My instrument is called The Backus Boys Bass.  It is a Washtub Bass.  My Mom and Dad helped me make it.  Mom looked up a pattern on the internet and purchased the washtub at TSC on Dec.1st for $20.00.  On Dec.8th I sanded the washtub by hand and with an electric sander.  Next I wiped off the dust with a rag then sprayed it with white primer.

On Dec. 22nd Mom showed me how to paint.  I painted the washtub white, then red, then blue.  I had to wait four days for the paint to dry. All the paint was purchased at Meijers for around $12.00.

On Dec. 26th Dad and I went to Home Depot to buy clamps and a wooden stick.  I was happy to get started building the bass.  At home I got a canning lid, and then Dad drilled a hole thru the bottom of the washtub and the canning lid.  Then I ran aircraft cable thru the hole in the washtub and canning lid.  Dad clamped the cable end and drilled a hole thru the stick.  After Dad cut the cable, I ran it thru the hole in the stick.  Then Dad clamped the cable end.  The last thing I did was to put  a hose clamp on the stick and cable.  The clamp serves as a capo, which can change the pitch.  I was very excited that the washtub bass was finished.

It was fun learning how to play the Bass.  To play the bass I have to place the bottom of the stick on the rim of the washtub and pull the stick back to tighten the cable.  Then to make sound I pluck the cable.  

To change the Pitch I have to change the tension of the cable.  A tight cable gives a High Pitch and a looser cable gives a Low Pitch.  I pluck the cable hard for Loud Dynamics and I pluck it softly to get Soft Dynamics.  The Timbre of my instrument is deep and sudden and sometimes sounds like a drum.