erikstill - Posted - 06/08/2015:  21:37:17

i just put a skin in my Reiter special. I live in Pa where the tension hoop was raised above the head slightly like it was when I bought it with an amber elite head. I had good head tension. I'm on vacation in Indiana where it much more humid I've had to tighten my head. I expected this but I've had to tighten it to the point where the notched tension hoop is almost flush with the head. This is my first notched tension hoop I just didn't know of this was ok for the banjo or where should it be positioned. 

banjobrewer - Posted - 06/09/2015:  03:29:24

First of all why are you vacationing in IN. Just funnin ya.

It is very humid here and all my skin heads and notched hoops do the same thing. Then in the winter they ring like bells.

Bill H - Posted - 06/09/2015:  04:18:29

I am currently having the same issue with my Vegaphone. It won't get any tighter. There seems to be an element of trial and error with installing a skin head. Since my banjo has an extended fingerboard, I couldn't start too high. Now it's tightened all the way down to the notch in the neck. Nothing like the sound though, that two or three times a year when the weather's just right. 

jbalch - Posted - 06/09/2015:  04:58:33

The height of the tension hoop is variable - by design.  That is because hide heads stretch and shrink so the tension hoop must move up-and-down to accommodate that. A high crown head that pulls low on the rim is not necessarily a problem. The first hide I mounted on my Reiter Bacophone-plus stretched so much that the tension hoop pulled below the top of the head. It was an awesome sounding hide - so I played it that way for five or six years.

It is best for the hide to stabilize and the hoop to settle slightly above the top of the head.  "Best" because some tailpieces work better when the hoop is in that position. Also, when the hoop remains up a little bit, there is still more room for additional tightening - if conditions change and the hide stretches again.

But - an overstretched head (crown too high) is not a problem until it:

1. bottoms out in the neck notch preventing more tightening - and possibly leading to uneven toghtness on the tension hoop (and maybe even damage)

2. pulls so low that the tailpiece no longer functions properly.  Some tailpieces that rest on the tension hoop can actually damage the head if they pull too low

3. the head itself might be cut by sharp ends of the J-hooks - if they protrude past the inside of the tension hoop notches.

I recommend mounting new heads with the crown lower than your desired final height (with the tension hoop sitting up high).  Initially the tension hoop should sit up as tall as possible (allowing the strings to just clear at the neck notch).  If you don't over-stretch them in the mounting - when wet, almost all hide heads will continue stretch in use after they are dry.  So if you start out with a low crown - the head will more likely end up in an ideal position.

Below is a photo of a new head on my mounting rim.  Note the initial height of the tension hoop.

Edited by - jbalch on 06/09/2015 05:13:19

11" coffee stained goat hide

jbalch - Posted - 06/09/2015:  05:21:47

Compare these two Reiter banjos.  On the left is my 2012 Bacophone-plus with a brand new goat hide head that is set with a low crown - just as I like them when new.   The banjo on the right had an older overstretched calfskin.

Both banjos played and sounded great.  I think this photo shows a range of 'workable" crown heights.  When using hide heads - there is no single correct height.

darlo - Posted - 06/09/2015:  06:48:42

Thank you as the saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words for people who are new to Hyde heads these are invaluable references many thanks john

erikstill - Posted - 06/09/2015:  07:47:48

Thanks everyone! I didn't think it'd be a big deal but first hide head trial and error. And Indiana might not be the best vacation spot but its home. Haha.