Building a Stomp Box stompbox?

[MPSchenck]

I recently went to a show at Blue Cats in Knoxville TN to see a guy named Scott H. Biram out of Austin TX. It was a rocky blues, he played the guitar, harmonica, and stomping on this small box that appeared to be a wooden box with a 1/4" jack cable out the back and into an amp.
I have done some research on this thing and they are called
stomp box(es). The best I can tell it is a box, plastic, wood, or even a shoe box (w/ supports inside),  with a pick-up or microphone in it and a single 1/4" instrument jack. Some sites mention being able to use them as drum triggers. Some site mention running the cable through an EQ, but I think you could just put a volumn knob on the front of the box(and maybe another knob for something?).
Does anyone have any info on building one of these? Even if the plans where theoretical it would be ok. Any help would be appreciated.

[Mark Hammer]

There was a review of one in Vintage Guitar, and the reviewer loved it.  Clever idea.  I'm surprised Stompin' Tom Connors hasn't gotten one (that might be the only pedal he uses in his life!).

I imagine a piezo disc wedged between two piece of plywood glued together would work.

[casey]

yeah, ive seen an article about building one of those......

ill try to locate it.

[R.G.]

This is a favorite on the local one-man-band scene. You put a box of any variety on the flow over a microphone wrapped in a towel, and bingo! An accompanying bass drum. I'm guessing that the radio shack microphone cartridges would work just fine.

[Chico]

Is this similar to what you are talking about?
http://www.porchboard.com/

This thing is called a porchboard.  I own one of these myself and I absolutely love it.  The idea is to emulate the sound of tapping your foot on a large wooden porch.

Mine has a "stepping rail" that you tap your foot on.  Under the tapping rail is a sensor (electromagnetic transducer I think) that senses the foot tap.  I plug mine into a bass/keyboard amp.  No batteries, no fuss...and it is an attractive piece.

Those campfire chords will sound new all over again.  Funny thing, I also find myself playing a lot of Johnny Cash tunes when I use the thing... and that's a good thing IMHO :lol:

You could probably cobble up something simple using a piezo, such as those sold at Rat Shack, but getting a good thump may be problematic.

I made a few drum triggers using piezos and they work really well once you get the hang of them as far as triggering, but I never listened to the output of the piezo from an audio perspective.

Good luck.