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Silver Dollar City & Celebration City Discussion => SDC Memories/ Park History => Topic started by: KBCraig on August 24, 2010, 03:34:50 AM

Title: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: KBCraig on August 24, 2010, 03:34:50 AM
So, does anyone else remember the bluegrass group in the 1970's to early '80s that featured a washtub bass? Literally, just an inverted washtub, a string, and a broomstick. And the guy playing it could flat-out rock!

On a local music forum, the subject came up, so I'd appreciate anyone/everyone sharing memories and knowledge.
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: rubedugans on August 24, 2010, 08:18:39 AM
I do remember something like that from the very early 80's...I got to thinkin' about it the other day after I saw a man playing one at a festival here in St. Charles MO. His was a bit different....
This one was using the tub as a resonator to amplify bass strings that were string upon a neck  (picture a washtub bodied bass)

As a bass player this is intruiging, and I just might have to make one and try it out. Plans are everywhere on the internet. Whats the worst that can happen? I get a new washtub!
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: Junior on August 24, 2010, 08:28:30 AM
I was working on park about that time, and yes, I do remember somebody playing the ole washtub. I cannot remember which group...but my two guesses: Swing and Turn Jubilee, which featured Greg Becker and his wife at the time...or...The Undergrass Boys...but I think that the bass player in the Undergrass boys usually used a big, upright bass, although he might have used the wash tub from time to time. By the way, I strongly encourage you to get on your search engine and type in "The Undergrass Boys" as it will get you to their MySpace page, which features some examples from their one and only 1981 self titled album...they did progressive bluegrass, and had a strong following (Me included) and were a very hip, exciting band for their time. As their Website says...imagine Bill Monroe getting messed up on acid, and getting together with Rock icon Janis Joplin and having love children...the kids grow up on the road listening to Roy Rogers.  That's how the Undergrass Boys explain the influences for their music. 
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: betamike on August 24, 2010, 05:23:06 PM
I seem to recall many cartoons with this washtub bass....which may be clouding my memory of an actual band using it.

Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: Duelist on August 24, 2010, 08:48:37 PM
It's been a while since I've seen the Baldknobber Show on Hwy 76 but didn't one member of the band use to play the washtub bass? 
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: Junior on August 25, 2010, 04:36:07 PM
Regarding Baldknobbers...yeah, I think in the early days '50's & 60's, comedian George Aggernite did play the washtub bass.
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: rubedugans on September 09, 2010, 10:57:10 AM
I am a dabbler in musical instruments of all kinds. The cheaper, the better, and if I can make it, even better! Cigar Box Ukes, Washtub basses, anything I can craft from existing objects or instruments I will try. I came across this website after this thread popped up. It has SO MANY instruments that I am planning on building when I get time...like that will happen right? Many are weekend projects that I can hopefully knock out over the winter months.

This week I am going to start collecting supplies for a few, and maybe I can get into an open mic night playin' my homemade instruments out of everyday objects.... We will soon see!

List:
Washtub/ Trashcan Bass
Tennis Racquet Banjo
Old guitar, or box Hurdy Gurdy
Fretless banjo from a cookie tin
PVC pipe bagpipes
And a bunch of others

http://www.dennishavlena.com (http://www.dennishavlena.com)
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: Ozark Outlaw on September 09, 2010, 02:30:24 PM
I think you have some great ideas for a weekend project. If you are able to get some of your friends, and family involved you could have your very own "homemade" band so to speak.

Silver Dollar City should open up their own music store of sorts, and one of the things they could sell is instruments, or kits made from parts, or supplies like you described.  :)
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: Junior on September 09, 2010, 04:10:42 PM
Two SDC employees discussed putting in a music store as far back as the late 70's. OLD GUY and his buddy "Milo" talked about it way back then, but nothing ever came of it. SDC has some high rates when it comes to being an operator of a "lease" shop on the park. Of course, the rent is high because 2 million potential customers pass by your shop every year. I don't know of any lease shop at the park that ever lasted more than just a few years.
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: rubedugans on September 09, 2010, 10:36:05 PM
Alright, I have the old 1970's tennis raquet for the banjo, and the needed wood for the , I am going to cut it tomorrow, and hopefully build it this weekend from scratch.

