ColBuckwalter - Posted - 03/18/2026:  10:15:19

Hey. This is my first post on here. Please excuse my ignorance of terms, what have you, if it comes up.

I was just sent a (cheap) six string by my father. Its got a wood rim, which I like; super bright isn't my sound. But it still has a bit of 'shrill' to it.

I have been looking at Fiberskyn and Renesance Remo heads as a replacement for the current no name frosted head.

I love the high end, but I do like a bit of bass on the low side. Seeing as this is a six not a five or a tenor, I was wondering the which head, in your opinion, would be best for a heavier, "darker", low end, mellower sound.

I appreciate everyone's time abd thoughts.

Thanks..

banjopaolo - Posted - 03/18/2026:  10:29:06

I think reinassence is better, and don't keep it too thight...
To have more bass responce on a six string banjo it would be better to have a large pot, 12' or more... I have a 14' pot on my guitar banjo...

VIDEO: TheBanjoSaint-OneFootRag
(click to view)

 

ColBuckwalter - Posted - 03/18/2026:  10:48:39

Crux of the matter is its basically the average 5 string pot/11 inch head. Just with the six strings. Like I said, it's pretty cheap.

Dan Gellert - Posted - 03/18/2026:  12:52:12

A different head will not make a whole lot of difference. They're all mylar, just slightly different thicknesses and coatings. First, I'd say to get your head EVENLY tight, using a tension gauge (like a Drum Dial, NOT a torque wrench). Adding a patch or two of masking tape (or something else sticky) can change your tone about as much as using a different head, and you can experiment with how much you use and where.



A heavier bridge is the surest way get a darker tone, but don't expect miracles. 



You say it's a cheap banjo... I'm guessing it's got a cast aluminum rim "bottle cap" style rim. One of those may benefit from having its inside covered with a strip of the stick-on sound-deadening stuff made for cars.

Most cheap banjos come with really bad tailpieces. Unfortunately, decent inexpensive 6-string tailpieces are not common, but if you don't mind hunting for a cap screw of the right size, this is a very good deal, and will definitely improve your tone, though it may or may not make it "darker":



ebay.com/itm/166472622285?

Choosing the right strings can help, too.  A banjo's head is a very different sort of sound-making machine from a guitar's soundboard, and works best with much lower string tension.  Extra light gauge acoustic strings are about as heavy as I'd put on a guitar-banjo, and some players prefer to use an even lighter electric set.  

GrahamHawker - Posted - 03/18/2026:  13:32:22

A fiberskin head will help but really with a cheap basic wood rim banjo the tone is going to be slight and fiberskin sucks away the tone. Nylon strings would work I guess. With my cheap six string, in the early days, and also with my cheap five string I wanted mellow and used things like heavier bridges. Then I realised I was trying to take away the banjo brightness and that these are banjos and not guitars.

ColBuckwalter - Posted - 03/18/2026:  16:00:33

Definitely not trying to turn it into an acoustic guitar. Lol

Darker might nit have been the best explanation.

Cockrum_Studios - Posted - 03/21/2026:  21:01:48

Here is the sound of one of my heavier bog oak bridges. facebook.com/share/r/1NtamfRgyf/

tdennis - Posted - 03/22/2026:  20:04:56

Whatever strings, bridge, head or tailpiece set up, you can still get a richer musical voice on the banjitar by picking, strumming further up the neck, & finding some sweet spot in the upper regions.

Edited by - tdennis on 03/22/2026 20:11:08