The Gretsch Pages: Discussions: The Bass-ment: Want a porchboard, someone help???

Want a porchboard, someone help???

- Rated: 114 ↑
Mar 21, 2008 6:20 a.m. wenzel:

I want to build my own porchboard, not the kind on your porch, one of these. http://cgi.ebay.com/Porch-Board-Portico-Bass-and-Bag-porchboard-foot-bass_W0QQitem...

I had a good friend of mine Dave Ralston from Okinawa use one live at one our gigs we played together. I am curious if anyone knows how to build one of these? It has to be easier than building an effect pedal. ADR???

Anyway, they have their own site. http://www.porchboard.com/ They are just way too expensive for just a foot powered kick drum sound. These are really the coolest thing when you are jamming with 2 or 3 people and just want a little thump going behind you. It sounds surprisingly realistic like a bass drum.

Thanks...
- Rated: 56 ↑
Mar 21, 2008 7:32 a.m. yettoblaster:

A lot of bass players I know could be replaced by just kicking on a big cardboard box in the background.

We call 'em "phantom bass players."
- Rated: 50 ↑
Mar 21, 2008 8:00 a.m. jukebox:

There is a place in austraila that make them reasonably. It's called jupiter creek muisic, he calls them a stomp box. He sells them for about $40.00. He also makes electric ukes and electric strumsticks. I have one of each from him. Great to deal with. He might have something in his ebay store now, jupiterceek.
- Rated: 44 ↑
Mar 21, 2008 8:13 a.m. Richard Hudson:

I've heard that Chet used to lay a mic at his feet while recording; in the later years especially. Although that wouldn't work too well in a live situation.

My buddy, Tommy Emmanuel, stomps his foot all the time while he plays - part of his band. They had some of those porch boards at the Chet convention a couple of years ago and they really are cool; but as Chris said, a little pricey.

Richard
- Rated: 19 ↑
Mar 21, 2008 8:17 a.m. cielski:

$5 contact mic and a slab of pine ought to do it.

Who's the banjo player that used a slab of plywood to accomplish the same thing?
- Rated: 43 ↑
Mar 22, 2008 7:10 a.m. Jeff O(nly My Opinion):

Got a drum machine? Don't they have ports for external sensors?

My Roland V-Drums and Alesis 16 could do exactly what you're looking for.

And Wenzel, if you're so fknunig smart, why you puttin' this in the BASS-MENT?

This ain't the DRUM-MENT, c-ment head?

Note: for the cruelty of that last remark, I will wear my Wenzel's shirt today
- Rated: 114 ↑
Mar 22, 2008 7:14 a.m. wenzel:

haha, but it makes a Bass drum sound, hence the Bass-Ment! lol
- Rated: 43 ↑
Mar 22, 2008 5:54 p.m. Tsar Nicholas :

John Lee Hooker was happy with just his foot and so should you be!
- Rated: 114 ↑
Mar 22, 2008 6:01 p.m. wenzel:

Tsar, the only problem is I don't have a porch and nothing my foot could step on acoustically is loud enough to drown out my Country Club!!! Dammit! I guess I'm gonna have to buy a porch board for $200 some odd dollars... ughhh...
- Rated: 50 ↑
Mar 22, 2008 6:18 p.m. jukebox:

Chris go to www.jupitercreekmusic.com in the menu go to stompers, you will find what your looking for. They sell for around $40.00 on ebay for the smaller one. The med size is $70.00 and the large size is $90.00.
- Rated: 28 ↑
Mar 23, 2008 9:03 a.m. Wishinfora(nother)Falcon:

Do any of you Southern guys remember the Chickasaw Mudpuppies? The singer used to sit in a rocking chair and stomp for the bass. I couldn't say for sure, but I don't remember it being hooked into any kind of amp. It may have been miked. It surely worked just fine in a loud live setting.

From what I recall the board was set at an angle like a pie piece. The sound carried really well.

The youtube clip kinda sucks, but these guys were an awesome band. Willie Dixon actually produced one of their albums!

Edit-more info:Brant Slay played harmonica and sang from a great big old green rocking chair. Underneath the chair was a raised platform he called a stompboard. It was a plywood contraption that supported his chair and took the steady stomping that supplied the beat for the band. The stompboard actually had a mic that was hooked up to the sound board.
- Rated: 10 ↑
Mar 28, 2008 6:29 p.m. pissdupfool:

seasick steve uses a stompbox he calls the mississippi drum machine. its just a box with a mississippi license plate nailed on and a piece of carpet on top. from what i gather, you then simply feed a microphone underneath with a bunch of rags stuffed in, and run the mic through an eq to your amp so you can adjust the sound to your liking.

here's steve in action with his, sounds good and audible even though he's playing fairly loud.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNoPNC3ebYQ

seasick's one of my heros, makes a great case for losing a string or two.
- Rated: 114 ↑
Mar 28, 2008 7:42 p.m. wenzel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9pVwWQrU94

Here's the sound of the porchboard. I have to admit that it sounds better than the license plate! lol
- Rated: 10 ↑
Mar 28, 2008 7:52 p.m. pissdupfool:

i dunno wenzel, i think i prefer the diy vibe, though i admit the pairing of the MDM and your shiny new annie would be an ill match.

