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Vintage Mint Quality Midget #442 Washboard
Shiny tin rubbing surface
Great alternative washboard for the legendary Zinc King #703
Save $20.00 on this fully guaranteed Midget #442 Washboard with mottled tin.
Genuine Vintage Midget #442 made by the National Washboard Company The National Washboard Company manufactured washboards using several kinds of tin. The Midget #442 washboards featured in this shop represent three kinds of rubbing surfaces: shiny tin, dull tin, and dark tin. The Midget #442 washboards described on this page are the shiny tin version.
Shiny Tin
Sunlight brightly reflects off the silver rubbing surface which resembles a shiny tin can. Flip any Midget #442 washboard on its backside and you will see shiny tin beneath the wooden panels too. Despite gradual degradation of the tin plating (which is normal over time on smaller vintage washboards), the silvery color is fairly even over the entire rubbing surface. And like most vintage lingerie washboards that faithfully served a household, the tin plating is usually worn from use.
Corrugation Pattern Like Zinc King #703
As you can see in the photo at right, the metal rubbing surface of this shiny tin Midget #442 washboard is a "wave" corrugation pattern. This is similar to the metal rubbing surface you find on most Zinc King #703 washboards.
Strong Lightweight Rubbing Surface made from Thin Steel
The Midget #442 must have been a workhorse in its day. Maybe that is why so many of the boards reveal ridges worn from use. The rubbing surface of nearly all small vintage washboards is a core of steel coated with tin. Yes, your vintage Midget washboard is basically a corrugated tin can with a wood frame. How do we know the rubbing surface is steel coated with tin? Because the worn corrugated ridges show rust. I have yet to see a Midget #442 washboard - or any steel-core washboard - that is totally free from rust.
On the other hand, the metal rubbing surface of a Zinc King #703 washboard is virtually rust free. However, every once in a blue moon I will find a 703 with rust spots. So some Zinc King #703 washboards are probably made of zinc plated steel instead of solid zinc. But I am just guessing. In any event, unlike Zinc King #703 washboards, all Midget #442 washboard rubbing surfaces are prone to rust. So be sure to keep your vintage Midget #442 washboard dry and away from moisture. BTW, if you have definitive data on the composition of washboard rubbing surfaces I hope you will drop me a line.
Tone
How does the tone of a Midget #442 washboard compare with a Zinc King #703? To find out I conducted a simple auditory test comparing the relative tone of each Midget #442 washboard to the Zinc King #703. The boards were tested using brass thimbles. I got the same results using plastic thimbles. The results from highest to lowest tone are shown below.
Relative tone from highest to lowest
1. Midget #442, shiny (highest tone) 2. Midget #442, dark (distinctly lower tone than Shiny) 3. Zinc King #703 (distinctly lower tone than Dark) 4. Midget #442, dull (similar, but slightly lower tone than Zinc King #703)
All in all, the four washboards sound pretty much alike. But washboard connoisseurs might note the difference in tone between the Midget #442 Dull Tin and Zinc King #703 was barely perceptible, at least to my ear.
Small Compact Size
Specially Selected Vintage Musical Washboards
1. Strong Shiny Tin Plated Rubbing Surface
The thin shiny tin surface delivers the highest tone of any Midget washboard. So if you always wanted something like a Zinc King #703 washboard, but with a slightly higher tone, then this shiny Midget #442 is for you. Steel is a strong metal. But don't worry about the weight. After all, a pail-size washboard like this is nothing more than a corrugated tin can with a small wooden frame. So it won't weigh you down. At just 17 ounces (more or less) this shiny Midget is the heaviest of the bunch. And if those extra 1 or 2 ounces have any impact (positive or negative) on your playing I hope you will click the Review button and tell us about it.
Which Washboard Grade is Right for You? Every Midget #442 washboard we sell is a fine playing vintage instrument. All parts, including the two back panels, are intact and in good working order. For all practical purposes each washboard plays just as well as the next. The difference in price merely reflects the outward appearance of the wood, the rubbing surface, and the ink.
Washboards in all grades below are antique objects that might show signs of age, wear or inconsequential damage such as small chips, water staining and paint spots from long term storage or display.
Good
How to Attach Accessories: The wood on vintage washboards is bone dry and brittle with age. So avoid hammering nails or tacks into the washboard because the wood is likely to crack. The safer way to add accessories and hardware is to drill holes with a sharp wood-cutting bit, then attach with bolts (preferably) or screws.
Grading Scale in a Nutshell: The weathered ones cost less, the clean unblemished ones cost more.
Figures are approximate (but pretty darn close)--
- Length: 18"
- Width: 8-1/2"
- Thickness: 1-3/8"
- Composition: Wood frame, tin plated rubbing surface
- Weight: 17.2 oz
- Manufacturer: National Washboard Co.
- Finish and Color: Natural wood
- Model: Midget #442
- Condition: Eminently playable
- Grading: Mint
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Features
- Tin Plated Rub Surface: Resists rust.
- All Wood Frame: Easy to attach accessory Items
- Shiny Tin Surface: Produces highest relative tone
- Distinctive crackly sound: Not clangy or ringy
- Back Panels Resonate Sound): Adds tonality and sound color
- Floating Construction: Boosts harmonics
- Sturdy yet Flexible: Radiates sound, won't fall apart
- Natural Wood Finish: Won't irritate skin
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