I also will finish cutting the pieces for my aeolian wind harp in hopes to finish that as well a few years after I initially started it!

Photos will be up tomorrow...
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: KBCraig on September 11, 2010, 04:34:57 AM
Very cool, Rube.  :)
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: rubedugans on September 11, 2010, 10:10:59 PM
Hit a road block or two...but I am moving along rather well on the banjo for day one.
I first sanded off one side of the handle only to find that the handle was hollow-leaving a big hole open where the fretboard/ neck would be. I planed down a piece of scrap oak to 1/8" and glued that to the handle. Next I routed/ sanded the edges to be flush with the existing neck. I then made a dowel to fit the void that was left in the handle.

Day 1 cost: free tennis raquet, scrap wood, used tuning pegs from an old guitar (free)
(http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu218/rubedugans/IMG_0775.jpg)
(http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu218/rubedugans/IMG_0779.jpg)
(http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu218/rubedugans/IMG_0787.jpg)

Next I am going to drill the holes for the tuning pegs. I have to track down a used piece of mylar/ a used drum head for the head, and find 3 screws for the string mounts/ and 6 for the tuning pegs, create a nut, and a bridge from the rest of the scrap oak, and fing some strings/ line and I am in business.

So hopefully once I find the mylar I'll be on my way to finishing it, for now I am on hold :-\
Maybe I'll talk to the local music store...I just don't wanna pay for a new drum head that I am going to cut up!
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: rubedugans on September 11, 2010, 10:23:23 PM
This is a view of the aeolian wind harp that I began for my father a few years back, that I am getting around to finish. It depicts Aeolus Greek god if the wind blowing a clipper ship.
(http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu218/rubedugans/IMG_0783.jpg)
Detail of sound hole:
(http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu218/rubedugans/IMG_0786.jpg)
I have to mount the tuning pegs, and create a lid for the harp. and hopefully after all this time it actually resonates, and makes a sound. My choice of wood when I began was a bit on the heavy side...in hind sight I would have formed the body out of 1/2-1/4" instead of 3/4". I will soon know if all the work was in vain!
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: rubedugans on September 12, 2010, 10:08:57 PM
I think I might have located my mylar sheet! I visited with my old band mates this evening in town from Oregon, and low and behold his drum set here had an old head that was used as a frisbee in the basement...Tomorrow I get to see if it fits the banjo...Fingers Crossed! :-\
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: KBCraig on September 13, 2010, 03:34:26 AM
That's cool, Rube. I look forward to seeing your finished project!

Are you putting tuners on the neck, or the tail?

Edit to add: I really need to make a cigar box or even oatmeal box whanger as a demo for my youngest, who is really eager to start playing guitar, but completely impatient about learning how. I figure a visual lesson in string tension and diameter will help him understand notes.
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: rubedugans on September 13, 2010, 08:43:02 AM
There will be 2 geared tuning pegs at the tailpiece, and one geared at the head stop/ top of the neck. 3 in total. I could put a friction peg about 1/3 down the neck for a "fifth string" type set up for the fourth string, BUt I will wait to see hoe this sound first. I am by no means expectng an orchestral sounding piece. Judging from the youtube videos, it plinks, and thats about it...I just want to see how far I can get on it before I have to actually spend anything!

Geared pegs came from a first act brand started guitar I pulled out of a trash can on my way to work last year...so far cost= $0.00!!! I will have to buy superglue here real soon. When it comes to strings...I will have to cross that path of quality vs cost. I can go with fishing line-weed whip cord, or traditional strings. I will see when I get to that point what I can do.

If I get some glue today I will post those pics tonight.
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: Ozark Outlaw on September 13, 2010, 09:30:38 AM
I really like the artwork on the wind harp Rube! ;D I hope when it gets completed that it will become nice family treasure of sorts.

