Seeders - Posted - 02/02/2011:  21:12:51

I'm in the middle of building a half fretless A-scale banjo and spaced on ordering the head. I went searching for one earlier and came up empty handed. The only place I got close was Elderly and they are out of stock of the medium crown until the end of April! That's a little ways away. I could start up the next one but I'd really like to keep the 10" moving. Anybody have one or know of a place that has them in stock?

I'd like a top frosted medium crown. Remo would be nice but would take anything I can get at this point.

I've heard of people using 10" Remo Ambassador drum heads on there banjos but I've never tried it. Anyone know the crown height of one of those?

Thanks!!

wfawley - Posted - 02/03/2011:  00:12:12

Whenever I need an odd size head, Bob Smakula is the first person I turn to. He stocks a plethora of heads in a multitude of sizes. That said....he may not have a medium crown...or he may. For the sake of argument, let's say all that you can get is a high crown head. The problem is that the tension hoop will pull down too far...right? Well, here's the "workaround" to patch you through until you can get that medium crown..which could take months (trust me I know)....what you need is a "lift kit"... the flesh hoop from a busted 10 inch head. Trim all of the plastic and epoxy from it with a file and sandpaper and a block, place the head on the banjo, place the extra hoop on the head, add the tension hoop and put your banjo together as you normally would.

Now....let's say you can only get a low crown. The prudent use of a heat gun and your wrench will enable you to make that head pull down. Let's say you've got it installed and it's as tight as it will go...as tight as you dare....take the heat gun, and from the underside of the pot begin to apply heat, keeping the gun in motion at all times, and at least 8 inches from the head. Tap on the head while you're heating it and you will hear the pitch decrease. When it astops decreasing...and before it cools...take your wrench and make a trip around the rim. Lather, rinse, repeat until the head is sitting at the height you need it to be. If it's too tight....heat and tap to relax it and take the "edge" off of the tone. It will probably be loud but brittle when it's too tight.

Now all you have to do is go get a 10 inch frosted head. Any crown height can be made to work in a pinch.

I have taken an 8 inch ludwig banjo uke head with hardly any crown at all...less than a quarter of an inch....all the way to a full 9/16" or high crown. The heads look funny when you take them off...but they work fine.

But first.......check with Bob Smakula. He may have exactly what you need. Here's the link:

smakula.com/

Wyatt

Edited by - wfawley on 02/03/2011 00:16:11

Seeders - Posted - 02/03/2011:  05:11:16

Awesome! Thanks for the great advice. I'll see what Bob Smakula has in stock. Otherwise I'll go for the high crown with the shim. My brother is a metal worker and can whip something up for me that will work well if I need to go that route.
By the way, I really enjoy seeing your work. Spent most of the night the other day looking at your new shop pictures and admiring your necks in progress.

Much appreciated!

SFI - Posted - 02/03/2011:  05:58:48

In stock I have 10" Renaissance & 10" Fiberskyn, both in high crown.

Bob Smakula