Homemade Bass

I heard once about some guy in South Carolina, or somewhere like that who makes basses like that. I played one of his that was an upright bass neck mounted on a washtub. It was truly awesome.

I've never seen one like that. Usually the washtub basses (not that 'usually' is a good word, because they're rare) I've seen have been a metal washtub laying face-down, with a notched broom or mop handle on the bottom edge and a thin rope or washline cord from the top of the handle to the middle of the washtub's bottom. You either pull the stick back to get higher notes, or move your hand down the stick. This one's neat because it looks like the handle (neck) doesn't move (much).

The second photo - is that a mic stand pointing down into the back of the thing?

Really cool!! Thanks for the pic. :)

That is a Stellar bass.

Kent_eh, if you don't mind me asking, do you like living in Winnipeg? I ask because my sister is spending the summer there with her boyfriend and his family, and I'm curious as to what it's like because I don't often hear much on the city?

Thanks

Paul

he second photo - is that a mic stand pointing down into the back of the thing?
It's another stand in the background.
He had a SM58 sitting on a chunk of foam in the back, that's what he used for a pickup. The PA guy had a PZM sitting beside the '58 to feed the mains.

According to their web site, the idea (if not the actual plans) came from a 1963 advertisement in a comic book.

Judgeing by the pictures they have on their web site, he's replaced the "muckbucket" at least a couple of times.

Off He Goes
Kent_eh, if you don't mind me asking, do you like living in Winnipeg? I ask because my sister is spending the summer there with her boyfriend and his family, and I'm curious as to what it's like because I don't often hear much on the city?

Yeah, I do. I've lived here since '97

It's a good place to live. Lots of music everywhere. (ya gotta do something indoors during those long winters! )

Send me a PM if you wanna chat.

dude thats awesome

Skiffle music in Britain (a major influence on four young lads from Liverpool) used homemade "tea chest" basses. I wonder if they were similar to what's in your photo. (I have really no idea what a tea chest is, so it's pure speculation on my part!)

Off He Goes
Kent_eh, if you don't mind me asking, do you like living in Winnipeg? I ask because my sister is spending the summer there with her boyfriend and his family, and I'm curious as to what it's like because I don't often hear much on the city?

Yeah, I do. I've lived here since '97

It's a good place to live. Lots of music everywhere. (ya gotta do something indoors during those long winters! )

Send me a PM if you wanna chat.

Thats cool, I just wanted to make sure there was a music scene there for her. She lives in St. John's now, and George Street has a great music scene.

I know all about those winter months too, it was warm and sunny here for a week after what we all thought was Shelia's brush, and now its winter again. Snow everyday, big winds, its sucks.

Musenfreund said:

Skiffle music in Britain (a major influence on four young lads from Liverpool) used homemade "tea chest" basses. I wonder if they were similar to what's in your photo. (I have really no idea what a tea chest is, so it's pure speculation on my part!)

A tea-chest was actually a largish wooden crate - used for shipping tea, as the name implies. They were made of a light wood (balsa?) and the bass was made by putting a broom-handle in the chest, with a piece of string attached. The notes were changed by moving the broom-handle backwards and forwards, thus changing the tension of the string.

I think I've got a pic of one somewhere - I'll try and find it!

:D :D :D

Vic

Here's a YouTube vid of one.

Another favourite of skiffle groups was the washboard, played with thimbles on the fingers.