We had one about 63 years sgo My dad made it and for the string, he used a steel wire brake cable. For alternating the notes he put a bicycle brake handle on the top of the broomstick. It worked really well! It was a much nicer sound than the one on the video. My brother, who was about 10 used to play it my little brother played a washboard with thimbles on his fingers. I played a ukele banjo (like George Formby:s). Fabulous fun! 😊
Wow! That takes me back. I remember making one of those 50 years ago. Can't remember what became of it. Probably should have hung onto it. By the sounds of it it could have been worth a bit today LOL Cheers Ferdy
Well, I don't know if I can find a tea chest, but dad said he'd look for a washtub for me the next time he's out in the mountains. A SirCoughsalot Skiffle Group is becoming more and more possible each day.
I saw three men from Martinique who played kalypso music at a most luxurious amphitheater in San Jose, Costa Rica. ¿¡Those three men!? Two played drums and one played a single stringed ‘kettle bass’! Those three men!!?! They made enough music to convince me that they weren’t a trio, but I was hearing a larger group of musicians, at least 8 people if I would have guessed!! AMAZING KALYPSO TRIO FROM MARTINIQUE!!
Im loving that bass and loving that tune. walking home today i saw someone throwing out 3! tea chests the same as your one...when I got home i made me a tea chest bass...its awsome! woo yeah
Very informative. On the Teachest bass that I play the guy who made it used bail twine rather that rope, but he does eventually replace it after a long while. So I can play without shredding my fingers. The sound you got there is really cool, a nice deep sound. Thanks for posting this video.
@lewdite Glad you liked Ken's style.. An evening at his club was very special. The band played a very joyous, authentic form of New Orleans jazz. In between sets, the skiffle group would take over. As you have agreed, it was light years away from the other groups. I have great memories, and it was very nice to hear your comments and performance. Do you know the other Colyer tracks on RU-vid.
@normwebs I did not know about Ken Colyer's Skiffle Group until many years later. Living in Canada I had limited exposure to the skiffle scene in the 1950s. I was familiar with Lonnie Donegan, The Vipers, and Chas. McDevitt for the most part. When I later discovered Ken Colyer I actually preferred his skiffle… more "authentic" in a way.
I used to play the tea chest bass with a group. The tea chest had to be cut down as I'm not very tall. The broom handle sat in the corner with a hole drilled in the opposite corner. I played it with a short stick the end of which was covered with copper.
@lewdite Sorry. Somehow I missed anr mention of Brownie. Glad to hear that you love this blues. And me. From the time I heard Ken Colyer do it in the mid 50s at his club, Studio 51. I had a group, the Fortyniners, and we used it, though nowhere in Ken's league. Remember 'Muleskinner Blues', 'Downtown Train' 'Ella Speed' ? I do feel the Ken Colyer group, with John Bastable, was far ahead of all others. As you know, there are examples on 'You Tube'.
I was told long ago to put the hole in the middle of the tea chest to get maximum vibration (and put the broom handle in the corner) and to keep my foot just on the edge of the chest to stop it damping the vibes (or cut a length of garden hose, and put it along one edge and use your knee to hold the box down)
@normwebs I don't know if I have seen them all but I have seen many and I also have all of Ken Colyer's skiffle recordings. I met Monty Sunshine in 1989 at the 100 Club on Oxford street which led me to a get together with Lonnie Donegan the next night in Maidenhead. To this day I still keep in touch with Chas McDevitt. So you might say that skiffle is in my soul.
As a fellow artist I thought you might appreciate the CD cover art on these CD's. It is all your fault because when we made that CD two years ago (Songs My Father Taught Me To Love) you introduced me to Dan and I couldn't resist the opportunity of putting together a Lew Dite retrospective which took 7 CD's to complete.
Lew, you are one amazing musician! Thanks for sharing the inner workings of the Tea Chest Bass. 5 stars for this most entertaining video. I'm off now to take some skin off my skin (?). Bill
Hello Lew, Love your video & the sound you get from your bass. I too would like to make one, the problem is that I'm having trouble finding a tea chest so I thought I'd build my own using plywood so would you please be kind enough to give me the measurements of your tea chest. Thank You.
@ItsMeCrofty I have attached a bracket to the side. It is a bracket that has a spring-like clasp that I can just snap the broom handle into. The bracket is probably intended for garden tools etc.
Hi there, thankyou fir such a good post. I got my hands on a tea chest from 1935, it was my grandads and i wanted to turn it into a bass. the inside is papered with wwII articles. a proper piece of history. I make banjos too. thanks again
Jammer dat je het geluid niet echt goed kan horen... Kan je geen verschillende tonen maken door het touw hoger en lager bij de bezemsteel vast te houden?
Yeah, my thoughts, too. Neat little video and a fun instrument, but the notes of the bass don't seem to have much to do with the melody of the vocal. ;^)
Is this the same 'Sportin' Life Blues' written and performed by Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee ? How strange you should claim it was written by Chas McDevitt. I bet you think he wrote 'Freight Train' as well
What!? How is this music!?! I’m so confused. It just sounds like he’s banging on a string! Is it different in person? I’ve heard a “TCB” with other institutions , but the other instruments just are two loud to her over it..... next time someone asks me if I play an instrument .... Thank you for you video sir I did find it very entertaining. You should have left in the fall though!!!? If you’re his wife please send it. You sir could be famous! Actually watching the video, even before you fell I was thinking this thing is big and it’s tide to a home made spear that’s going to get a lot of pressure put on it. Thanks again I’m interested in all kinds of 0lder traditional music from all over. Now what’s a good real deal skiffle band? ✌️😹
There are several real deal skiffle bands. The Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group The Vipers Skiffle Group The Ken Colyer Skiffle Group and of course the king of skiffle… The Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group (especially his early stuff in the early to mid 1950s).
@normwebs Strange observation you've made here. Nowhere do I claim this song was written by Chas McDevitt, in fact, I wrote in the description "Sporting Life is a Brownie McGee song that the Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group taught me to love". Freight Train by the way was written by Elizabeth Cotton.
surely it's also cheaper and easier to eat mcdonalds than make your own burgers, but it's not the same is it? Long live the tea chest bass (and all other home made instruments)
