Questions about my first hide head

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Hide Heads

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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 waspz on 6/29/2013 4:04:23 AM

Please bear with me if these questions are a bit basic as this is my first experience with a hide head. I've just fitted the premounted head that I got from John Balch.

1. When fitted with the elite head my banjo didn't suffer from overtones but with a hide head they seem quite pronounced. Is this normal? I've got rid of the overtones by putting a sock in the back which leaves a lovely sound but also drops the volume.

2. Is a drum dial accurate on hide as any variation in the thickness of the skin would surely affect the reading?

3. With the elite head I tensioned the head to read 91 on the drum dial. At present on the hide head I am getting readings in the range 83-85. Should I leave it down there or would I benefit from winding it up higher.

Many thanks

Nigel

5 Comments
	Tim Ogden says: 6/29/2013 10:47:10 AM I don't have a drum dial but I do have a John Balch goatskin head. I would try tightening the head a little more. After having mine on a couple of weeks the volume was down and I tightened the nuts about a quarter turn and it fixed it immediately. I thought it could have been due to fully stretching out over time or maybe due to being more humid lately. Tim
	C Nyal de Kaye says: 6/29/2013 2:52:00 PM I can't help you Nigel but I didn't want to ignore you either. All my heads are non adjustable being glued and tacked down.
	Bill says: 6/29/2013 7:18:49 PM A Drum Dial will work as well with a skin head as a plastic one. I recently installed a calfskin head. I had it set at 87 on my Drum Dial, but recently lowered it to 85, where it seems to have a sweet spot. I don't know how high is safe with these heads, but I would have been prepared to go up to 89 on mine if the situation had warranted. The 89 would have worried me though. I have had 2 heads pop when I forgot to loosen them at the start of heating season in the Fall. My calfskin isn't one of John's excellent ones, but a skin I bought from Bill Miller about 5 years ago. I mounted it myself, since I have a good flesh hoop. I would think that goat skin would be as durable as calf.
	waspz says: 6/29/2013 11:49:24 PM I took the bull by the horns last night and wound the tension up to about 90 and all the overtones disappeared. It seems that this is where it wants to be. I'll have to try and remember to loosen it when the central heating is switched on.
	ToneHz says: 7/18/2013 5:19:15 PM Waspz--thanks for sharing your experience. I had read recently from someone else on this website that tightening up the head got rid of overtones. I had a calfskin head tear recently--I don't know if that is because it was very old, or because I had tightened it up to about 90-92. Live and learn!
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