[Dixielandjazz] Washboards - what and where?

[tcashwigg at aol.com]

  Sorry Luis, I can't pass up the chance to poke a bit of friendly fun 
at the Washboardists on the list.

 So this is submitted very disrespect fully. :))

 Cheers and Jeers and Beers all around: :))

 Tom Wiggins
  Who sometimes attaches his Washboard to his Bass Drum, but only if we 
have an accordion player on tour with us to play zydeco.
 Saint Gabriel's Celestial Brass band

 I have inserted rude comments where apropos.
 Luis in Portugal writes: 
  
  >In the band I am leading, we are currently using drums in the 
rhythmic 
 >section. However, we are thinking about start using a washboard (and, 
 >probably, get rid of the drums!).

  Yeah Sure Luis go ahead and get rid of the drummer and hire the 
laundry lady to play washboard, then change the name of your band to 
Old Soapy and the SUDS, :)) Now I can understand this maneuver if your 
touring and your wife does not want you to go on the road and be 
tempted by all those OKOM groupies and insists upon going with you. 
Make her the laundry lady for the band and the washboard player as 
well, and you get to sleep with her too, now if she sings a well holy 
smokes you can fire the chick singer too. :)) ha ha ha.


 The problem is: we are in Portugal 
  >and nobody seems to know what that is! I searched in the Internet 
but, 
 >as I do not know nothing about the subject it didn't helped a lot. 
 > 
 >Could someone give me some suggestions? It would be great to have: 
 > 
 > * Some advice on buying the instrument - we will use it both in 
 > concerts and in parades 


  In the southern USA, they are free for the taking in rural areas where 
they still use them for their intended inventional purpose, DOING 
LAUNDRY> Why pray tell would anybody want to BUY one. Now Stealing or 
Borrowing one is considered acceptable in some places. It gets the 
Laundry lady out of doing a load or two of laundry till her husband 
goes into town and buys her another one. :))

 > * Some links/contacts to companies/people that build washboards; 

 > * What are the needed accessories (for example, what is the name of 
 > those "things" to put on the fingers?) 
  
  Small condoms come to mind as the galvanized finish tends to come off 
and discolor ones fingers, ha ha. :))

  I usually just borrow a set of metal spoons from any restaurant in the 
vicinity in the event I forget to throw a set into the travel case. :)) 
Got busted with a pair in my hidden pants pocket at an airport security 
check point in Milan, Italy a while back, seems I dropped them in to a 
pocket on the leg of the pants and forgot I had done so. I kept setting 
off the metal detector and was almost down to my underwear trying to 
find out what was setting it off. The Band was laughing their butts off 
at me for backing up the check in line and they were sure I was going 
to cause us to miss the flight too. Of course touring musicians will 
laugh at almost anything after for weeks on the road with each other. 
:)) They are amused very easily, especially at the expense of a band 
mate.

  I'm glad you asked. The Columbus Washboard Company in Logan, Ohio, USA 
is, to my knowledge, the only company in the US still manufacturing 
washboards. 
  
 You can contact them at http://www.columbuswashboard.com/ 
  
 You can also see some pictures of my washboard on my website: 
  
 http://www.theboondockers.com 
  
  There is a section of the Columbus Washboard Company web site devoted 
to musical washboards. These are special washboards that use stainless 
steel instead of the usual galvanized metal. The tone is brighter and 
the washboards last longer than with a regular washboard. 

  I say! if you have seen and heard ONE washboard you have seen and 
heard them all :)) Any one of them will make the same NOISE in the 
basically the same KEY, either sharp metal or sharp glass.
  
  I use "thimbles" on my fingers to rub against the washboard to produce 
the sound. Thimbles are usually available at fabric shops where you can 
buy sewing supplies. They come in different sizes to fit your fingers 
(I use sizes 11 and 12). Thimbles are generally used in sewing and 
enable a person to push a needle through several layers of material 
without hurting your fingertips. 

  Thimbles are for sissy washboard players, the really tough macho ones 
use spoons, ha ha ha ha <:))
  Thimbles are used by Pecker type players and prevent their fingers 
from being pricked by sharp objects.
  
  However, you can use all sorts of metal objects to strike the 
washboards. Spike Jones even used drumsticks . . . it's a matter of 
choice for the musician. Try all sorts of things and then pick one. 

 I use wooden spoons for the muted effect, :))
  
  I also have a wood block (from my drum kit) attached to my washboard 
to produce that "knock - knock" sound. Cow bells are often attached to 
washboards and I've even seen cymbals attached to them. As a matter of 
fact, washboards can often get really loaded up with lots of odd 
sounding percussion devices to produce a variety of tones. It's up to 
the musician. 

  Actually I have a Drum Kit attached to my Washboard, along with 
assorted percussion objects and even real instruments, however it 
certainly defeated my efforts to have light weight equipment which was 
the primary reason to buy the 13 lb marching drums in the first place. 
Now I carry around a 13lb drum with forty lbs of percussion attached to 
it. :)) well remember I am a Drummer folks, what do you expect. Got a 
Cow bell attached that will draw in any cow within fifty miles, and a 
wooden block that will make folks get up and go answer the closest 
door. :))
  
  Then there is the matter of attaching the washboard to your body. A 
simple strap across the top to hang around your neck is quite easy to 
fix. I use a guitar strap and attach it to the washboard as if it were 
a guitar. Again, musician's choice and it's not difficult at all. 

  Now I am not going to go too far out on this one, just use your 
imagination and giggle at what comes to mind first, but I don't use a 
strap at all, just balance it and play, but then again that is what 
makes it a circus act, this procedure however can only be done when 
there are very attractive ladies in the audience scantily attired to 
stimulate the excitement necessary to actually do this maneauver.   
Best situation to perform this stunt is in a  Mardi Gras Parade with a 
fine group of dancers in front of the band. :))

  Playing the washboard is a delicate matter. Often people will simply 
hit the washboard and think they're "playing" it. The trick is to think 
like a drummer and adapt all the things drummers do on a drum kit to 
the washboard. It takes practice and creativity.

  Aw come on Bill everybody knows drummers don't think, Heck that's why 
they are being replaced by washboardist. :)) 

  Don't tell me you are opening a school Called "Clickity Clack Academy 
of the Washboard Arts" to teach washboard playing lessons
 for the urban culturally deprived. :))
  
  Finally, a word about the unique nature of the washboard. It's not as 
loud as a drum kit can be, but it does have what musicians call 
"cutting power." The sound of the washboard can carry through the other 
instruments and not get overpowered by a strong front line. Played 
properly, a washboard can "drive" a band like drums do.

  So True, they have been know to drive the bands totally Crazy and to 
brinks of musical suicide on occasion. :))

  However, the washboard is certainly more limited than a full drum kit 
and it takes skill to properly replace a drum set with a washboard. 

  Yes but one can save all the money of a trap set and take washboard 
lessons and still have enough money left over to buy a round or three 
of beers for the band. :))
  
  Done right, the result is worth it. Done poorly you're better off 
without it. 

  If you have a drummer and he ain't Broken, don't fix him, if he is 
broken by all means have him "FIXED"
  they fix cats and dogs and horses DON'T They? Never let a bad or 
broken drummer reproduce, :))

  
 Respectfully submitted, 
  
 Bill Gunter 
 jazzboard at hotmail.com 
  
  
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