jbalch says:
1/15/2012 9:54:51 AM

That is a bunch of questions.

1. Good hides last a long time. They are generally very strong. I've had old ones that were many decades old and still reliable. But - sometimes a skin will have a natural flaw, or may be overtightened, or might fail from unknown causes...it can be umpredictable.
2. vellum-proccessed hides are a little stiffer and have a slightly brighter sound. I prefer them over bleached calf. Bleached calf or goat skins are whiter and look very nice.
3. My usual suppliers are Bill Miller and Jeff Menzies. But the BEST hides are from Stern Tanning.
4. Bill's pre-mounted heads are great. but I prefer to mount my own for a good custom fit.
5. Limitations? - hide heads are suceptible to changes in humidity. Waterproofing after mounting will help some.
6. You can remove a hide head - and re-mount it -no problem. Do not re-wet it. Just handle like a regular head. The natural glues in the hide will cause it to keep shape.

Hope that helps...

banjotech says:
1/15/2012 10:23:46 AM

thanks John, I did read all the discussions on this group--twice. And any other info I could get. Being a newbie to tenors and skins makes it hard to find info sometimes. So if you have more places to look...

Just to be clear; the only reason you should have to replace a skin is if it breaks?

Waterproofing? Did I miss that one? How?

How do I clean stains, dirt grime? I use 409 on the mylar heads.

When I asked about limitations I meant does the pre-mounted head sound the same as the mounted? Or, is there a differance in sound?

I just checked Stern's website, do they sell to the public? Does tucked or untucked mean the same thing as mounted or not?

jbalch says:
1/15/2012 2:43:49 PM

The main reason to replace a head is if it breaks. Another reason could be if it is poorly mounted (crown too high) and it can not be sufficiently tightened.

Do not use a wet cleaner on hide. I recommend a white pencil eraser or very fine sandpaper.

Jeff Stern sells to anyone. He bought the equipment and business of the old United Tanning Co in Chicago (traditional makers of Ludwig & other skin heads). Jeff finishes the hides in an old way including precision machine sanding. The finished product is a very even thickness with an extremely smooth surface. I reserve Stern hides for a few of my best and favorite banjos.

As John says, use leather waterproofing spray from a shoe store. I mount the head on the banjo. Then allow it to cure overnight. When it is very dry, remove the head for final trimming and spray with waterproofer while it is off the banjo.

Jeff Stern does not pre-mounted banjo heads. The tucked heads he sells are for orchestral percussion (on wood hoops). His prices are a bit higher than outher suppliers. But a good value when you consider the quality. Contact him for details.

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