Pedal washboard

[joshmac]

TAH, any more info on the values of the additional electronic components in that small stomp(the caps or resistors)? Is it a hollow box type thing or is it a solid piece of wood with channels routed out for the piezo element and the wiring?

[daddymack]

 

Hmmmm....that's an interesting idea! Next time I go hit the flea markets, I'll look for another one (or three) and try your suggestion. Been wondering about how I might make the action horizontal, instead of vertical, as well.

 

if you could form the metal surface to the right radius, you could put the 'spoon' on a small dowel anchored to a pivot post with a spring return....which would allow you to really condense the size of the unit....dang it, I want half the patent income if this works out!

[Terry Allan Hall]

TAH' date=' any more info on the values of the additional electronic components in that small stomp(the caps or resistors)? Is it a hollow box type thing or is it a solid piece of wood with channels routed out for the piezo element and the wiring?[/quote']

 

A pair of 330uF in series to give [approx.) 165uF

 

150uF-100V Non-Polarized Capacitor

 

Pretty straight forward...if you still have any Radio Shacks open nearby, they'll likely have 'em.

[Terry Allan Hall]

 

if you could form the metal surface to the right radius, you could put the 'spoon' on a small dowel anchored to a pivot post with a spring return....which would allow you to really condense the size of the unit....dang it, I want half the patent income if this works out!

 

LOL...this gizmo just might be bigger that the Les Paul and Stratocaster combined!

[Terry Allan Hall]

OK, here's the newest version. I built a Toe Tapper into the right side, so that, through the two outputs, I can run the Toe Tapper into one PA channel, EQd to total bass, no treble or mids (therefore, sounds a lot like a bass drum), while the washboard part is EQ'd "flat" (treble, mids, bass neither cut nor boosted) and run into another channel. Used it last night at a restaurant gig and it worked very well.

 

One thing that I didn't anticipate, but pleases me, is how little "crosstalk" there is between the two pickups...the Tapper's pickup amplifies very little of the washboard, the washboard's pickup amplifies very little of the Tapper. I'm assuming that this is because the metal in the washboard part is not coupled tightly to the wood frame.

 

Going to paint it today and make it look a little neater.

 

A drummer friend is having me give his daughter mandolin lessons in return for him giving me basic drum lessons...he's really opened my eyes as to the possibilities of this simple gadget! Now, it's just a lot of wood-shedding until I can coordinate playing more interesting rhythms while singing, playing guitar and tootling on my harmonicas.

 

[deepflight]

Please post a larger picture? For whatever reason these are visible to me only as small thumbnails, the pictures you uploaded earlier opened a larger popup when clicked on.

 

Looks really cool though, from what I can see.

[Terry Allan Hall]

Please post a larger picture? For whatever reason these are visible to me only as small thumbnails, the pictures you uploaded earlier opened a larger popup when clicked on.

 

Looks really cool though, from what I can see.

 

Will retake some ASAP.

[Terry Allan Hall]

OK, finally remembered that I'd promised to put up pics (been pretty busy)...hadn't painted it yet, so it still looks a little rough.

:

From the top:

 

From the bottom:

 

Top output jack is for the Toe Tapper, bottom one is for the washboard. I tap with my right foot, work the washboard (tap the "slider" for a "sorta hi-hat" sound or slide it back and forth for a guiro/snare/alternate sound) with my left.

 

Performed at a local flea market last Saturday, made decent $$$, and got 3 orders for the "Delta Drum Set"...