What Is A Tea Chest Bass?

A tea chest bass is the name for a home-made musical instrument which makes use of a chest made out of wood. The chest generally used for this purpose is of the kind that was once made use of to deliver tea. The chest is used as a resonator for straight stringed bass. This particular instrument is made out of a pole, conventionally a broomstick is used, put into or beside the chest. One or more number of strings are then held stretched alongside the pole and plucked to play music.

In the continent of Europe, mainly Germany and Great Britain, this instrument is linked with skiffle bands. In Australia, it was generally used to give the low end for bands known as 'bush bands', although today most of these groups make use of electric or double bass.