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JoeNode - Posted - 09/01/2012: 08:04:44
Hi everyone,
After playing a friend's fretted Enoch Tradesman outfitted with a calfskin head, I've decided to switch out the Remo Renaissance head on my fretted Tradesman for a calfskin head. I've been looking around on the internet, etc., to get some instruction and have realized that I'll need a flesh hoop to get the job done. Some sources say that I can make my own pretty easily. I'm not opposed to doing that, but looking at the Remo head, I can see what appears to be a flesh hoop already in place just under the tension hoop. Is it possible to just cut the existing "flesh hoop" out of the Remo head and use it for my calfskin head?
Also, is it really necessary to remove the neck of the banjo when changing the head?
thanks in advance for any help!
jbalch - Posted - 09/01/2012: 08:36:07
It is possible to cut the aluminum hoop for a REMO head and use it as a flesh hoop. I've not done it - but others around here have. If you do so ... be sure that there are no sharp edges anywhere on the hoop. Otherwise you might damage the skin and cause premature failure.
However - I think it is shame to ruin a perfectly good head to cut out the hoop. If you think about it - that is an expensive hoop. There are plenty of less costly alternatives. I use brass rods (1/8" square).
I don't think it is advisable (or even possible) to mount a new flat skin on your rim without removing the neck. I would not recommend trying it. Removing the neck from a tradesman is not difficult.
Good luck with it! Enjoy!
I'm linking this thread to the hide heads group: banjohangout.org/group/hideheads
Edited by - jbalch on 09/01/2012 08:37:35
jay_m - Posted - 09/01/2012: 09:09:00
John's advice is wise. If you are only going to be putting a skin head on this one banjo, recycling the hoop from your remo head makes more sense. Though it will make for a costly hoop, it's less than the price of the ring bender that you will need to bend your brass rod into a circle. If you might be doing this in the future on multiple banjos, then I'd say get the ring bender, and save your remo head. After all, the world of skin heads on banjos is a lot different. Though you may like the tone more, you might not like the unpredictability of a skin surface, and if you want to switch back, you will have to buy another synthetic head.
Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 09/01/2012: 09:09:58
I just did that on an old bacon and day and found that the skin did not move easily over the aluminum hoop cut from an old clear head. Took a bit of coaxing. I'm used to making flesh hoops from rounded and square brass stock, and I think the thinner profile of a brass hoop probably made the difference -- and upped the stubborn quotient for the process.
jbalch - Posted - 09/01/2012: 10:37:42
I'd be happy to sell one of my brass flesh hoops for $10.00 plus postage ...if that helps.
crmdgn - Posted - 09/01/2012: 19:35:14
jbalch, how do you join the hoop ends? It looks brazed in the photo, but I can't really tell.
jbalch - Posted - 09/02/2012: 04:41:01
I don't braze the ends. Mine are simply joined with clear tape. Some folks use heat-shrink tubing (I think that is a cool idea - just haven't tried it).
The tape is only really necessary to hold the ends together during the mounting process. Once the hide is installed - the hoop is very tightly wrapped by the skin and firmly held in place. It is not going anywhere.
I've seen lots of old flesh hoops that were not joined at the ends...even some with gaps of a half inch or more.
