tmjudd1 - Posted - 01/09/2018:  16:34:02

  Greetings all!

 I've built a few solid body guitars and also cigar box guitars (great fun)... and now wish to try my hand at a couple of gourd banjos. I own a Gold Tone banjo, but it won't be good reference for what I'm wanting to do. That being said. I'm looking for some advice. 

 The scale length for 'both' of my builds will be 26.250". The head diameter, for both builds, will be approximately 11". I'll be using nylon, or possibly natural gut strings on one of the builds, and 'steel' strings on the 'other' build (don't worry, the steel string neck will be designed/built to easily handle the higher tension of the steel strings, with a truss rod included).

 My question is:.. "For the steel string build, with an 11" head diameter, how thick should I go, using a 'natural' skin, in order to maintain proper head tension for the tighter steel strings?" I'm going with .012" for my nylon/gut build, but I'm clueless as to how thick a natural skin head needs to be for the added pressure of steel strings.

 For whatever it's worth. I currently have goatskin for the heads, however. I'm also getting mixed signals as to what skin is actually best/strongest. Lots of folks say that calf skin is more durable, lots of folks also say that goatskin is. What are 'your' folks opinions?

HerbMeister - Posted - 01/09/2018:  17:02:11

On my older banjos (pre 1930), I prefer goat skin. I have a Slingerland tenor with a calfskin head but, I just don't like the sound quality. Eventually, the tenor is going to get a mylar head. My 5 strings with goat skin heads also boast nylagut strings. I pick those "old timers" bare fingered. So, without picks scraping at the head, durability isn't a big issue.

pastorharry - Posted - 01/10/2018:  00:38:03

John Balch's Stern tannery calfskin heads are the strongest and most stable of all hide heads I've tried. Check them out,I'm going to share this to the hide head group.