Calv - Posted - 09/25/2012:  01:51:02

Just thinking forward here....maybe in the future i'd like a skin head on my Gold Tone CCOT open back......is this a job that a beginner could do?

I think i'd be worried about the set up of the banjo afterwards, or should i say getting the tension right when you tighten the brackets up again.

Yes or no?

Thanks,

Calv.

desert rose - Posted - 09/25/2012:  02:19:11

Go to youtube.com and type in banjo skin head

There are a number of videos showing the whole procedure

Watch them and you can decide whether its something you can do

Scott

kingfisher78 - Posted - 09/25/2012:  02:41:21

I found it much easier than I thought it would be. Find the right video though. Some make it look harder than it really is. And up until the point were you trim the skin, you can start over if you didn't judge it right. I had to do this one because of the head height required, but there is no way I would do this if I could get a plastic head to fit because of the on going problems of head tension.

At the time , I put some pics here for something to do. facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set...mp;type=3

Shane.

Calv - Posted - 09/25/2012:  02:48:25

Thank you :)

Calv.

JohnGP - Posted - 09/25/2012:  03:24:40

When I first started playing synthetic heads were unknown in the UK so there was no choice but to fit a skin head yourself. (No banjo luthiers around and I couldn't have afforded to pay them anyway).  Take it slow and easy (as Jesse Fuller said) and dont trim untul you are sure everything is bone dry and correctly fitted; it's an easy matter to wet the skin and start again if you've not trimmed it.

Hawgfiddle65 - Posted - 09/25/2012:  03:37:17

Hi

I've done two now ,one on a  11 inch rim and one on a uke . I found it a bit fiddly but perfectly manageable .The second one was much easier. As John GP says you can have multiple stabs at it just by re-soaking and don't trim till you are 100% happy. You can always trim once you have the tension etc to your liking.

Just be brave ,you'll be really chuffed with yourself when you get it right.

Jim(Hawgfiddle65)

Calv - Posted - 09/25/2012:  03:59:58

Thank you John and Jim.....gives me a bit of reassurance about doing it. :)

Calv.

mbuk06 - Posted - 09/25/2012:  05:44:46

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hawgfiddle65

Hi

I've done two now ,one on a  11 inch rim and one on a uke . I found it a bit fiddly but perfectly manageable .The second one was much easier. As John GP says you can have multiple stabs at it just by re-soaking and don't trim till you are 100% happy. You can always trim once you have the tension etc to your liking.

Just be brave ,you'll be really chuffed with yourself when you get it right.

Jim(Hawgfiddle65)

---

Jim, I have to admit being put off by reading others advice that you only get one shot at fitting and getting everything right and can't re-dampen the skin and start again once it's dried. I have to repair a banjo with a calf-skin head that split in an over-dry centrally-heated room months ago. The replacement skin has arrived and I've looked at clip on the sellers site showing how -to but I still just keep putting the job off. Your post has reassured me and decided me to finally give it a go this weekend.

jbalch - Posted - 09/25/2012:  05:57:19

There is only on way to learn .... go for it.

Using a thinner skin will make the job easier (I'd recommend .010 - .012 in).  That is especially true if the hardware on your banjo is tight fitting.

Also for a first timer, buy a hide that is plenty large for the rim you are fitting.  The extra hide will simplify the task.  I recommend buying a 16" skin for an 11" rim and 18" for a 12" size.

Avoid the temptation to pull the tension hoop down too far or stretch the skin too tight in the initial mounting.  Most hides will stretch more over the first few weeks of use.  It is best to allow for that continued stretching.

The late Bill Miller's instructions are helpful:  banjoseen.us/Calfskin/HowToIin...fSkin.pdf

I'm linking this to the hide heads group....Enjoy!  banjohangout.org/group/hideheads

Shawn Hoover - Posted - 09/25/2012:  06:05:30

I went for it after watching Richie Dotson's videos and reading all the tutorials I could find. It went fine. I had my dad help me. It may have been frustrating on my own to get everything fitted through, but we took our time and had fun and the two extra hands helped a lot.

Ho C Ying - Posted - 09/25/2012:  06:07:39

How to install a skin banjo head.

stewmac.com/freeinfo/Building,...0522.html

Hope it helps.

Edited by - Ho C Ying on 09/25/2012 06:08:43

mworden - Posted - 09/25/2012:  07:25:04

It's not too hard and pretty fun to do.  I recently did my first one, which came out great, and took a bunch of pictures of the process.  You can see them here banjohangout.org/topic/240560.  --Mike