Upright Washtub Bass

[kai_ski]

I'm sure you guys get a fair number of "washtub" threads, but the only ones I found when I searched were either VERY old, or only applied to single-string sit-on-the-ground type basses.

Anyway, I'm interested in something like this:

YouTube - River - Cory Mon & The Starlight Gospel


Sounds pretty good (to me) as an amplified signal. It looks like he's using a pre-fab neck/fingerboard, and possibly even a standard bridge & tailpiece. It looks like the bridge is very high in reference to the top of the tub. Anyway, the dimensions, and playability look very similar to a 3/4 Double Bass. Looks like a really cool project for a folk/bluegrass guy like me.

Has anyone here ever built a 4-string upright washtub bass like that?

[waleross]

That is the coolest one I've ever heard or seen. Looks to me like you'd have to research it to know how to build one similar.......Great sound for sure....Good luck...................

[Rebop]

I've seen a "million" of these in the rockabilly/roots/bluegrass scene. There are (or were) kits available, lots of "how to" articles on scratch builds and there are ready-to-go types (all just a google search away). If you only plan on using it amplified it's basically like using any other EUB (great ). Acoustically it sounds exactly as you would expect, however, some I've heard were better than others (meh ).

[punkozuna]

I've heard a bass made out of an automobile gas tank that sounded great.

Here's the washtub bass thing I ran across back when I was desperately trying to figure out how to get an affordable first bass. I never built one but the idea still intrigues me.

Build a real, 4-string upright bass using an upright washtub