While I prefer antique National washboards, I am playing a new Columbus one right now. I seem to be running through them at least monthly. I can't get one that won't fall apart when I get a hold of it.

I have a "Laundry Queen" brand rubboard that I embellished with "sharpe" markers to give it more of a Mardi Gras look. I play harmonica with one hand and in the other hand I hold spoons which I either play alone or use to rub the washboard that is on a string around by neck. It's my first washboard which I found in front of someone's house along with a washtub and a mop that they were just giving away. What a find! It was a bit loose at first to I used some wood screws to tighten it up. After using it for busking for a few weeks it is starting to have gouges in the wood from the spoons. What do you use to "rub" your washboard with? I'm thinking of replacing the damaged upper wood crossbar with a new one made of harder wood that may give it a longer life. I never thought it would be so much fun playing a washboard! I used it with my now defunct jug band but currently I'm just doing a one-man band act and it seems to work well!

Hey ya'll, Myname is Greg. I play on a new Columbus bought from muscian friend. I play in a bluegrass band called Hunker Down, where everyone plugs in so out of necessity I too have pluged in. I use an ecoustic guitar pick up, and run it through several effects, it's pretty cool, I can get plenty of different tones which is nice because I have no accessories. My first washboard was bought at an antique store. It was an antique Maid Rite that lasted about seven years through hard playing. I had to basically rebuild it a couple of times though, I finally had to retire it when some holes started showing up in the metal. I use two regular tablespoons and have broken some of them too. I am glad to find a community of washboard players out there, if any knows where I can find an old maid rite please let me know, I would greatly appreciate it. Untill next time, keep on scrubing!!!

I got one of those Columbus Washboard Co. "musical" boards. It's got a stainless steel rub surface and a teak frame. Is that what you have? It seems a lot tougher than the real "antique" board on which I destroyed the tin sheet metal with my spoons. What are you using on those poor boards that they die so quickly- looks like metal-tipped gloves in your pics. Is it the crimped sheet metal that goes first or the wood frame?

I play an all stainless steel, professional gauge, zydeco washboard. It was crafted specifically for percussion purposes in Church Point, LA. Not to impugn the wood frame, but for me, it's stainless or nothing. Very loud.

i get mine from an antique store on 8th in the heights. i just pick through and experiment. i usually don't like any of them at first cause the sound is always
different. i get used to it though-the sound. i'll post a photo of my first board soon.
it is worn through the metal and blood stained. its also backwards beacause a guy did a naked backflip at a show and landed into it. i passed out and when i woke up
it was put back together upside down by naked backflipper....i love music!

Hi everyone,

I just joined the group, have only been playing for 4-5 years now and finally am feeling up to it. I use a Zinc King on top of a National Brass 801. I’ve always like the feeling of the Zinc King and since we often play acoustically it’s nice that it isn’t to loud. I’ve used stainless steel but wanted a lower pitch which is why I tried brass and immediately fell in love...
I use thimbles and brushes too, mostly nylon at the moment, and play in a blues band over here in swissland were I live.

Cheers!