johnpatrick307 - Posted - 05/19/2009:  09:10:56

http://www.romerobanjos.com/11_trad.html

Anyone know where the gorgeous colors on these heads come from? Natural tint or some kind of stain?

Never gotten my hands on one, but as far as looks go these are it for me.

ZEPP - Posted - 05/19/2009:  10:06:13

Stain--he often uses the same stain on the head that he has used on the wood. They are, indeed, gorgeous.

Cheers,
ZEPP

chip arnold - Posted - 05/19/2009:  10:16:29

Seems like a stain would tend to dry the skin and make it brittle. No? They sure are pretty.

**********************
Take what is given
Give what is taken

Chip Arnold

ZEPP - Posted - 05/19/2009:  10:24:15

quote:

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Originally posted by chip arnold

Seems like a stain would tend to dry the skin and make it brittle. No? They sure are pretty.

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oldcitico - Posted - 05/19/2009:  10:43:47

i know at least one modern builder that stains the skins by brushing on used coffee grounds.

http://www.myspace.com/newbinkleybrothers
http://www.myspace.com/mdbanjo

J-Walk - Posted - 05/19/2009:  12:03:47

I dyed a calfskin head by soaking it in coffee, diluted with water. It came out a tad bit darker than I wanted it, so next time I'll just soak it for a shorter period of time, or use less coffee.

johnpatrick307 - Posted - 05/19/2009:  14:11:49

quote:

---

Originally posted by J-Walk

I dyed a calfskin head by soaking it in coffee, diluted with water. It came out a tad bit darker than I wanted it, so next time I'll just soak it for a shorter period of time, or use less coffee.

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J-Walk - Posted - 05/19/2009:  18:10:35

That was a calf skin I got from Mid-East Manufacturing:

http://www.mid-east.com/items.asp?C...us=0&Tp=&Bc=

It's the same source that Jason Romero uses. I got medium thickness, and it was a tight fit. I'd recommend going with thin.

I see no reason why dying a vellum processed skin wouldn't work.

gregorytoddsmith - Posted - 05/19/2009:  19:52:27

Sorry, John, not trying to hijack your thread.

J-Walk, did you cut that frailing scoop, yourself? I was planning on cutting mine the very same shape. How did you get such a nice line?

Gregory Todd

J-Walk - Posted - 05/19/2009:  21:08:53

No way. I'm not handy with woodworking at all.

That's a Romero banjo, and it was made with the scoop. More photos here:

http://www.romerobanjos.com/07095/0795.html

The photos show a Renaissance head, but he actually shipped it with a skin head. After two years, the head started coming loose on one side, so I replaced it with the coffee stained one.

brokenstrings - Posted - 05/19/2009:  22:21:09

I like those heads too.

Jessy

Frailaway, ladies, frailaway!

gregorytoddsmith - Posted - 05/20/2009:  04:28:19

Thanks, J-Walk. I was browsing through his banjos, the other day, I'm sure that's where I got the idea for the shape of my scoop - I'll use it anyway.

Gregory Todd

LEUllman - Posted - 05/20/2009:  22:01:58

I love the stained calfskin head on my Romero. It's the first thing everyone comments on. I think it sounds and looks fantastic. Stain doesn't seem to affect it at all, though since I've never experienced it any other way, who knows? It's certainly not dry or brittle -- leather is almost always dyed, and can be quite supple.

It took a few weeks for this head to settle in, but now it is almost as stable as the '30s-vintage Jos Rogers Jr. head on my 11-13/16" Tubaphone - and that thing is better behaved than some plastic heads I've had.








"Oh, the banjo am the instrument for me!"

Edited by - LEUllman on 05/20/2009 22:16:26

vernob - Posted - 05/21/2009:  03:51:31

I haven't personally seen the stained heads. I've only seen the photos. I don't think I care for the look. Maybe I'd feel differently in person.

Bruce Vernon

"A gentleman is a man who knows how to play the banjo, but chooses not to." - Mark Twain

"Don''t worry about mistakes. There aren''t any." - Miles Davis