The banjo project seems to really be gathering steam. With the exceptions of a few hurdles here, and there, I think you will have your own musical instrument in no time. You are turning out to be quite the craftsmen.

I look forward to your updates! :)
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: okiebluegrass on September 16, 2010, 03:45:30 PM
I played in a band here in Oklahoma City that tried out a guy with a trashcan bass. It was something else.
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: rubedugans on September 28, 2010, 12:58:24 PM
Alright I located almost all of the necessary parts and hopefully after this week, I can finish this banjo up and move onto the trash can bass (which should only take an hour or two.)

My only missing pieces for the banjo are the staples, I am out of staples and I don't want to buy any! I want to do this totally with free, or with found objects...granted I paid 1$ for glue, staples wouldn't be much of an expense...

Strings are supposed to be fishing line...but my only spools are 10 and 15 lb line, where as the only example I found was using heavy gauge shark line or something (okay not quite) but I have no 30lb line laying around, nor would I want a whole spool of the stuff just for this project. I am gonna swing by bass pro next week and see what they can offer me

Tuning pegs are ready to mount. The hardest part was drilling the precise placement of the lower 2 pegs WITHOUT hitting a racquet string.

(http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu218/rubedugans/IMG_0801.jpg)
(http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu218/rubedugans/IMG_0803.jpg)
(http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu218/rubedugans/IMG_0805.jpg)
(http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu218/rubedugans/IMG_0800.jpg)
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: rubedugans on October 06, 2010, 08:29:00 PM
As with other posts, I have fallen behind for a few reasons. Firstly, work has been more hectic than usual. Secondly I pretty much broke my thumb (ruptured ulnar collateral ligament-imagine blowing out your knee, in a thumb form where it meets up with your hand!)

I did get a chance to chip away at the banjo. Head is attached, tuning pegs are on, all I need is a bridge, and a nut, and I am good to go. Photos when it is done (hopefully mon or tues) Atleast it will be ready when my hand heals!
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: sjrogers on October 07, 2010, 05:35:53 PM
This is probably not the group you were referencing but the Blue & Gray Pickers out of Lone Jack, Missouri use a wash tub base.  This picture was taken at SDC in 2002.
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: MissinTheGreenTrams on October 07, 2010, 07:24:58 PM
Rube-I made a shelf in shop once, had to square the wood and route it and stain it....looked mighty nice till I made it outside with it then it fell apart. Lucky it held until I got the grade!!
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: rubedugans on October 24, 2010, 12:37:07 PM
Alright...Once my other thumb heals, I will finish the Banjo. Yes, sadly I said other thumb. Lets just say I accidentally checked the sharpness of my band saw blade with my thumb. One week later, it is butterflied shut, and is hopefully going to heal alright with limited damage. If you can imagine, it is pretty hard to have a blown out thumb, and a lacerated thumb at the same time! It'll give me time to finish reading Junior's book though!
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: Ozark Outlaw on October 24, 2010, 04:02:58 PM
Well, thanks for the update Rube! I would give you a thumbs up for a job well done, but I digress.  ;)

After you have literally poured your blood, sweat, and tears into this project, I can't wait to see the finished product! :)
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: Aunt Mollie on August 13, 2012, 10:41:45 AM
In a music Class I had at School of the Ozarks, we were required to form a group and create a musical instrument. We had an experienced musician in our group who made a washtub base with a twist.  Instead of pulling the broomstick back and forth the way George did in theBaldknobbers, he drew fret lines on it. While everyone else demonstrated plinging random notes on boxes, with rubber bands, he made that old tub base sing a rather rousing " Smoke on the Water." I suppose I still owe him for that A!
Title: Re: Washtub bass: anyone else remember it?
Post by: rubedugans on August 15, 2012, 10:49:38 AM
I am going to have to revisit this thread! I never did finish that banjo! It still sits awaiting a bridge and more appropriate strings. Thanks Aunt Mollie for helping me remember this project!