Stomp Board

[totamus]

As a fan of Chris Smither, I thought I would try to duplicate his stompboard sound. By doing a little research on the web (and the web never lies...) I found out he doesnt carry a stompboard with him, it is a piece of particle board and an SM57, and it is part of his contract to be provided at each gig (at least according to a guy that ran sound for him one time)

 

So I looked around at what I had lying about about. Sure enough a suitable piece of particle board and a mic that came free with a mic stand (Helluva deal by the way. Tripod, boom, mic and 20' xlr cable for $19.99 - and all are decent). I took the element out of the mic, attached it to the front middle of the board, ran it into my Crate Limo and sat down with my guitar.

 

Very impressive sound! It did indeed sound like Smither's, although I didnt sound like him ar all (tragically my feet and my upper torso operate at completely different rhythms - something I can control until I get into intricate guitar, then the feet do whatever they want).

 

I am very pleased, and will work to overcome the rhythmic disconnect my feet display whenever I get into difficult guitar parts.

 

Try it, you'll like it!

 

Here is Chris using his:

[AugTPD]

Terry is kind of the resident expert around here for these types of things. I know I recently pointed out the Ellis Stompbox to him and he ended up building one. It's a very small little contraption that gives a decent little thump. You can check it out at ellisguitars.com

 

Did you post a video there? Might just be my browser or something but nothing shows up but a big white box.

[Terry Allan Hall]

Terry is kind of the resident expert around here for these types of things. I know I recently pointed out the Ellis Stompbox to him and he ended up building one. It's a very small little contraption that gives a decent little thump. You can check it out at ellisguitars.com Did you post a video there? Might just be my browser or something but nothing shows up but a big white box.

 

Been selling a lot of my version of Ellis' design (called the Texas Toe Tapper )...much easier to carry in a gigbag than a sheet of partical board, too!

 

 

Semi-finished one...still got to do the final painting...

[daklander]

That vid shows the mic location on the particle board.

 

Why'd you attach the element if the mic works so well?

 

Oh, notice he plays right thigh too?

[Scodiddly]

Cleverest version I ever saw was just the lid (maybe 20"x15"?) off the road case for pedals and such. The owner had mounted a Crown PCC-160 inside the lid complete with a chassis-mount XLR in the side. You probably don't need that nice a mic, though.

[totamus]

 

That vid shows the mic location on the particle board. Why'd you attach the element if the mic works so well? Oh, notice he plays right thigh too?

 

 

right thigh???

[daklander]

 

right thigh???

 

 

Yeah, when sitting the guitar is on the right thigh, not the left.

Comes from Queequeg's post on the pictures with a guitar thread about him holding the guitar on the wrong thigh for all these years. I think all the pics on the thread showing someone sitting down with the guitar have it on the right thigh.

Seems like classical players place the guitar on their left thigh and I believe I've seen that as the preferred method but lots of us non-classical players use the right thigh.