Help: Jesse Fuller's Washboard Contraption

Subject: RE: Help: Jesse Fuller's Washboard Contraption
From: DHonemanband
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 01:40 AM

Maybe Reggie would care to comment on Robert One Man Johnson for my one man band book my email is [e-mail] Thanks!

Subject: RE: Help: Jesse Fuller's Washboard Contraption
From: GUEST,Mike Billo
Date: 17 Feb 01 - 09:49 AM

Right you are agaian Reggie. Although it appears in liner notes as "Footdella" or "Fotdela", Jesse said it was hias wife who named his invention the foot diller.

Subject: RE: Help: Jesse Fuller's Washboard Contraption
From: reggie miles
Date: 17 Feb 01 - 04:16 AM

Minor thread creep- I've heard many desribe Jesse's foot bass instrument with various terms but I believe he refered to it as a foot-diller. I think it was just his accent that has spawned so many variations of that term.

Creeping further- Robert Oneman Johnson, a good friend, is the only guy I know who has carried on that great tradition. Giving credit to Jesse as his inspiration, he's been inventing and reinventing his own version of an acoustic "footpiano", his term for his version of Jesse's foot-diller, which he plays in addition to hyhat, guitar, harmonica and kazoo much as the Lone Cat did. I asked if he had kept a photo archive of the various incarnations of his 12 string footpiano. He has rebuilt and redesigned it many times using the parts from one to create newer versions. Unfortunately though he has not kept a record. Presently, I understand, he even has a clear lucite solid body version that he uses on occasion.

Subject: RE: Help: Jesse Fuller's Washboard Contraption
From: GUEST,Roger in Baltimore
Date: 16 Feb 01 - 03:25 PM

I have finally gotten myself, a computer, and the CD all in one place. The CD is called "Brother Lowdown" and it is available on Fantasy FCD 24707-2. The music was recorded in May of 1963. The songs are:

San Francisco Bay Blues (who would've thunk it!)
Everybody Works at My House But My Old Man
Beale St. Blues
Let Me Hold You in My Arms Tonight
Where Could I Go To But the Lord
You're No Good
I Want a Girl (Just Like the Girl that Married Dear Old Dad)
Old Man Mose
Crazy Waltz
Brother Lowdown
Pretty Little Girl Walkin' Down the Street
The Dozens
I've Been So Doggone Lonesome
Animal Farm
Red River Blues
How Long Blues
You Can't Keep a Good Man Down
Key to the Highway
Tickling the Strings
Jesse's New Midnight Special
Stranger Blues
Fables Ain't Nothin' But Doggone Lies
Brown Skin Gal (I Got My Eyes on You)
Cincinnati Blues
Hump in Your Back
Trouble If I Don't Use My Head

I purchased this CD from either Sandy at Folk Ways or Dick at Camsco, I can't remember which.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Help: Jesse Fuller's Washboard Contraption
From: GUEST,Roger in Baltimore
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 09:40 AM

I'm traveling right now, so I can't give you the album title. I will be back home before Christmas and I'll put it on this thread. Thanks for the information. I have a fair idea of what people are describing.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Help: Jesse Fuller's Washboard Contraption
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 09:17 AM

Hey, Big RiB, what album was that? I've got quite a bit of Jesse but none with washboard,(tho' I do have one where he tapdances and plays at the same time on one track!). Seems like one I ought to have!
RtS

Subject: RE: Help: Jesse Fuller's Washboard Contraption
From: DonMeixner
Date: 10 Dec 00 - 11:18 PM

I made on with my brother once. It seemed to work just fine. It was a ratchet cut from maple with an interior gear limiter. ( Stops the device from going back wards) Six spring steel tongues with one in dowel on the ends that actually hit the scrubboard. The shaft had a bell crank that was activated by a foot pedal and a springn to return it all back to start when the foot came up.

I could supply a drawing but only after the holidays.

Don

Subject: RE: Help: Jesse Fuller's Washboard Contraption
From: MichaelAnthony
Date: 10 Dec 00 - 03:16 PM

Hello Roger!

I read somewhere that he used a device he made himself from a rachet to get the washboard sound. I imagine it may have been a gear like-contraption with a high hat-like foot control.

Which album did you get?

MA

Subject: Jesse Fuller's Washboard Contraption
From: GUEST,Roger in Baltimore
Date: 10 Dec 00 - 02:45 PM

I just purchased another Jesse Fuller album. On it, he is credited with playing washboard. Of course, he's playing guitar at the same time (and sometimes harp and sometimes kazoo, this is a Jesse Fuller album). Now, I'm hip to Jesse's Fotdella for base. What device did he use to play washboard. I guess he's using a foot since it is just simple four-four beats. Anybody know?

Roger in Baltimore