I’m very happy with it. It’s an excellent product—very well made, sturdy and, above all, very elegant.
It's a bit difficult to play,
It is the best instrument to enjoy together.
The ringtone is especially good.
It is a product that guarantees the best quality and the best sound.
I love the small washboard with the added bottom attached blocks, but I find the board to be a little more subtle in tone, than the antique one I have & been using which have an added texture to the washboard surface, allowing it to be a louder tone when dragging. So, I use it when in a smaller quieter venue. Cheers, Elliot
Getting the Bundle inspired me to seriously explore the range of musical expressions that are possible on washboard, and that dramatically improved my level of playing. Emulating professional players on YouTube became possible. The improvisational possibilites are endless.
I am a swing dancer from South Korea, and I purchased this based on the recommendation of a well-known Korean swing dancer, 'Moon'.
Playing this washboard is incredibly fun and absolutely fantastic! I bought it to enjoy swing jazz even more, and it has turned out to be the most perfect choice.
I’ll be continuously uploading photos and videos of my washboard playing on my Instagram, so check out @gold_Kim_log! Thank you for making such an amazing instrument.
Love the bundle! The quality is fantastic, such fun to play. The preinstalled hotel bell locations weren’t working for me, and Cincinnati kindly gave me clear instructions on how to relocate the bells without damaging anything — even included labelled photos to help me out. Great washboard, wonderful support, can’t fault!
I use the washboard to improv with other musicians. It allows for a lot of expression, and is just a lot of fun to use! The craftsmanship is great. My only issues were that all of the thimbles are too big for me, and one of the bells arrived damaged. It was fixable though!
Finally went for it and got myself an expansion pack. I've been hankering after the jam blocks and the cymbal for ages and, v happy to say, they do all sound great! All delivered safely to London, England, complete with unexpected bonus extra cymbal support (straight), and some dinky little wooden spoons. Tim is super responsive to emails, queries etc so a gold star for customer support too and no mistake. Very happy thank you CW!
Good sound !
There's a problem with the cymbal mounting system! It's hard to secure it so it doesn't move during a performance. There's also a screw missing from the woodblocks! Considering the price, it's a bit of a letdown.
I love my Big Ol Rusted Cincinnati Washboard, and have attached many fun additions, playing over 100 shows a year with my band MoonCats! We perform all over the USA with plenty of washboard songs in our catalog! Before this one, I went through many others that would break and I wound need a quick replacement. Thanks to Cincinnati I've been able to keep the same board which is huge for me. Pro tip-keep in a hard shell luggage case for travel.
I'm a drummer by trade.
A friend pointed me to your website, https://cincinnatiwashboards.com.
I watched a few videos and was quickly impressed.
After unpacking it, I naturally wanted to try out the board as soon as possible.
I took it to a rehearsal that evening.
Playing and experimenting with the board is instantly fun.
Since then, I've been using it as often as I can at jam sessions, and it's already planned for future band projects.
Thank you! It's a blast!
Best regards, Reinhard from Vienna
I had a long wait to get my Road Trip Washboard due to customs and some shipping mishaps, but Tim was quick to respond to my emails when I let him know there was a problem he would need to resolve. Excellent customer service!
When I unpackaged my washboard, one of my bells was inconsistent, but I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to unscrew the top, adjust the beater, and put it back together. This gives me confidence that the instrument is easy to repair and maintain if any issues arise down the road. +1 for a user/player-friendly construction.
Onto the actual washboard. The sound is excellent, with a tone that is both dark and bright, the bells are full and resonant, the two woodblocks are bright and punchy, and the cymbal is great for hits or to ride on. The neck strap is easy to adjust, there is a little bag for your thimbles, and a couple of spots where you could easily mount another item. Plus a carrying bag!
5*, can't recommend enough.
I’ve been using the Classic Big Boss Bundle from Cincinnati Washboards and picked up the Small Lil’ Rusted Washboard to add a contrasting voice—and it does exactly that.
The smaller surface shifts the playing approach toward more wrist and finger articulation, making it ideal for tighter patterns, ghost notes, and dynamic control. The “rusted” texture isn’t just visual—it produces a drier, more compressed tone with a pronounced midrange and sharper attack compared to the fuller, more open response of the Big Boss.
Articulation with thimbles is especially clean, with great tactile feedback for nuanced sticking (drags, flams, syncopation). It sits in the mix more like an auxiliary snare—focused, controlled, and texturally distinct—rather than a full wash.
This isn’t a replacement for a larger board, but a highly musical complement. If you’re looking to expand your tonal palette and gain more precision in articulation, it delivers.
I came into this purchase already familiar with the washboard — I had been playing one I found at a local antique store for some time, and it served me well. But once I got my hands on the Cincinnati Washboard Big Boss Bundle, there was simply no comparison. This is a serious step up in every respect.
The first thing you notice is the wash surface. It is noticeably tighter than what you get on a vintage find, and that tautness translates directly into sound quality — the tone is crisper, more resonant, and far more dynamic. Whether you are working soft rhythms or laying into it hard, the instrument responds with a clarity and projection that my antique board just could not match.
The additional features included in the bundle are equally impressive. They are thoughtfully designed, feel substantial in hand, and integrate naturally into your playing. Nothing feels like an afterthought — it is clear that real musicians had input in putting this package together.
And then there is the customer service. In my experience, great customer service is rare, but Cincinnati Washboard delivered. Responsive, friendly, and genuinely helpful — the kind of experience that makes you feel good about a company and keeps you coming back.
If you are on the fence about upgrading from a vintage or bargain board, stop deliberating. The Big Boss Bundle is the real deal.
It look like there are more than one way to mount the blocks. I will try the way you sell them om line. Thank you for a great product. Love my washboard.
The kit is excellent. It has everything you could possibly want and then some. My spouse has enjoyed it immensely and I've enjoyed watching the videos with her to learn more about how to play. We both play music in a few bands and are excited to try it out in different scenarios. Right now it's only in the practice room.
Wow what an amazing instrument. Have already play trad jazz, gypsy jazz, Irish, ragtime and bluegrass on it.
I bought the rusty version, and the sound is beautifully dark with a sprinkling of zing on harder hits. I’m still figuring out the best position for the crash and bells, but everything else is beautifully laid out. When it’s ready for a replacement, I won’t be thinking twice where I'm buying the new one.
I'm a Tap Dance Educator. A year ago, facing knee surgery, I bought the small Road Trip Bundle. I put my fingers to work doing what my feet usually do & fell in love with my new toy became an obsession. Along with my accordion playing friend, & 6 more musicians, we started the Maligned Instrument Orchestra here in CO, USA. Lots of laughs & washboard ❤️ Thanks for a beautiful instrument.
I found trying to make or buy something equivalent was a frustrating and a waste of time.
It really does the job and it also makes packing up easy (easy to disassemble). I would highly recommend it.
Well make my washboard ready for playing it was in my opinion in need of a cymbal. I liked the look of the one I got and it looks good on the washboard.
Unable to receive stuck with customs I need help to have this shipped to me for some reason
Just did 4 lessons o playing the washboard. It's a lot of fun. The Cincinnati Washboard is great.