DVD-quality lessons (including tabs/sheet music) available for immediate viewing on any device.
Take your playing to the next level with the help of a local or online banjo teacher.
Weekly newsletter includes free lessons, favorite member content, banjo news and more.
Premier Sponsors
|
Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/355691
gbisignani - Posted - 07/24/2019: 11:04:31
I just bought a very old banjo off of Reverb. I'm pretty sure some of you have seen it. It's a 6 string that looks very home made. Bought it from Romania !! No markings inside or outside. Might have had some form of name brand on the dowel stick because there are either screw or nail holes. I will post pictures if I can ever get it looking "ok". Right now it really doesn't look ok at all and the sound is like a very dead cello banjo. I'm trying to clean it up right now and I cleaned the 13" skin head with a Mr. Clean pad. It wasn't very dirty but appears to me to be really dry. I've never had anything closer than a fiberskin head. I was wondering if I can use something on it to moisten it a little.
Red Squirrel - Posted - 07/24/2019: 11:15:11
Leave it as is. If it's too taunt, and you feel it will break, just loosen the head a little. They're meant to be dry and will assume ambient humidity. They are not soft leather, but rather stiff dry rawhide.
Also adding moisture will loosen the head, making it sound even worse. Hide heads are super sensitive to humidity. With what you described, tonally you may actually need to tighten it more to get rid of the dead cello sound.
Edited by - Red Squirrel on 07/24/2019 11:23:01
tdennis - Posted - 07/24/2019: 11:25:27
I've had success in bringing old skin heads back to life by using a very sparse amount of "mink oil" spread w/ a slightly damp cloth. Let it sit for a day or so. The end product will be dry. A skin head needs a certain amount of oil in order to be flexible & vibrant.
Parker135 - Posted - 07/24/2019: 12:29:57
+1 what John Balch recommended. Ren wax will help keep it flexible but also make it less sensitive to humidity changes. It's
a museum quality preservative as well.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Privacy Consent (EU/GDPR Only)
Copyright 2026 Banjo Hangout. All Rights Reserved.
