SteveMo - Posted - 12/30/2011:  10:17:43

I want to replace an older 5  star head on a '79+or- Stew-Mac Diamond Eagle I slapped together many moons ago.I was thinking of using a new skin head from Janet Davis who sells them cheaper than the Gold Tone site does.$46 vs. $50.??? This thing will bark a 'coon up a tree from 1/4 mile away.Really a cannon and very bright.Almost sounds like an archtop.Very loud.I think it probably has a Steve Ryan ring on it.When this was made the popular thing back then was to have a bright tone.Now I'd like to get it warmer...strenghthen up the bass a bit.Now Ive noticed on some threads on here where folks have replaced their plastic heads with skin and they've gotten louder.Geez...I know this will get me tossed out of the house...and it's gettin' cold out there.Any thoughts on this subject from personal experience or what you've heard from other folks who've walked down this road? Thank you all and Happy New Year!

Fathand - Posted - 12/30/2011:  10:40:38

If you can acquire a flesh hoop or make one out of coat hanger  as suggested on Stew mac, you can get unmounted skin heads for about $9 and up at Elderly or others. There are plenty of instructions to mount on the net.

Possom - Posted - 12/30/2011:  10:54:02

I've got one of those old stew mac rims and with a Ryan no hole in it. It ain't no cannon but has a great tone. Played it for 3 years and really enjoyed it. Still pick it up every now and then and pick a little

tdennis - Posted - 12/30/2011:  10:54:44

A skin head will give you a richer, better balanced,  & more musical voice, but I doubt you will get more volume.   (If someone stated they got more volume from a skin head, they must have had a mylar Fiberskyn,   Renaissance,  an old head,or some kind of problem.   One property of plastic heads  that usually outcompetes  skin is the volume.   I prefer skin on my instruments, & find them no problem at all to deal with.

pastorharry - Posted - 12/30/2011:  11:09:36

I recommend the unbleached ,pre mounted goat skin heads from Bill Miller, who is a member here.

I will link this to the hide head group page.

Edited by - pastorharry on 12/30/2011 11:10:29

Bill H - Posted - 12/30/2011:  14:08:14

Ditto on the Bill Miller skin head recommended by pastorharry. He'll get you fixed up with a flesh hoop as well if you need one, and instructions.

RG - Posted - 12/30/2011:  16:56:12

Also in agreement with using Bill Miller's calfskin heads, I have a vellum processed Miller calfskin head on my RB250 clone and it is awesome...and Bill's heads are way cheaper and better quality than the other heads mentioned...I use them on all of my skin head banjars & they also come pre-mounted (see link below)...check out my playing Doc Boggs' "Davenport" on my homepage, played in his 3 finger style, no picks and still lots of punch...you'll get the true "pre-war" sound with a calfskin head, not plastic!

banjoseen.us/Store/index.html

SteveMo - Posted - 12/31/2011:  08:30:44

Thanks for the advice fellas. And thanks  RG for the link to Bill Miller's head shop? I'd rather buy a quality American grown cow or goat head than one probably imported from Asia(I assume), since it's from Gold Tone.Nothing wrong with Asian products....just need to keep what little money we still have in this country working for us!!!!!  By the way...what's the big difference between the goat and the cow? I know one moos and the other baas,but tone wise...is the goat louder because it's thinner? In real life the cow has a deeper voice, so I'm thinkin' that's what I probably need to go with.What about the vellum? Isn't that some kind of medication for making folks happy? I wouldn't mind having an even happier banjer...even though it's plenty happy already.Maybe that would project into the people standing in front of it...could sure stand some of that! I could aim it at the Mrs.