Keeping a hide head tight without overstretching

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For all things related to the use of SKIN BANJO HEADS. Calf, goat, possum, hairy, shaved, stained, pre-mounted. You name it.

380 Members, Created 3/28/2011 -

Administrators: jbalch (owner)

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From cbazsali on 4/11/2012 7:11:36 AM

When I first got my old banjo, it had a new head that was loose, so I kept tightening it up. The result was that I overstretched it, to the point where the tension hoop was a good 3/4" lower than the head!

So I had the head professionally replaced, and the tension hoop was now properly lower than the head. Trouble is, I like a very tight head, and when I tighten it to where I like it, it tends to loosen up overnight. The hoop is now just about level with the head, and I don't want to keep tightening up the j-hooks, lest I overstretch the head again.

Does this mean that I just have to keep the head looser than I prefer? Is that the nature of the beast, as they say? Or are there any tricks I can do to keep the head tight without overstretching the hide?

4 Comments
	carlb says: 4/11/2012 8:08:33 AM With a skin head, it will never be tight all the time. It depends on the humidity conditions. Personally, I deal with it and the different sounds at different percent humidities and carry three bridges (1/2, 5/8, 11/16") to adjust for the change in string height.
	cbazsali says: 4/11/2012 9:47:26 AM Thanks, carlb. I've also noticed that when I try to loosen the head, the j-hooks mostly become unhooked, even with a small adjustment. Does that mean I've overstretched it, or should I just wait for the head to adjust by itself?
	carlb says: 4/11/2012 12:17:09 PM I've not done this but my hooks are only a bit more then finger tight and sometimes become loose and a tighten them just a bit. I never tighten or loosen the head after setting it so the strings don't buzz under high humidity and the 11/16" bridge. My guess is that if you loosen the j-hooks that when the head comes under dry conditions it should tighten up and engage the hooks, if the stretching of the head has not become permenant, but then again I have no experience in doing this.
	cbazsali says: 4/11/2012 12:31:53 PM Thanks, carlb. That makes sense. I'll keep that in mind. I'll just have to get a feel for natural heads, and how they behave. :)
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