I have been playing the gut bucket, or washtub bass, on and off since the mid 70's when I was in Undergrad at Univ. of Michigan. All my friends played "real" instruments such as the banjo, guitar, and mandolin. I added the gut bucket, jaw harp, bones etc. We busked at the Ann Arbor Art Fair for change on year and made enough for pizza at dinner. Recently, I have brought my gut bucket to the jams at the Washington Folk Fest. I had a great time though I don't know how much the other musicians liked it (Nobody asked me to leave). Anyway, If you can't read music for it, or tune it, its probably my kind of instrument.

Jim in Silver Spring