clamp.
Stick stuff on with magnets
A Plexiglas woodblock for instance
Magnets don't stick to my old Swiss or Zinc King washboards but they do on the stainless steel one I recently bought from the Columbus Company!I've been thinking that it would be fun to have a variety of stuff that could quickly be stuck on for a song or two and since it's "back side" is open, these could be easily stored there (if you see what I mean).
My plan was to make a woodblock with a rimmed profile but I couldn't find the "right" piece of wood, I did have a chunk of Plexiglas however and figured it would have to do.
A word of caution: If you don't know what you are doing: Don't! Plexiglas gets everywhere when you cut, sand and grind it and can be sharp. Eye protections are a must and not just glasses, as well as heavy clothes and gloves. Your tools should have all the adequate protection guards too! And BTW: it melts if overheated.
This is really just an example of how magnets can be useful and could have just as well been made out of wood.
As you can see, I grinded out a bridge shape hoping to improve the sound, which seems to be the case. Filed the ribs and drilled holes in which I epoxy glued three strong (Pull force 15 lbs) rare earth magnets. I added a layer of foam to reduce vibrations which also somewhat reduces the strength of the magnets, making it easier to remove.
Featured Store
Dry Bone Musical Instrument Co
Those of you playing Zinc King Lingerie Washboard, #703 probably know about Dry Bone Musical Instrument Co. However washboards are not the only thing found in this store, in fact their specialty is Musical Rhythm Bones.Now folks have been playing natural rib bones since prehistoric times and many washboard players play them too, so I think they are not entirely out of place here. In any case it's a fun store to browse in since musical bones come in all sorts of materials.
Along with the Zinc King Lingerie Washboard, they now carry a selection of bulb horns, cowbells and vintage tin cups from the turn-of-the-century.
Attaching a cymbal
Cymbals can be a lot of fun
If you know a drummer you may be in luck because they often have old equipment lying around. Otherwise small cymbals are easily found at music stores (or ebay, see below). Unfortunately they do cost more than washboards:-(There are certainly many ways and places to attach one. Just keep in mind to make sure it doesn't get in your way.
A traditional spot is to place it on the top left corner of the board, but it goes just as well on the bottom or stuck out in front.
Just use a thick screw or a bolt that you can attach with a Drop-in anchor.
For a cymbal to sound good, it needs to be held between two peaces of thick felt. I used the felt of of some old chair leg felt glides. Just slice them off and put a hole through them that you can fit on your bolt or screw.
You put a washer (as wide as the felt), a piece of felt, the cymbal, a second piece of felt, another washer. It shouldn't be too tight.
You can attach the cymbal "upside down" to gain a little space, and my tip for beginners is that you can also hit it from underneath by flipping your hand up!
Do-it Yourself Bathtub Drain Plate Bell
Bathtub drain plates have different shapes, sizes and sounds. Put chimes on your washboard with a few well chosen ones!
The upper overflow drain plate of old bathtubs can make a very clear sounding bell.All you need is a hex bolt that fits through the drain plate, two metal washers, two rubber washers and two lock nuts that fit the bolt.
Put a metal washer, a rubber washer, the drain plate, a rubber washer and a metal washer on the bolt. Tighten them with a lock nut, just enough to prevent rattling but not too much or you will lose ring quality.
If your washboard is made with pine, you probably should use a drop-in anchor or a wingnut to attach it. Since mine is made of hard beech wood I just drilled a hole (slightly smaller than the bolt) and screwed it directly into the wood (on the side of the left washboard foot). The second lock nut is to adjust how high the bell is by preventing the bolt from screwing in too far.
Listen: Bathtub drain plate bell sound file.
Bulb Horns
Honk, honk!
BTW: Not all are shipped outside of the US and it took some searching to find one in Europe. Hint: In France, Germany and Switzerland they can be found on websites specialized in dog items, apparently they are sold for training purposes. ;-)
Bulb Horn, Straight
Product Description:
2 1/2" bell, 17" length. Brass bulb horn with removable reed and bulb.
Amazon Price: (as of 10/15/2008)
Pyramid Bicycle Squeeze Horn, Bugle, Chrome Plated
I have one of theses, not the prettiest but sufficiently well made, easy to add on a washboard and VERY LOUD!
Amazon Price: $4.55 (as of 10/15/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Pyramid Bicycle Squeeze Horn, Triple Horn, Chrome Plated
Includes standard 7/8" handlebar clamp.
Amazon Price: $10.89 (as of 10/15/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
How to play the washboard?
The washboard video of the month
Great musicians or just plain fun...
Washboard Demo - Big Fat Mama - Honey Boy
Just playing along with Honey Boy to show you my simple yet very effective washboard rig that's highly portable, and very unoffensive to others. I love horns, kazoos and all those things but I've seen them also become over bearing after a short performance. This is more of a subtle way to play washboard that works great for almost any kind of music. When I play at a gig or a jam and there are too many stringed instruments going I have something I can add to the mix and also help those others with much less timing skills than I have. If you have a ham fisted guitar player in the group this washboard and shaking can of rocks not only helps them keep better time but covers up mistakes and melts all the music together like a hot cheese melt. I can also lay way back on the off beats, emphasize the 2 and 4 and really add some dymanics and soul to the whole mix. Great for studio recordings too. See my website for an article on washboards coming up pretty soon. Check out this killer site with great washboard videos and washboard supplies. I am in no way affiliated with them. I just like their site. http://www.squidoo.com/washboards
Runtime: 5:39
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10 Comments:
Your comments please!
And don't forget to rate this lens!
More than a guestbook, it would be nice to share ideas and your playing tips for beginners. For instance do you mostly tap or scrape? How have you jazzed up your own board?
You can even announce your washboard concerts!
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Evets
Hi deb429c, Posted September 18, 2008 |
What size cymbal should be used? I use metal drum brushes rather than thimbles - great sound!
Posted September 18, 2008
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Evets
Thank you LB! Posted September 17, 2008 |
Awesome web page.. I had the best time here!
Posted September 16, 2008
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Evets
Hi D.W. Jones Posted June 28, 2008 |
About my Swiss washboard
In Switzerland all the old washboards that I have seen in antique shops are like my Herkules Extra Stark (strong) and have rectangular "ribs" that are slightly rounded which give a nice smooth feel but your fingers also slip down between them.The coolest part is the crossbow "Swiss quality" symbol in the center.
They are heavy duty, solidly made with beech wood and sound pretty much like that; mellow - more rumble less rattle.
Washboard stuff on Amazon
Nevertheless here are a few washboard worthy items:
Hat Trick
I really love this CD, and not just for the washboard playing either, this great band has chops. Do yourself a favor and check them out! (link in the bands with washboard players list)
Amazon Price: (as of 10/15/2008)
Used Price: $9.99
Ragtime Blues Guitar (1927-1930)
This album has two tracks by Chicken Wilson & Skeeter Hinton (DC Rag & Myrtle Ave Stomp) that are simply awesome washboard solos!
Amazon Price: $16.98 (as of 10/15/2008)
Used Price:
Usually ships in 10 to 13 days
Washboard Sam 1936-1947
Vol 1 of his complete recordings, Washboard Sam was popular in the 30'-40' Chicago Blues scene. If you like the Blues and want to hear a good early washboard player.
Amazon Price: $13.98 (as of 10/15/2008)
Used Price: $9.58
Usually ships in 9 to 11 days