Eric, the footdiller that Jesse played was a five string bass instrument that did indeed have pedals though he'd sometimes pluck it with the big toe of his right foot. This account was passed along to me by my friend Robert Oneman Johnson who has carried on where Jesse has left off with a foot piano bass instrument of his own (12 srings) and highhat cymbal. He has recorded a good many songs most of which I perform regularly though not in the oneman band form. I play percussion on a washboard/sound effects gadget as well as a number of other instruments though as I said not in a oneman form. I think I would like to take a stab at making one of those foot pianos someday.