Shea - Posted - 10/12/2011:  07:02:49

Hello. I'm new to this forum and to banjo playing.   I found that my technique (such as it is) deteriorates really quickly if I miss only 2 or 3 days of practicing, so I tried to figure out a way to practice quietly at the office during breaks from work without disturbing my coworkers.

I got a sub-$200 banjo at local shop, took the resonator off, and stuffed a shirt between the head and coordinating rod.  Still too loud for the office. 

I read up on banjo mutes and got the impression that they are mostly disappointments.

Then I read about the "silent banjo system" and thought that would be perfect for my needs, but it appears that the mesh head is unavailable.  The Tranjo / silent banjo website and banjo.com are both out of stock, and banjo.com told me they just can't get it anymore.

So, last night I made one by mounting some screen mesh the same way you would mount a skin head.  I cut out two circles of fiberglass screen mesh, about 15" in diameter, and laid one on the other with the threads oriented at 45 degrees to each other.  I took a 3 ft. long piece of 1/8" brass rod and bent it into a flesh hoop.  Then I mounted the mesh - which was pretty tricky because everything kept slipping out  of place, but I eventually got it together.  Once I was able to get 4 hooks on, the rest was a lot easier.

It worked.  My cheapo banjo is now quiet enough that you could carry on a conversation over it.  The mesh kept its tension overnight, so I'm optimistic that it will continue to hold.  The total cost was under $10.  Next I'll put a transducer in it.

trapdoor2 - Posted - 10/12/2011:  08:18:32

Well done!

I'll keep that one in mind. I played one of the mesh heads a couple of years ago, very, very quiet. If I was still doing a lot of business travel, I would have bought one.

I have thought that it would be nice to have one for playing in the car during vacation trips. A cheap, short-scale banjo with a mesh head would be just about perfect. I have a travel banjo that is simply a stick with a transducer pickup but it is a tad long to be playing in the back seat. I'd rather have something banjeaurine sized.

Oh, and welcome to the hangout!

Edited by - trapdoor2 on 10/12/2011 08:24:54

Jonnycake White - Posted - 10/12/2011:  08:30:42

That's a really interesting idea - thanks for sharing it.

sdfarris - Posted - 10/12/2011:  10:18:32

The Silent Banjo 11" mesh heads should be available again in about 4 weeks. Ten inch mesh heads are a standard drum size, so if you can get a banjo with a 10" rim you can use one of those instead.

Sam Farris

mike gregory - Posted - 10/12/2011:  10:23:51

I have linked this to a couple of groups specific to do-it-yourself, and cheap.

Seems to me that masking tape here and there should help to keep things from slipping around.

(Country/Western music seems to indicate that a wedding ring will NOT prevent slipping around!)

Welcome to the hangout.

Shea - Posted - 10/12/2011:  11:39:04

quote:

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Originally posted by mike gregory

I have linked this to a couple of groups specific to do-it-yourself, and cheap.

Seems to me that masking tape here and there should help to keep things from slipping around.

(Country/Western music seems to indicate that a wedding ring will NOT prevent slipping around!)

Welcome to the hangout.

---

 Thanks!

I did use masking tape to hold the ends of the flesh hoop together, in fact. 

sdfarris - Posted - 10/13/2011:  15:24:38

quote:

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Originally posted by sdfarris

The Silent Banjo 11" mesh heads should be available again in about 4 weeks. Ten inch mesh heads are a standard drum size, so if you can get a banjo with a 10" rim you can use one of those instead.

 Sam Farris

 

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 Bad news, unfortunately. My supplier has just informed me that they will no longer manufacture the 11" or 6" Silent Heads for me. I have NONE of the 11" available, and a limited supply (about 16) of the 6" size left in stock to use on Tranjos until they are gone. I may try to find another supplier someday, but for now it looks like the 11" Silent Head has gone the way of the dodo. I will shutting down the web site silentbanjo.com shortly.

Sam

slou92 - Posted - 10/13/2011:  18:44:26

How about the 8 inch heads?

Jonnycake White - Posted - 10/14/2011:  09:07:05

Well, heck, if we can make our own from nylon screen and coat hangar wire, who needs a dang supplier anyway?