Ever play a gutbucket?

[Bert Slide]

from wiki:

The washtub bass, or "gutbucket", is a stringed instrument used in American folk music that uses a metal washtub as a resonator. Although it is possible for a washtub bass to have four or more strings and tuning pegs, traditional washtub basses have a single string whose pitch is adjusted by pushing or pulling on a staff or stick to change the tension.

The washtub bass was used in jug bands that were popular in some African Americans communities in the early 1900s. In the 1950s, British skiffle bands used a variant called a Tea chest bass, and during the 1960s, US folk musicians used the washtub bass in jug band-influenced music



My Dad said he played one in a college band back in the early 60's. About ten years ago a guy brought one into the bar we were playing. We played with it after the show and it was so much fun the bartender finally had to kick us out to the parking lot because he wanted to go home. This one was just a washtub with a broomstick attached and some kind of rope for a string. Really a gas to play and similar to a fretless in that it takes a good ear to get the right pitch consistently.

I was thinking about building one and was wondering if any TB'ers had experience with these and might have some suggestions. Not sure on the best way to connect the broomstick neck to the tub and what to use for the best tone for a string, etc.

 

[nazroth]

I have made them out of five gallon buckets and shovel handles and weed eater strings. I cut a notch in the end of the neck and did not attach it i just put my foot on the other side and used it like a whammy.Thay are fun

 

[Bert Slide]

Weedeater string sounds like a good way to go if it is a really thick gauge and not too stretchy. I read a really old thread on the subject and one guy said he thought mt. bike brake cables were the best way to go. I think it would tear up your plucking fingers.

 

[Steve]

Use an eye bolt at the bucket and a screw eye at the top of the broom stick.
You use cloth clothes line for the string.

And if you're using it to play metal, tie the knots in the string with a hangmans noose.

 

[Bert Slide]

Would cutting some holes in the bucket improve the resonator quality of the bucket thereby increasing volume?

 

[tZer]

I played this one in a performance a few years back. It was a real trip. You play this one by holding down the base with a foot and pulling on the stick to stretch and relax the cable.

I played it using a bow, a mallet and by plucking. It was physically exhausting, but it was really cool.

 

[mongo2]

I made an "electric" version about 20 years ago using a shovel handle, a length of clothesline, a small plank of wood with a hole and screw eye in it and a Barcus Berry transducer. It worked well enough but I never played it out.

I still have the shovel handle.

 

[Steve]

Would cutting some holes in the bucket improve the resonator quality of the bucket thereby increasing volume?

Just throw a 57 or 58 underneath the tub.

 

[Bert Slide]

I played this one in a performance a few years back. It was a real trip. You play this one by holding down the base with a foot and pulling on the stick to stretch and relax the cable.

I played it using a bow, a mallet and by plucking. It was physically exhausting, but it was really cool.

That thing is awesome! Is that a clothesline for a string?

The one I played was that type too where you pull on the stick to get different tensions/notes. I know some are set up with a fixed neck that you fret the notes on but that doesn't interest me. Trying to dial in the right tensions to keep the I/V's thumping was half the fun.

 

[Bert Slide]

I made an "electric" version about 20 years ago using a shovel handle, a length of clothesline, a small plank of wood with a hole and screw eye in it and a Barcus Berry transducer. It worked well enough but I never played it out.

I still have the shovel handle.

5 more years and it's vintage!!! Wonder what the blue book is on that?

 

[Bert Slide]

Just throw a 57 or 58 underneath the tub.

Yeah I plan to mike it for playing with other instruments so def will be cutting a hole or notch for the chord path. I just thought maybe it would be advantageous to cut some f-holes in the tub for more acoustic volume and possibly better tone.

 

[Bert Slide]

Use an eye bolt at the bucket and a screw eye at the top of the broom stick.
You use cloth clothes line for the string.

And if you're using it to play metal, tie the knots in the string with a hangmans noose.

HAHA what's the best gutbucket for metal?

 

[tZer]

That thing is awesome! Is that a clothesline for a string?

The one I played was that type too where you pull on the stick to get different tensions/notes. I know some are set up with a fixed neck that you fret the notes on but that doesn't interest me. Trying to dial in the right tensions to keep the I/V's thumping was half the fun.

Yeah - that instrument was really cool! I was made by an artist, musician named Brian Ransom. He brought a stage full of his own creations including a fretless 7-string ceramic guitar, no less!

The string was a cable - a coated cable like you get from Home Depot. It goes through a goat skin stretched over a ceramic drum-like base.

It sounded great with a bow, plucked and struck.

 

[Bert Slide]

Cool idea using the drum base instead of tub. I would surmise the first gutbuckets used gut strings, hence the name.

 

[tZer]

Cool idea using the drum base instead of tub. I would surmise the first gutbuckets used gut strings, hence the name.

I actually think it's because the buckets used were actually 'gut buckets' - wiki

gross, huh?

 

[Bert Slide]

I actually think it's because the buckets used were actually 'gut buckets' - wiki

gross, huh?

Yeah I missed that part when I posted the wiki def in the OP. I guess little hog blood on your shoes and putting up with a foul odor was suffering for your craft back in the day.

 

[Bert Slide]

Hey if I post a "gutbucket build" in the luthier's corner forum do you think I'll get cruxified?

 

[4-stringB]

I made a basic washtub bass in the 70's, and I thought too much sound was stifled by tub sitting on the ground, So I made something like a freight pallet, with 2x4s and plywood.with 3 sides closed in. 36"x36"x6", with a round hole almost as large as the tub. sat the tub over the round hole. the opening on the end of the "pallet" was same concept as speaker cabinet port. Face the "port" towards the audience. I noticed the tub "diaphram" resonated much better, and my fellow pickers said it was definitely louder. You could make the pallet much lighter than mine, use 1x4s, not 2x4s, and 1/4in ply, 36x36x4 would probably be fine. Mine was a heavy mofo...Good Luck...PS, I swiped a metal flatwound string off the school's broken string bass, much better than rope or metal cable...

 

[Bert Slide]

I made a basic washtub bass in the 70's, and I thought too much sound was stifled by tub sitting on the ground, So I made something like a freight pallet, with 2x4s and plywood.with 3 sides closed in. 36"x36"x6", with a round hole almost as large as the tub. sat the tub over the round hole. the opening on the end of the "pallet" was same concept as speaker cabinet port. Face the "port" towards the audience. I noticed the tub "diaphram" resonated much better, and my fellow pickers said it was definitely louder. You could make the pallet much lighter than mine, use 1x4s, not 2x4s, and 1/4in ply, 36x36x4 would probably be fine. Mine was a heavy mofo...Good Luck...PS, I swiped a metal flatwound string off the school's broken string bass, much better than rope or metal cable...

Great idea about the sound box. Prob be better for dropping a mike in too. Using a real bass string is a great way to go too...how did I not think of that? DUH!


Thanks for the great ideas y'all!

 

[tZer]

One thing to consider is your posture. The instrument I posted not only required me to hold down the base with my foot, it also required me to bend over to play it. With all the stresses and strains of both holding it down and stressing and relaxing the cable, my back and knees were aching big time after five minutes.

You'll want something that lets you stand normally and doesn't require a lot of extra effort just to play. That could mean a higher base or a stand for the bucket if you use a regular bass (guitar) string. Upright strings are not cheap and they are only a little longer.