If this was a calf skin, then the deviation of the head would be far greater and the head would be way more resonant as the calf skin is a lot more pliable. This will mean removing the metal rim rods or the dowel stick that support the neck. Install two hooks at the neck joint end, two at the tailpiece end, and one or two on each side (at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions). You can make one out of heavy-gauge wire, such as a coat hanger. If possible, get an older head. Allow the skin to dry at this point. The improved version of the classic Fender Strat Bridge, The most consistent, top quality Strat® replacement body on the market today. To do this, remove the head and soak it with the flesh hoop attached. I have a small banjo uke that has a real skin head, and I don't have any trouble at all keeping it in tune. Frankly, unless the OP is brave and/or experienced with luthier skills I don't know if I would recommend tackling replacing the skin head. First, I hold all strings to kill any vibration. With the tension hoop resting lightly on the skin, gently pull on the edges to remove the wrinkles. Don't make a new nut just to fix a low slot—fill it! They have "aged" which means that skin oils and use have made them less liable to loosen. Standard Deering head diameter: 11 Dan's a renowned banjoist, singer, author, folklorist, and Banjo Newsletter columnist. 21. (yeah…I’m afraid it was that long ago) One of first things we were thought was how to relap a drum head. Save on Over 900 Items, Exclusive: 10% OFF Waverly Anniversary String Winder, Find the proper fret position with the official Stewart-MacDonald Fret Calculator, Stewart-MacDonald is PCI compliant and validated for secure e-commerce. Every piece of skin is different and all are affected by the weather and humidity, so follow your instincts. Courtesy of Jim E., Musicians Rendezvous, The Kingston Trio Place. (Many traditional banjos have no tone ring; in these, the top of the rim is the tone ring.) Cons: None at all. Save on Over 900 Items, Exclusive: 10% OFF Waverly Anniversary String Winder, Find the proper fret position with the official Stewart-MacDonald Fret Calculator, Stewart-MacDonald is PCI compliant and validated for secure e-commerce, Wrenches or screwdriver for the bracket lugs, One dozen clothes pins (wooden pins are preferable). Soak the skin underwater in the dishpan. If there's a neck cutout, align it with the neck side of the rim. The problem is, of course, the size of the head. If the sound is flat or dull, you can tighten the banjo head in one-quarter-turn increments until the desired sound is achieved. At this point you should still be able to stretch the skin a bit, although it's becoming more difficult. Only time I repaired a small hole in an ols skin head, I put a patch on the inside. Keep an eye on the skin as it pulls under and through the tension hoop, pulling it through equally all the way around. When tightening with the wrench, less is better. It still sounds as good as new, and hasn't broken. CAREFULLLLLLL! Has a mellow banjo tone, not too much sustain, good clarity and note distinction. Fasten this to a chunk of wood, and clamp it to your workbench. The skin will be easiest to trim when it's partially dry â when it's leathery but not brittle. Nail that fits the hole in the rim rods How much to tighten? After the head starts to stiffen a bit, you can use an Exacto or razor blade to trim the excess skin by cutting it against the inside of the stretcher band (not over the head or tone ring. Change Banjo Head Mylar, (most) plus cost of head: $55.00: Change Banjo Head, Real Skin (most) plus cost of head: $95.00: Banjo Nut, bone: $45.00: 5th string spikes, each (includes the spike/s) $10.00: Banjo Neck Reset: Remove the banjo neck, remove lags, re-angle the neck, reinstall, string and setup. Now you just buy a skin head. Then start the pattern again at the hook next to 12 o'clock, etc., until all of the nuts have been seated. Sorearm is asking for how to size an new synthetic head, which he's calling a skin, but not to be confused with a natural hide -- calf or goat skin -- head. Pros: A complete novice & first ever attempt to replace a vellum. Frankly, unless the OP is brave and/or experienced with luthier skills I don't know if I would recommend tackling replacing the skin head. Build the pedal that redefined overdrive. It’s a good idea to take your banjo with you to an acoustic specialty store to see your options and seek out professional advice. Banjo heads come in all kinds of diameters to accommodate the various sizes of banjo pots. The improved version of the classic Fender Strat Bridge, The most consistent, top quality Strat® replacement body on the market today. This cross between a fiberskyn and renaissance head will provide you with a new look and sound for your banjo. Suitable for banjo drum, banjo ukulele replacement. Here, we are mounting a skin head on a modern banjo, so we will need to made a flesh hoop. Replace the components in the reverse order that you removed them, and then replace the strings. This week, we've been blogging about banjo ukes! The final step is cutting off the excess skin from the banjo pot. I'll bear that in mind for IF and WHEN it needs doing. Place the flesh hoop on top of the skin. 99. The larger the head, the more the tension will change and the harder the time you'll have trying to keep it in tune. If the bridge is dishing into the head and the strings buzz no matter where you play, the head is too loose â tighten it following the star pattern you used before. This head will be a loose fit on your banjo body but the tension ring should pull it tight. I have a 7" Weymann style 25 mandolin-banjo and when that head broke I had no choice but to replace it with skin -- this was prob 20 years ago. But, it is pretty worn and ugly, so I'm going to replace it with a new plastic head.