Greenleaf - Posted - 02/23/2015:  09:59:37

I did a search for calf skin head care and I found most of what I was looking for. However, I read that the bridge should be laid flat when stored. My question is, what is considered storage? If you play everyday (almost every day) do you have to lay the bridge down after every use, I would think not? I am a newbie and this is my first post so please excuse my ignorance. 

Greenleaf

trapdoor2 - Posted - 02/23/2015:  10:12:10

It is an old myth...with just a little truth in it.

Yes, the head is under pressure from the bridge when the strings are tensioned...but unless you have a defective or extra-soft head, it won't make any difference, even over long periods of time. I have banjos that have calfskin heads which are nearly a century old...never had the bridge laid down (that I can tell) and no problems.

My very first calfskin head (mounted in the mid 1980's) is still there...and the bridge has never been laid down. No problems.

That said, it won't hurt anything to lay it down. Worst case, it gets lost or you break it trying to lay it down.

Oh, and Welcome to the hangout!

===Marc

Edited by - trapdoor2 on 02/23/2015 10:13:43

beegee - Posted - 02/23/2015:  10:13:40

I wouldn't worry about it. If you play every day, just be aware of environmental changes. High humidity will stretch the head, low humidity will shrink it. Learn to adjust your head as needed. Avoid extreme sudden shifts in temp and humidity

jbalch - Posted - 02/23/2015:  11:25:50

 I agree with the other folks who commented.

I think the recommendation to lay the bridge down during storage means long-term (unused) storage.  The possible reason is: if the head becomes loose, the bridge can sag.  Over a long time the bridge can become permanently misshapen.  I think the danger is to the bridge more than the head. I have seen a good number of old bridges in this condition.

If you were going to store the banjo for a long time (months or years) and in conditions where the temperature and humidity might change, It might be advisable to loosen the strings, lay the bridge down (or remove it), and even slack the head just a bit.  But I would not do this on a banjo that I played regularly.

Edited by - jbalch on 02/23/2015 11:32:18

Dan B - Posted - 02/23/2015:  11:32:35

I`ll lay mine down if I`m gona be doing some hard traveling and the case might be banged around.

Not at home though.