jbalch - Posted - 03/17/2012:  12:19:33

I bought an old tenor banjo on ebaY as a project.  When I saw it online I thought it had a renaissance head installed. 

But the head actullay turned out to be a vintage AMRAWCO calf hide head that is totally translucent and golden color. It is a very fine quality, very thin head ... almost perfectly even thickness. That is cool enough.  But the next discovery was new for me.

This old hide was originally installed with two (2) flesh hoops.  One is installed in the normal way.  A second is on top with the hide wrapped over.  Judging from the way the hide wraps ofer the second hoop, it as clearly done this way from the beginning (not a second hoop added later - as some have suggested as a means to correct a head with crown too tall).

Has anyone seen hide heads installed this way before?

AMRAWCO head with double hoops

AMRAWCO head

grizzly1 - Posted - 03/17/2012:  12:49:06

Cool! This is the first I have seen the double ring setup. Are you sure it's calf? the translucence reminds me of some of the traditional drum head material I saw up in Alaska. Walrus or seal stomach or bladder was a popular materials as was deer, moose and what ever else happened to be on the menu when you needed a new head for your drum. You have me wondering about alternative head  material. Great look!

jbalch - Posted - 03/17/2012:  13:27:27

It fooled me too from the auction photos.  But the imprinted logo says "AMRAWCO" (American Rawhide Co.), "Genuine Calfskin" , "CALF", and "Economy" See below:

Why was it done?    The only thing I can figure is that the tension hoop fits very snugly against the rim. Maybe this was done to prevent having to squeeze a double thickness of hide between the tension hoop & rim. But with a hide this thin, I cant imagine that would be necessary.   But with a hide this thin, I cant imagine that would be necessary. but

Edited by - jbalch on 03/17/2012 13:37:57

TxScout - Posted - 03/17/2012:  14:31:32

John, perhaps in stretching the head the crown got away from them and the additional hoop was added as a spacer to set the tension hoop at the proper height...Don

leemysliwiec - Posted - 03/17/2012:  14:45:45

Also, it could have been done that way to give a little more 'grip' to the head during installation... That would have been an improper installation, in my opinion.  

timmo_1949 - Posted - 03/17/2012:  16:35:13

I've never seen anything like that.  Another thing odd about it is how low it is trimmed.  Usually, as you well know, you trim the new head just below the inside edge of the tension hoop.  Maybe these were made as pre-mounted heads that wouldn't need trimming???????  Sounds lame but that's all I can think of.

Tim Smith

jbalch - Posted - 03/18/2012:  05:43:31

Judging from the way this thing is trimmed.  I think it might have been stretched over the rim, secured by the two flesh hoops, and trimmed ~ before the tension hoop was installed & tightened.

charlied - Posted - 03/18/2012:  06:25:06

Perhaps someone had hooks that were too long. 

Makes the tension ring taller, and the hook shorter.

jbalch - Posted - 03/25/2012:  09:23:09

The ltttle banjo as a new Bill Miler vellum-processed hiode head now ... and only one flesh-hoop.

Miller vellum-processed hide

Cottonmouth - Posted - 03/25/2012:  10:50:56

John, please tell us about that bridge; wood, availability, weight, etc..