josephryanevans - Posted - 02/02/2012:  11:49:53

Excuse my ignorance. I'm just getting into setting up an old buckbee nylon string banjo. I want a calfskin head. and I have no idea where to start as far as choosing, mounting, buying a head. any advice.

staronjeff - Posted - 02/02/2012:  12:00:45

every thing you need to know is here

banjoseen.us/Store/index.html

you can either mount it your-self( you will need a flesh hoop)

or buy the pre-mounted kind

pastorharry - Posted - 02/02/2012:  12:03:50

If you have a standard rim size of 11 or 12 inches you can buy pre mounted heads from Bill Miller who is a member here. If it is any other size you'll most likely have to mount a head yourself. Do you still have the original flesh hoop from the prior head? If so you can use that to re-mount a new head. There are several tutorials on how to do that in the "Hide heads" group page. I'm going to link this thread to the group and I'm sure you'll be getting more help shortly. Aloha, PH

Fathand - Posted - 02/02/2012:  12:15:17

$9.00 for 14" ummounted calfskin at Elderly Instruments. Should easily do an 11" banjo. I assume your banjo has a flesh hoop on it?

oldtimefolkie - Posted - 02/02/2012:  12:25:19

I second the Elderly option, its more economical, plus you'll learn how to mount a skin head!  I bought a 16" Goatskin head from Elderly and used the mounting instructions on savethebanjos.com.  Check out that website.  It's very helpful in what you're trying to do.

Good luck, love to see some photos.

Warren

Edited by - oldtimefolkie on 02/02/2012 12:26:07

WH Mayo - Posted - 02/02/2012:  12:30:30

Here is another tutorial on putting on skin heads. If you are replacing a plastic head you will need a flesh hoop. You can get those from the banjoseen web page as mentioned above. Here's the link to Richie Dotson's site:

acousticbox.com/head.html



Warren

Edited by - WH Mayo on 02/02/2012 12:35:41

josephryanevans - Posted - 02/02/2012:  12:38:48

thanks for your help folks. that gets me started. I haven't taken off the old broken head but I am assuming that i have the flesh hoop there. i just tried to buy a head from banjoseen.us but had some trouble with the paypal. i'll get it figured out. If i run into any problems mounting, i'll let you know. thanks.

oldtimefolkie - Posted - 02/02/2012:  12:55:03

Good luck!  Make sure to spin that tension hoop around so the seam is covered by the neck when you mount the new head.  I just mounted my first skin head and found I soaked it too long.  If the tension hoop won't fit over the skin head and rim just wait about 20-30 mins and try again.

Warren

Edited by - oldtimefolkie on 02/02/2012 13:06:01

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 02/02/2012:  16:03:21

You can see the flesh hoop - It is just below the tension hoop. The skin goes down past the tension hoop then around the flesh hoop and back up under the tension hoop. Once it dries you cut it off low around the rim. The skin sticks to the flesh hoop pretty good when you are trying to get it all apart but it will come off, given enough time - and perhaps some water.

carlb - Posted - 02/03/2012:  06:05:04

My preference is for very thin (0.1-0.25 mm) skin heads, calf or goat or......... With nylon strings especially, I'd think you'd want to go in that direction.

Fathand - Posted - 02/03/2012:  06:31:17

I have bought 3 of these from Elderly and they have included very good directions each time.

quote:

---

Originally posted by oldtimefolkie

I second the Elderly option, its more economical, plus you'll learn how to mount a skin head!  I bought a 16" Goatskin head from Elderly and used the mounting instructions on savethebanjos.com.  Check out that website.  It's very helpful in what you're trying to do.

Good luck, love to see some photos.

Warren

---

Bart McNeil - Posted - 02/03/2012:  06:38:00

Yes there obvoiously is a flesh hoop there... Remove it from the skin ( may be necessary to cut the skin to get it out). Once the flesh hoop is clean and lightly sanded a spray of laquer wouldn't harm and will prevent any corosion from discoloring the skin. Often the skin comes with instructions on installation, or you will find several sites on skin head installation... It is awkward the first time but is not difficult.

Yours may (or may not) also have a metal tone ring... Just clean and spray with laquer to prevent rust and discoloration from the moisture used in skin head installation.

Jonnycake White - Posted - 02/03/2012:  09:21:18

quote:

---

Originally posted by oldtimefolkie

Good luck!  Make sure to spin that tension hoop around so the seam is covered by the neck when you mount the new head.  I just mounted my first skin head and found I soaked it too long.  If the tension hoop won't fit over the skin head and rim just wait about 20-30 mins and try again.

Warren

---

It doesn't look like you can spin the tension hoop to hide the seam, as it has a string notch filed out of it which must be where the neck joins the pot. 

josephryanevans - Posted - 02/03/2012:  14:21:44

thanks folks, you've all been very helpful. i ordered my head today and will put it on as soon as it arrives.

Joe

Ron Ortegel - Posted - 02/03/2012:  15:28:01

Did you order a pre mounted skin? 

I had trouble putting one of those on an old Buckbee. The flesh hoop was too big. Had to go back to the original flesh hoop and start from scratch mounting a new skin.