Neil - I love washboards and jugs when used in the proper context.

But watch out, because most places I've been where people are playing bluegrass the washboard, the jug, and even the washtub bass are scorned. I've seen people nearly lose their lives playing spoons at a bluegrass jam session.

I always thought bluegrass was just a part of the big folk music stew, but a lot of bluegrass people don't consider bluegrass to be folk music and can consider folk singers et. al. as being kinda strange.

They would probably love it, though, if an army of washboards, jugs, spoons and tubs showed up at a singer songwriter jam. (If there is such a thing)

I'm not trying to make fun of or generalize about bluegrass people, but there seem to be a lot of inflexible, orthodox bluegrassers. I guess every genre has those types, especially the once that tend to be more participatory.