Hang ’em up to Stay! Take ’em down to Play!
Each washboard is made durably for playing but cool enough for just displaying.
Why washboards?
How’d I come about making art as an instrument? Like most Gen X’ers I saw old black and white movies that often had either white hillbillies or black jug/ragtime bands in a scene playing a washboard. I would not come across one in reality until I went to my first music festival in 1993 on the Mulberry River in Arkansas called the Booger County Boogie. Ted Smith played one in Shindig Shop. They didn’t play “buttoned-up” traditional bluegrass—they played a high-energy, rowdy style often called “Ozark Stomp.” I remember watching them leave the stage and walk around the crowd with the washboard leading the jam.
The second time I came across a washboard was in 1994 at a Phish show. The band would come up to the front of the stage and sing acapella with John Fishman playing a washboard to the Boston song “Long Time.” My next experience was a street musician on Decatur Street in the French Quarter. Then I came across a band named My Tea Kind. Their front woman, Bonnie Paine, played a washboard and had a beautiful voice. Those silk gloves with thimbles are fire.
My Craft
Huels Custom Washboards are handmade one screw, one bolt, one board at a time by myself alone. Every board is a work of art as well as an instrument. No mass production. The majority of boards are vintage (50’s, 60’s, 70’s) and found at flea markets. The attachments (traps) range from store bought, garage sale, Goodwill finds, and from any junk piles I come across.
Each Washboard is custom made with a combination of new and old attachments. The boards are built durably, and can actually be played. They are Americana Art that looks great on any wall. If the boards could talk, oh the stories they could tell. Some boards intentionally are not decorated to show their original brand, while others have deep wear and tear showing use through multiple generations. Some images are created and edited with A.I.
Don’t see a board theme you like, I’ll make one based on any topic you desire. Bands, songs, poems, personalized for Grandpa, sports teams, you name it. Special Commission requests can personalize any board to your wanted theme. No two boards are alike. Hand made, one at a time. Great for gifts, mancaves, kitchens, and anywhere you need a cool authentic piece of Americana art.
Thank you,
Michael Edward Huels
mehuels@yahoo.com
History of the WASHBOARD
The story of the washboard is a classic tale of American ingenuity—the kind where “making do” with what you have turns into a global musical phenomenon. It’s a journey from the soapy suds of the laundry room to the jazz clubs of New Orleans and the folk stages of the world.
The Humble Origins: A Tool for Toil
Before it was an instrument, the washboard was a grueling necessity of 19th-century domestic life.
- The Design: Originally, washboards were often made of a simple wooden frame holding a corrugated surface—first wood, then zinc, and eventually stainless steel.
- The Function: It was a “hand-cranked” laundry machine. People would rub clothes against the ridges to break up dirt.
Because washboards were found in almost every household, especially in impoverished communities in the American South, they were never more than a few steps away when someone felt the urge to start a rhythm.
Why Turn a Cleaning Tool Into an Instrument?
The transition from chore to chorus wasn’t an accident; it was born out of necessity and cultural fusion.
1. Lack of Access to Traditional Drums
In the post-Civil War South, many formerly enslaved people and poor laborers didn’t have the money for expensive European drum kits. Furthermore, historical “Slave Codes” had often banned traditional African drums because plantation owners feared they were being used to communicate.
The washboard provided a loophole: it was a percussion instrument hiding in plain sight. It was portable, loud, and incredibly durable.
2. The Sound Signature
The washboard offers a unique sonic texture that a drum cannot replicate. When played with thimbles, spoons, or bottle openers, it creates a “scraping” or “clicking” sound.
- The “Scratch”: This mimics the rhythmic scraping sounds found in traditional African and Caribbean music (like the güiro).
- The “Tap”: It provides a sharp, metallic backbeat that cuts through the sound of banjos and fiddles.
The Evolution of “Washboard Bands”
By the early 1900s, the washboard became the backbone of Jug Bands and Spasm Bands.
- The Spasm Bands: In New Orleans, kids would gather on street corners using “found objects”—washtubs for basses, jugs for horns, and washboards for drums. This raw, energetic style laid the groundwork for early Jazz.
- The Zydéco Revolution: In the 1930s and 40s, Louisiana Creole music (Zydeco) took the washboard and evolved it further. A musician named Cleveland Chenier worked with his brother Clifton to design the “Vest Frottoir.” * Instead of a wooden frame, they created a wearable metal vest made entirely of corrugated steel.
- This allowed the player to move, dance, and play with both hands while standing.
How to Play: Technique and Tools
Playing the washboard is about more than just rubbing metal. To get a “pro” sound, players usually follow a few standard setups:
| Element | Description |
| The “Sticks” | Most players wear metal thimbles on their fingers. Some use spoons or specialized rhythm sticks. |
| The “Traps” | Modern players often bolt “extras” to the wooden frame, such as cowbells, woodblocks, or small tin cans, turning it into a miniature drum kit. |
| The Stroke | It’s a combination of a downward “drag” for the shuffle and a sharp “tap” for the accent. |
Check out these videos about the history of washboards and their place in Americana. Bonus: some videos of great washboarding.