bosborne - Posted - 04/18/2011:  07:40:19

All, 

It is always a treat to ask a question in this forum, you always get excellent answers! 

I have a 13" Romero banjo with a Renaissance head, it's over there on the left, and I want to put a calf or goat skin head on it. I've never done this before and I have a few questions, like:

• 
  I'll use the existing hoops, yes?


• 
  Do I have to remove the neck?


• 
  Do you think anyone makes a 13" mounted skin head? I see that Gold Tone makes a 12" version.

Thanks again,

Brian O.

Mumble Peg - Posted - 04/18/2011:  07:52:26

Check with the skin head guru, Bill Miller.

info@banjoseen.us

banjoseen.us/

However, I would think that a skin head that size would pose some problems with keeping the tension correct, due to humidity characteristics of these heads.

mike gregory - Posted - 04/18/2011:  08:23:38

If the old head is damaged, may as well trim off the plastic and use the aluminum ring for the flesh hoop.

However, if the old head is NOT damaged, don't ruin it.

ANY piece of wire can be used for a flesh hoop, and if as M.Peg suggests, the skin head gives you problems, you might be real happy to be able to switch it back how it was.

Also: When first trying to get the J hooks onto the tension hoop, I find that drilling holes in two pair of 1x2 lumber, putting long bolts and nuts through, and clamping across the banjo, will sqizz the ring down far enough that three or four hooks can be started, at widely spaced intervals.

Then, just add more hooks next to those, until you get to where the clamps are in the way. By then, you'll have enough hooks in that you won't need the clamps.

Please DO post a sound file for the before and after.

bosborne - Posted - 04/18/2011:  08:33:41

quote:

---

Originally posted by mike gregory

If the old head is damaged, may as well trim off the plastic and use the aluminum ring for the flesh hoop.

However, if the old head is NOT damaged, don't ruin it.

ANY piece of wire can be used for a flesh hoop, and if as M.Peg suggests, the skin head gives you problems, you might be real happy to be able to switch it back how it was.

 

Also: When first trying to get the J hooks onto the tension hoop, I find that drilling holes in two pair of 1x2 lumber, putting long bolts and nuts through, and clamping across the banjo, will sqizz the ring down far enough that three or four hooks can be started, at widely spaced intervals.

Then, just add more hooks next to those, until you get to where the clamps are in the way. By then, you'll have enough hooks in that you won't need the clamps.

Please DO post a sound file for the before and after.

---

Thanks Mike, will do those recordings, good idea.

Like that new verb, sqizz.

R Buck - Posted - 04/18/2011:  10:22:34

Get a pre-mounted head from Bill Miller as suggested above.  They work great and are no hassle.  He is a good feller to do business with.

bosborne - Posted - 04/18/2011:  10:32:17

quote:

---

Originally posted by R Buck

Get a pre-mounted head from Bill Miller as suggested above.  They work great and are no hassle.  He is a good feller to do business with.

---

Ah! Didn't realize Bill does pre-mounted heads, thank you for the tip.

WGE - Posted - 04/18/2011:  11:02:57

Have you contacted Jason about this?  I have a 13-inch Romero with a skin head installed when the banjo was built.  I expect Jason could do up a head for you.  Once it is dried, he could take it off the rim and send it to you.  It probably wouldn't be cheap.  Bill Miller could do you up a 13-inch flesh hoop but he probably doesn't have any 13-inch rims whereas Jason likely does.  If you want to try your own installation, Bill could supply you with the flesh hoop and a skin that should be big enough.  Nonetheless, I love those hide heads.  Here is what my Romero looks like with a calfskin head.

My custom Romero 13-inch walnut

bosborne - Posted - 04/18/2011:  11:14:02

quote:

---

Originally posted by WGE

Have you contacted Jason about this?  I have a 13-inch Romero with a skin head installed when the banjo was built.  I expect Jason could do up a head for you.  Once it is dried, he could take it off the rim and send it to you.  It probably wouldn't be cheap.  Bill Miller could do you up a 13-inch flesh hoop but he probably doesn't have any 13-inch rims whereas Jason likely does.  If you want to try your own installation, Bill could supply you with the flesh hoop and a skin that should be big enough.  Nonetheless, I love those hide heads.  Here is what my Romero looks like with a calfskin head.

---

Bill, yes, I wrote Jason and Pharis, and I'll write back to this thread when I hear from them. I'd be willing to pay a bit more particularly because some of those stained heads are so pretty.

Ernest M - Posted - 04/18/2011:  14:12:27

WGE, is that a big centipede in your scoop?     Can't tell from the picture, but it looks good.!!

jbalch - Posted - 04/18/2011:  17:47:18

I agree that contacting Jason is probably the best (easiest) route.  He surely does some cool things with his dyed shin heads too. I'm sure he could fit it for you.

If you decide to mount one yourself...go for it. Mounting a skin head is really not too difficult. I bet Bill Miller could roll you a flesh hoop.  I buy 1/8" square brass stock and roll my own. 

BTW:  I linked this thread to the Hide Heads group for reference.  Good luck with it!

banjohangout.org/group/hideheads

bosborne - Posted - 04/19/2011:  07:41:59

So I wrote to Jason and he mentioned that these 13" skin heads are difficult to stabilize in changing humidity. Now on the other hand people are using them, like WGE in this thread. And Jason says that he is willing to do this but he suggested that I might also want to try Fyberskin as well.

Any thoughts on Fyberskin versus real skin? How does Fyberskin sound?

Ernest M - Posted - 04/19/2011:  07:49:55

I guess one thought that comes to mind is where do you play typically?  Do you move from indoors to outdoors?  Do you travel around with the banjo?  If you play mainly inside in a climate controlled house, is humidity really an issue? 

bosborne - Posted - 04/19/2011:  07:58:05

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ernest M

I guess one thought that comes to mind is where do you play typically?  Do you move from indoors to outdoors?  Do you travel around with the banjo?  If you play mainly inside in a climate controlled house, is humidity really an issue? 

---

Ernest, in summer months I frequently play outside here in New York. So the banjo will go from the A/C to a humid 70 or 80 degrees a few times a week. On the other hand I do not travel with this banjo.

WGE - Posted - 04/19/2011:  08:19:20

Brian, I live in Nashville and it gets quite humid in the summer and dry in the winter.  I find I have to tighten the head on my Romero in the spring and then loosen it up a little in the fall.  Outside of that I have found the skin head Jason put on my banjo to be quite stable.  You do have to check the tuning more often than you would with either a Renn or a fiberskin head but I find that is a small price to pay.  I have never been a fan of Renn heads and the one time I put a fiberskin head on a banjo I didn't like it either.  I'd still give Jason a chance to do up a skin head for you.  Ernest, while it may look like a centipede, that is actually a black walnut leaf inlay as the banjo itself has a wonderfully figured black walnut neck, a black walnut block pot, and rim cap, heel cap and peghead veneer of crotch claro walnut.  A black walnut leaf inlay was the final touch and Jason did a great job with it. Here is a closeup: