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My upright washtub
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=24478		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  John How [ Fri Nov 06, 2009 6:41 pm ]
Post subject:  My upright washtub
I was recently working on a musical project in my studio that needed and acoustic bass sound so I went looking for something that would work. As I am not in the habit f using software instruments I decided I needed something like the real thing. I found this washtub upright and decided to make one of my own. Here are some pics, a video and a link to the guy who designed it. It is neither difficult nor expensive to build and a whole lot of fun. And it sound reasonably like an upright bass at least to my ear and suits me just fine. It records pretty well and should work with live instruments as long as they are not too loud. It could be easily amplified as well.
Please take a look.
First, here is the link to the original - http://www.ehhs.cmich.edu/~dhavlena/db.htm
And some pictures of mine
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Author:  Tom West [ Fri Nov 06, 2009 6:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
John: Sounds super to me ...! Nice going,keep up the good work.
Author:  Joe Sustaire [ Fri Nov 06, 2009 7:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
That is great sounding John! [clap]
I'm going to have to build one to play with. Did you go with a plywood top plate! And what did you use for strings? I see you used a tailpiece, with that reduction in length were you able to use guitar type acoustic bass strings? Scale length? So many questions. :D

Thanks for posting this,
Joe
Author:  John How [ Fri Nov 06, 2009 7:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
The strings were the most expensive part of the whole with the tuners a close second. I got real bass strings for it but if you follow the lonk, the designer talks quite a bit about finding suitable weed wacker line sizes that work pretty well. The tuners came from stew mack but go to a repair shop and see if you can scrounge a used set. The top is 1/4" plywood with a spruce tone bar and sound post. I made my neck and fingerboard of sycamore. The plan showed a scale length of 40" but I think I made mine about 39". Of course your free to move the bridge a little to suit your self but don't forget to move the sound post with it, the sound post sits about a 1/2" behind the treble side bridge foot.
Author:  Marc [ Fri Nov 06, 2009 8:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
I like it John, it's cool, you play well too.
Author:  Pat Foster [ Fri Nov 06, 2009 8:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
Cool bass from Cool!
Author:  Piiman [ Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
Way Cool!!!
Thats awsome
Author:  DannyV [ Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
Very cool John! Taking that baby on the road would be fun. You might want to start in the Kootenay Mtns. here in British Columbia. Gig'n with The Padma! Oh Ya. I'll bring my washboard.

It looks like your studio is above your shop? And you appear to be having fun!

Cheers,
Danny
Author:  Antonio [ Sat Nov 07, 2009 6:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
Double cool bass!! [clap]
Author:  Dave White [ Sat Nov 07, 2009 7:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
John,

Dude - that is so cool 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

Even cooler is Dennis Havlena's website and the instruments he's made and shows you how to build there. I'm off to make a fiddle-hurdygurdy.

Thanks for posting this!!
Author:  FrankC [ Sat Nov 07, 2009 7:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
Very cool John. There is a band named Split Lip Rayfield and the bass players bass is an old truck gas tank. Wish I had half the imagination of people including yourself! Great job!
Author:  kb1fvx [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 7:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
Hi John, I made a similar one also. But mines from a 55 gal drum. Sound pretty good for what it is.

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Author:  jhowell [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 8:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
I see a trend! John's post so intrigued me that I have started collecting the parts and hope to have one up and slappin' by New Year's.

Found this link for strings: http://www.traditionmusic.com/main.html [:Y:]

A little psycho-billy from the OLF? laughing6-hehe
Author:  John How [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
kb1fvx wrote:
Hi John, I made a similar one also. But mines from a 55 gal drum. Sound pretty good for what it is.


That pretty cool too but I bet it's heavier than mine. Did you cut it off some? It doesn't look like it's as big as a 55 gal drum in the picture.

Jim, I'll watch for you pics too. Pretty soon were gonna need an acoustic bass page here on the forum!!
Author:  kb1fvx [ Fri Dec 04, 2009 8:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
jhowell wrote:
That pretty cool too but I bet it's heavier than mine. Did you cut it off some? It doesn't look like it's as big as a 55 gal drum in the picture.

John, yeah it's heavier than I really wanted it to end up, but I didn't want to make it too skimpy and cave in. :lol:
I cut the barrel off at the first ring. I used 1/4" luan for the soundboard, what did you use? I made the neck some heavier too, well maybe a lot heavier. laughing6-hehe
I need to put an end pin on it yet, I had an adjustable aluminum rod I had thought of using, but ended up thinking it might buzz so I left it out.
I originally was just going to make a washtub single string, but I when I tried it I realized it wasn't the sound I wanted. This is my first one, I call it the prototype. If I make another one it will be much lighter, I may also look into real wood top, and a better paint job.
Here's a couple more pics.
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Mike
Author:  John A [ Fri Dec 04, 2009 10:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
I followed the link in the first post - I want to make a whale drum !
Author:  mateo4x4 [ Fri Dec 04, 2009 11:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
John How wrote:
kb1fvx wrote:
Hi John, I made a similar one also. But mines from a 55 gal drum. Sound pretty good for what it is.


That pretty cool too but I bet it's heavier than mine. Did you cut it off some? It doesn't look like it's as big as a 55 gal drum in the picture.

Jim, I'll watch for you pics too. Pretty soon were gonna need an acoustic bass page here on the forum!!


Very nice! I always enjoy seeing folks try something new...that is how ideas go from experimental to reality!

The electric upright I did recently would fit nicely into an acoustic bass page as well...hollow body allows for unplugged play. :-)
Author:  Ken McKay [ Sat Dec 05, 2009 2:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
Nice bass John! I like the sound a lot.

Your bridge is nice and thin, that contributes to the volumeand woody tone quite a bit, good work on that. The top half of the bridge has to be thin to get the sound, otherwise it is like putting a mute on the bridge.

I don't know if you followed that plan exactly but if you did I would suggest to anyone else to tilt the neck back more. That way the downward pressure on the top will increase, resulting in more oomph.

It has a nice long neck for those high notes too.

A cool instrument.

What kind of strings on that?
Author:  fric [ Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
nice idea and fannnnnny :D
Author:  Colin S [ Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My upright washtub
Sorry John I missed this somehow. That is one cool instrument, and it sounds really fine. Looks like someting I could play left handed too, now you've got me thinking.

Colin
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