22
Handmade Music FactorY
One-String washtub Bass
A HANDY SOLUTION
A washtub bassist once told me that he would buy
leather driving gloves and soak the right one in
water for an hour. He would then put it on his hand
when he went to sleep. The glove would shrink to
his hand and provide the perfect plucking glove for
washtub bass performance the next day, saving
his hand from rope burns!
1
Remove the handles.
When you have chosen your tub,
remove the handles using a pair of pliers.
2
Mark the bottom center of the tub.
Locate and
mark the center of the tub. Use a measuring tape if
necessary, but it should be easy enough to eyeball.
3
Drill the center hole.
Drill an appropriately sized hole
for one of the big eye bolts. The hole should be big
enough to allow the bolt through, but not much larger.
4
Install the eye bolt.
Insert the eye bolt through the bottom of the tub. Slip a washer
and nut on the stem of the bolt. Use an adjustable wrench to hold the nut as you tighten
the bolt down.
PREPARING THE TUB
MIKE
’
S TIP:
Use large fender washers
to reinforce the hole for
the eye bolt.
23
IN AUSTRALIA,
the washtub bass
is called the
BUSH BASS.
5
Mark up the legs.
Using the washtub bass leg pattern
from page 154, mark two holes in each of the legs.
6
Drill the holes in the legs.
Using a clamp and an
appropriately sized drill bit, drill the holes as shown.
Make sure to drill the legs over a piece of scrap wood
to prevent splinter-out. If you want, you could also drill
each leg separately.
7
Mark the leg locations.
Pick three equally spaced points around the rim of the tub to
place the legs. Line up each leg so there is about 1" (25mm) sticking down below the
rim. Mark the two holes.
8
Drill the leg holes.
Hold the washtub firmly and drill all
six holes.
9
Attach the legs.
Line up the legs with the holes on
the inside of the washtub. Insert a bolt through each
hole. Install a washer and nut on the outside part of
each bolt. Use an adjustable wrench to tighten down
the nuts.
PREPARING AND ATTACHING THE LEGS
MIKE
’
S TIP:
An alternate way to attach
the legs is to drill pilot
holes through the tub
and use wood screws to
attach the legs.
24
Handmade Music FactorY
One-String washtub Bass
PREPARING AND ATTACHING THE NECK
10
Mark the hinge
location.
Line up the
hinge so the barrel
is on the edge of the
neck’s bottom.
11
Attach the hinge to the neck.
If necessary, saw the
neck to the proper dimensions. Sand off any splinters.
Drill pilot holes for the hinge screws. Attach the hinge
with the included screws.
12
Position the neck on the tub.
Place the neck
directly above one of the legs (any leg) as shown.
Use a pencil to mark the holes on the bottom half
of the hinge.
13
Drill the tub hinge holes.
Hold the tub securely
against one foot to keep it from rolling, or place it
feet down on a work surface. Drill the screw holes
through the tub.
25
14
Attach the neck to the tub.
Using nuts, bolts, and
washers, attach the neck to the tub as shown.
15
Attach the spring’s bottom point.
To install your
screen-door spring, attach one end of the spring
to the lower bolt on the bottom hinge with a nut
and washer.
16
Drill the spring’s top point.
Pre-drill the hole for the
eye screw 3" (75mm) above the spring’s top point
when lined up with the neck. Screw in the eye screw.
26
Handmade Music FactorY