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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 ChuckS on 1/1/2015 7:17:45 PM

A few weeks ago I put a calf skin head on my Pisgah Rambler. I love it. It has more "depth", is more responsive, and more subtle.

Today I picked up my Reiter Round Peak and it sounded dead. The head was WAAAY lose, so I adjusted it. It sounds well, good, but lacking the depth and subtlety I've been enjoying with the Pisgah.

Am I doomed to installing another skin head? Oh the calamity!

10 Comments
	westsideryan says: 1/1/2015 7:30:54 PM I was real busy with school and didn't have much time to play banjo. At the same time I decided that I was going to raise some cash for a family in need this Christmas and decided that since I wasn't playing banjo much and that I had a spare Ren head that I would let my Balch head go. Well, that wasn't a good idea! It was great to help out some folks that were in need, but now I am in need... of another Balch head! The Ren sounds ok, but it's just not the same. Anyway, you are most likely doomed!
	darlo says: 1/1/2015 9:39:37 PM If you are doomed I need divine intervention as I have never fitted one before I have that task to do when I get back to the uk from Africa in February lol
	existential_banjo says: 1/3/2015 9:03:11 AM For $9.00 + S & H from Elderly, and brass 1/8 in square wire, you can try mounting your own. I've mounted 3 over the past 6 years and most (2/3) came out great. Plus it was a good learning experience. If you want to cut cost and take a chance, you can use a bent hanger (which I have done on 2 of the hides I mounted) as the flesh hoop. I think medium thickness is better than a thin hide.
	westsideryan says: 1/3/2015 11:28:34 AM I would probably use something square that would "bite" into the hide, but I am curious if you had any issues with slippage using the hangers?
	westsideryan says: 1/3/2015 11:34:35 AM What search terms do you use to find the wire on Elderly's site? I've seen their skins before, but have never seen the wire? I need to order some things in the near future and might tack that on to the order.
	existential_banjo says: 1/3/2015 6:50:10 PM Square brass wire must be purchased from a hardware or metal works store. With a wire hanger, the hide turns almost hard after it dries. Zero slippage. I really must post some pics of my Stew-Mac kit banjo and Bob Flesher Promenade with the goat skin heads I've mounted myself.
	westsideryan says: 1/3/2015 9:06:39 PM I see that I misread your post. I was thinking that the square wire was $9.99! That seemed like an alright deal since the cheapest flesh hoops I've seen were at least $15.
	farfaraway says: 1/7/2015 4:14:56 PM Smakula fretted instruments will sell a square flesh hoop
	ChuckS says: 1/7/2015 4:49:09 PM It's pretty easy to make a flesh hoop. I just kept drawing it around a steel pipe, working it back & forth, until it was about right. A little bend at a time, adjust as needed. It too me maybe 10 minutes. For the next one I used a slip roller, which is totally cheating!
	westsideryan says: 1/13/2015 4:45:48 PM I don't think I'd have too much of an issue forming the flesh hoop. It's just the cost of the materials. Once I pay for the materials and shipping I am getting fairly close to what it costs to have John make me one!
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