A Washboard Makes for a Stylish and Practical Percussion Instrument!

When bands try to do acoustic live shows or street performances, many drummers bring out a cajón.
Indeed, the cajón is an affordable percussion instrument that’s also easy to carry.

However, since everyone and their mother knows how to play the cajón, many people might want to stand out a little from the crowd and do something different.
For those people, the washboard is highly recommended.
It literally means “washing board.”

A washing board is a household item from the Showa era before washing machines became common, so it’s probably something that only people aged 60 and older can easily remember.

Actually, this nostalgic household item can actually be used as a musical instrument!
Basically, you make it yourself, so Sound House does not sell it (though you can buy the materials).
Even so, it’s easy to make with tools commonly found at home, so if you want one, try making it yourself.

■ What kind of instrument is a washboard?

A washboard is a ridged board used to remove dirt by rubbing clothing and towels against it.
These ridges act like a guiro in percussion instruments, and you can attach it to whatever you like and use the board as a base.

Splash cymbals and small cowbells are classic, but anything that makes sound can be used, such as measuring cups, bicycle bells, and so on.

Starting around 28 seconds into this video, you can hear the washboard performance by the creator, who seems to have made it themselves.
You can clearly see something that looks like a pot lid attached to it.

It’s often used in country music, but in reality, you don’t have to think it’s limited to any sort of genre.
Since the sound depends on how you customize it, one great thing about the washboard is that you can build the instrument to match the songs you play.

■ Where can you buy a washboard?

The base board might be sold at your local home center, but most of them are probably made of wood or resin.
Wooden boards likely produce a warm sound, but considering its durability, metal ones are better, so try searching online for a metal washboard.
You can find washboards with the ridged part made of metal, similar to a guiro.

Since guiros are made of wood, some might wonder if wooden washboards are okay too.
However, washboards are typically played by scraping metal thimbles against them.
If you rub metal on wood, the wood will quickly wear out.

When playing a guiro, it’s common to use sticks made of ivory or plastic.
If you really want a wooden washboard, it’s recommended to use something other than metal thimbles for playing.

■ Instruments to attach to a washboard

As I mentioned earlier, anything goes—whether it’s a pot lid or a measuring cup.
However, items not originally made as instruments tend to lack sustain or have lower durability.
Even if you attach various things, it’s good to also have a few stable-sounding instruments equipped.

PLAYTECH PMI6 Splash cymbal

Among splash cymbals, this 6-inch small one with an aged finish adds a nice character when attached to a washboard.

Splash cymbals typically come in sizes from 8 to 12 inches, but this 6-inch one fits the washboard sound well due to its shorter sustain.
It’s also attractive because you can get it for just under 2,000 yen.

PLAYTECH DCO45 Cowbell

Surprisingly, you can buy a cowbell for just 350 yen.
Its sound is something that might seem replaceable but really it isn’t.
It’s great to line up household items on a washboard, but you’ll also want to attach an accent sound like a cowbell.

LP CP376 Tambourine

This is also a compact 6-inch size, so it attaches without feeling out of place.
A good spot to attach it to is to have it hang under the washboard.
Besides using it as an accent, you can remove it and play it as a regular tambourine, making it convenient.

○ How to DIY a washboard

There are videos by YouTubers showing how to make one, so please check them out.

The items you attach vary depending on the person, so materials differ, but basically you can get everything at a home center.
That said, many people probably already have screws and a screwdriver at home.

It’s a simple task of attaching whatever you like wherever you like, but you have to be careful of one thing.
For heavier items like cowbells or things you hit hard like cymbals, it’s better to reinforce the screws with wood glue when attaching them.
If the screw holes become loose, you’ll have to move them to another spot.

■ To summarize

I searched online to see if I could find any completed washboards being sold, but I couldn’t find any.
It seems you have to buy the board and then make the rest yourself.

However, isn’t the charm of the washboard also in the fun of making it yourself?
You might discover the sound you want from unexpected items around you, and toy instruments or broken instruments can surprisingly fit well.
If you try something and it’s not what you expected, it’s easy to swap out parts for others.

Since it’s still rare to see people using washboards in acoustic live shows and such, just owning one is sure to draw attention.

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