joshjones - Posted - 03/08/2011:  19:02:14

I just got a 1891 buck bee banjo that I'm thinking I'd like to put a goat skin head on, it's been suggested that I'll be forever tuning it (I live in a very humid climate right on the ocean) anything that could be done to prevent this? More of a hassle than what it's worth? Will it give me more or less volume with my nylon strings?
Thanks for any advice!
Josh

jbalch - Posted - 03/08/2011:  19:11:23

Fear not the skin. That banjo deserves no less.

I have natural hides on all my openbacks. I love the sound and feel. The are really not much trouble at all. You can apply waterproofer spray (from a shoe store) if desired. That helps with humidity. I find that a well-stretched and seasoned skin head is really very reliable. Just be patient and give it a little time...you will be rewarded.

I've installed a few skin heads for a good friend who lives in St. Augustine, FL. He has no issues with stability. It is pretty humid (variable) here in central TN too. I rarely adjust my banjos once they are stretched and set.

Skin will will sound warmer than most mylar. A good skin head will sound plenty bright and richer than plastic (IMHO).

A vintage banjo like that was made for calf or goat skin (and gut strings). IMHO it should be set up that way.

Some of my favorite resources:

Bill Miller: banjoseen.us/Store/index.html
Jeff Menzies: jeffreymenzies.com/
Stern Tanning: sterntanning.com/percussion.htm
Mid East: mid-east.com/items.asp?Cc=Skin&Bc=

best wishes!

Edited by - jbalch on 03/08/2011 19:14:50

Voyageur - Posted - 03/08/2011:  19:35:36

I have a Buckbee-made George C Dobson Victor Professional with a goat skin head. I live in a moderately humid place (not so much this time of year!) I liked the goat skin head so much that I put a Bill Miller pre-mounted goat skin on my Whyte Laydie. Love it!

I say go for it!

joshjones - Posted - 03/08/2011:  19:36:55

Just what I wanted to hear! Thanks for the advice and info , I just emailed stern tanning inquiring about price and shipping, are nylon strings refered to as gut stings or can you really still buy gut strings? If so do you know where? I absolutely love the sound of this banjo as is but I'd like to get it setup more like it would have been the day it was built. It's a real pleasure to own and play!
Thanks again

jbalch - Posted - 03/08/2011:  19:48:51

Jeff Stern (Stern tanning) bought the equipment and business from the old United Tanning Co. in Chicago. United Tanning was a maker of drum and banjo heads for Slingerland and others from the early 1900s. Jeff's hides are machine sanded for a very even thicknesss and smooth surface. They are a little more expensive than the others...but by far the best quality I've found. I use them on my best banjos.

The hides from Bill Miller and Jeff Menzies are also very good. I've gotten some really good bleached calfskin from Jeff. I also really like Bill Miller's vellum-processed calf skins. The vellum-processed skins seem very strong...they might be a good choice for your climate.

Gut strings have a unique tone. They are a little less durable than nylon. I use them on minstrel banjos which I keep tuned low. Nothing wrong with nylon...probably more dependable, affordable and easier to find.

Stern tanning calfskin:


Vellum-processed calfskin - Bill Miller


Bleached Goat skin - Bill Miller:

bleached calfskin Jeff Menzies:


Unbleached (mottled) calfskin - Jeff Menzies:

Edited by - jbalch on 03/08/2011 19:59:09

Bart McNeil - Posted - 03/08/2011:  19:59:19

I'm a skin head guy too (in more ways than one) and I won't use anything else. Besides... you learn to enjoy tweaking the head. Get one of those three socket banjo head adjusting wrenches and you're set to go. Those wrenches are much easier on the hardware than an adjustable wrench.

Also I much prefer the natural color variations that you find on goat skin heads compared with pristine white plastic.

carlb - Posted - 03/09/2011:  08:07:20

By me, for any skin head, the thinner the better, especially in high humidity. You should probably have a few bridges of different heights. For me, I tighten the head so that it just doesn't buzz with the highest bridge in the most humid and cool conditions. Then I don't tighten it any more. It may take a month or so to get to that stage. Tightening and loosening a skin head only shortens its life.

August - Posted - 03/09/2011:  16:39:20

By all means do it! After the head is settled in there is little change from humid to dry (don't let it get too dry though, bad for the wood and bad for the skin). I find that the sound difference is interesting -- the banjo always sounds good but you can't predict precisely what it it will sound like when you start playing, so you and the instrument have to find each other each time.