i saw this on the sidebar of your post http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvThXBBa8Ds&feature=related

taking the patting-your-head-whilst-rubbing-your-belly to new levels!
- Rated: 50 ↑
Mar 28, 2008 7:52 p.m. jukebox:

Like I said check out Jupiter creek music in Aussie land! His are a lot cheaper in price. Have some one in Austraila check it out. It's www.jupitercreekmusic.com then hit the button that says stompers. I have had him make things(baitone uke and a strummer) for me and it excellent. He wont do you in! check him out!
- Rated: 114 ↑
Mar 29, 2008 1:37 p.m. wenzel:

Jukebox, if they have the same deep thud sound as the porchboards, I'm all over it! Have you heard one? I'm gonna have to go back and see if they have sound clips.

p'd Up Fool, MDM didn't have that same sound, otherwise I like the idea. I'll have to think about it, but the Australian version is pretty cheap too. I love the sound of a cajon for flamenco music, but I don't always have someone to play it, so me stomping my foot is free and readily available to me more than a cajon player.
- Rated: 50 ↑
Mar 29, 2008 9:33 p.m. jukebox:

Do you play upright bass? If so, I might have some thing for you!
- Rated: 114 ↑
Mar 29, 2008 9:41 p.m. wenzel:

Of course I play upright bass!!! I play anything with strings! hahaha, whatchu got in store for me???

Thanks, Chris
- Rated: 21 ↑
Mar 29, 2008 9:49 p.m. bobcat:

Chris, I used to tap my toe on my old mike stand and it would boom like heck. I had one with the weighted bottom not a tripod style. One of those old round flat heavy jobs that everybody used in the 70's.
- Rated: 114 ↑
Mar 29, 2008 9:53 p.m. wenzel:

Bobcat, I have one of those stands still too. I'll have to try that sometime!
- Rated: 50 ↑
Mar 29, 2008 9:54 p.m. jukebox:
- Rated: 43 ↑
Mar 30, 2008 9:03 a.m. Jeff O(nly My Opinion):

Wenzel don't play upright. He plays that mexican thing.

I play upright - here's proof

Upright

Chris, what you need is just a DI box with graphic equalizer and a piezo mike ($10). Attach that to some sort of wood, and you got the makings of your porch board.

I guarantee that's all they're selling. The trick is they found the right combination of wood.
- Rated: 114 ↑
Mar 30, 2008 9:05 a.m. wenzel:

Cool, and I have a piezo pickup just lying aroung too. I need to wire up an output jack and then I'll be set. Now to find some wood lying around...

I've played a few uprights. I was actually thinking about buying a King bass Slap King. Just for studio use, unless I could find a band in need of an upright player.
- Rated: 43 ↑
Mar 30, 2008 9:09 a.m. Jeff O(nly My Opinion):

Chris, the trick is probably just like on my upright. You need some sort of equalizer control, because the bass sound is greater and softer in different conditions, depending on the wood.

Second, you need to use redneck fix all (duct tape) to attach it, and first put the tape on your jeans to pick up some lint. This way you can move it to adjust the sound.

When I use my fingerboard piezo, figuring out what sounds best depending on the temperature, humidity, and room acoustics is all part of the sound check.

Of course, if you use a more permanent mount you just need a better equalizer.
- Rated: 50 ↑
Mar 30, 2008 12:36 p.m. jukebox:

Jeff I didn't know you played in a all girl band! Thats kinda cool! Great pictures of the roller derby girls!!! Oh ya you too!

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Want a porchboard, someone help???

Mar 21, 2008 6:20 a.m. wenzel:

Mar 21, 2008 7:32 a.m. yettoblaster:

Mar 21, 2008 8:00 a.m. jukebox:

Mar 21, 2008 8:13 a.m. Richard Hudson:

Mar 21, 2008 8:17 a.m. cielski:

Mar 22, 2008 7:10 a.m. Jeff O(nly My Opinion):

Mar 22, 2008 7:14 a.m. wenzel:

Mar 22, 2008 5:54 p.m. Tsar Nicholas :

Mar 22, 2008 6:01 p.m. wenzel:

Mar 22, 2008 6:18 p.m. jukebox:

Mar 23, 2008 9:03 a.m. Wishinfora(nother)Falcon:

Mar 28, 2008 6:29 p.m. pissdupfool:

Mar 28, 2008 7:42 p.m. wenzel:

Mar 28, 2008 7:52 p.m. pissdupfool:

Mar 28, 2008 7:52 p.m. jukebox:

Mar 29, 2008 1:37 p.m. wenzel:

Mar 29, 2008 9:33 p.m. jukebox:

Mar 29, 2008 9:41 p.m. wenzel:

Mar 29, 2008 9:49 p.m. bobcat:

Mar 29, 2008 9:53 p.m. wenzel:

Mar 29, 2008 9:54 p.m. jukebox:

Mar 30, 2008 9:03 a.m. Jeff O(nly My Opinion):

Mar 30, 2008 9:05 a.m. wenzel:

Mar 30, 2008 9:09 a.m. Jeff O(nly My Opinion):

Mar 30, 2008 12:36 p.m. jukebox:

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