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Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/272569
Davidprat - Posted - 10/21/2013: 01:28:07
I have 3 banjos with skin head, with 2 of them I don't have any problem with the head, are really stable but with the other one I have to tight the head quite often, all banjos are in the same room ... Why? it can be that the fitting of the skin wasn't properly done when mounting the head or there are some Hides that are more sensitive to the humidity ?
revellfa - Posted - 10/21/2013: 04:27:52
It seems like some are more touchy than others. I think it has to do with thickness. The thinner ones seem to need tightened more often. I have a nice thick head on my Weymann #2 Tenor that has been on there for six months without any need to tighten.
As far as mounting it could be that some skins dry out faster than others. I usually put my banjo in the basement after a new hide head has been installed because I have a dehumidifier down there. Seems to work fine however I do notice that the thinner heads need tightened a lot more often.
It could also have to do with the tension hoop and how well it was mounted in the first place. The tension hoop on my Weymann is built like a rock--perhaps that is a contributing factor as well. Thinner, weaker tension hoops don't hold the head as tightly perhaps and maybe that's why they need tightened more often perhaps?
Edited by - revellfa on 10/21/2013 04:29:49
carlb - Posted - 10/21/2013: 06:48:50
I do not suggest tightening thinner heads as often as suggested above as it may well shorten the life of the head. My method: On the coolest, dampest day (usually at an outdoor festival) with my highest bridge (11/16"), I tighten the head so the strings don't buzz when I play. When the humidity decreases, I just change to bridge to a shorter one. It takes about a minute and use either 5/8" or 1/2" (if it's really dry like when I was in Colorado).
Deaf Lester Crawdad - Posted - 10/21/2013: 23:06:02
quote:
Originally posted by Davidprat
I have 3 banjos with skin head, with 2 of them I don't have any problem with the head, are really stable but with the other one I have to tight the head quite often, all banjos are in the same room ... Why? it can be that the fitting of the skin wasn't properly done when mounting the head or there are some Hides that are more sensitive to the humidity ?
Skin heads are as individual as the critters they grew on, and despite the fact that they may have been tanned exactly the sale way will often react quite differently to changes in temperature and humidity.
In fact, I've found that really stable heads seem to be the exception rather than the rule.
~Pete
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