Dan McNay - Posted - 05/25/2016:  23:10:52

Sos, I've been beating up a original head on a Deering Boston for the last year and my change out Music Store guy says, you want to replace it? I want a black head cause it looks so cool. But what it does it do to the sound? I went from a Fender to this and love it. The F sounds like something real on this. Suggestions? Deering has a lot of suggestions and descriptions, which none of really help. What you think?

HPNomad - Posted - 05/26/2016:  02:47:20

Can't go wrong with an AMB head.

5stringJim - Posted - 05/26/2016:  03:56:05

All banjo heads are made by either Remo or Ludwig....other names are just the same 2 company's heads with different branding. I know you get black Remos, don't think there is a choice. Other than that, the choices are for Remo, Fiberskyn, a thicker, textured head for more of a plunky, skin-style sound. Renaissance, honey-colored, or Clear, Cloudy, Top-coated or Bottom-coated.

Grey Dog - Posted - 05/26/2016:  04:03:21

The black heads (from Deering) are thicker and have way more sustain than your typical remo frosted. I second the AMB vote.

For clawhammer, it might be something fine, new, and interesting. For bluegrass, it tends to be a bit too muddy and tubby.

Edited by - Grey Dog on 05/26/2016 04:04:51

Banjo Fanatic - Posted - 05/26/2016:  05:26:41

If you want a black head, I'm not for sure as I haven't tried them (although I'd like to), but I've never had any problems with the Remo heads. If you just want a nice head that will make your banjo sound good no mater what style you play, I would recommend getting the Remo Renaissance Head. I play bluegrass and it is my choice for a head as it tones down any overtones but still gives the banjo a powerful sound without the shrill high notes that some people find repulsive. That, and it looks cool to. :)

5stringJim - Posted - 05/26/2016:  05:55:22

quote:

---

Originally posted by Grey Dog

 

The black heads (from Deering) are thicker and have way more sustain than your typical remo frosted. I second the AMB vote.

For clawhammer, it might be something fine, new, and interesting. For bluegrass, it tends to be a bit too muddy and tubby.

---

It has been discussed on this forum soooooo many times....there are only 2 (two) head manufacturers,.....Remo and Ludwig. (AMB, Deering, Huber, 5 star, Elite, Snuffy Smith are all either Remo or Ludwig , with maybe some spray-on coating added.

dpgetman - Posted - 05/26/2016:  06:41:51

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dan McNay

 

 I want a black head cause it looks so cool. But what it does it do to the sound? 

---

Dan,

I put a black mylar head I bought off of Elderly on my Deering Hartford.  I kept it on there for a few years because I liked how it took the capital A out of the twAng I was getting out of the frosted head, more of a "thouaang" with the mylar.  That said, about 4 months ago, I swapped out the mylar for a calf skin head (from John Balch here on the hang out) and really liked the result, less bright with more depth, but no loss of clarity all the way up the neck.  I don't play as much driving bluegrass as I used to on the Deering, actually go back and forth between Scruggs, fingerstyle, and clawhammer on that banjo pretty frequently, but I couldn't be happier with how the calf skin seemed to bring the sound of the banjo into balance, at least to my ear.  

DPG

Alex Z - Posted - 05/26/2016:  11:23:14

"original head"   "Deering Boston"   "love it"  "The F sounds like something real on this."

"I want a black head cause it looks so cool."

Thus, you have a choice:  (a)  keep the sound you love by using the same head as original, or (b) look cool.

Joe Connor - Posted - 05/26/2016:  12:51:46

Deering sells black banjo heads. 

deeringbanjos.com/collections/heads

Beardog - Posted - 05/26/2016:  14:07:08

The American Made Banjo (AMB) head is my favorite, but as most things like this, it is purely a subjective preference.

five-string fever - Posted - 05/27/2016:  04:20:44

Warren Yates and Bishline, 2 really good builders, really like the unbranded medium crown Remo Weatherking that Stewart MacDonald sells. They actually review them on Stew-Mac's website. I have one on my Bales. I also have John Balch's Stern Tanning cowhide heads that I like a lot on 2 banjos that I put together from parts last year. They warm them up right nice but still maintains pretty good cut. 

Helix - Posted - 05/27/2016:  10:34:14

Left to right: Elite Amber, Elite and..............................Fiberskyn, I don't spec. them.



The Renassaince heads are the unmarked Elites. I am able to compete freely with these Elites.



Black was something new, I guess.



the right hide is worth researching, it's the sound. Mr. Balch.

Edited by - Helix on 05/27/2016 10:35:32

steve davis - Posted - 05/27/2016:  11:07:13

Any Medium crown Remo is fine with me.

The shiny black heads I've heard sound more like a clear head.

Edited by - steve davis on 05/27/2016 11:08:22

Banjo Fanatic - Posted - 05/27/2016:  21:11:58

That's another thing that Steve brought up. There are black banjo heads with different finishes. There is a smooth version, or a matte/suede like finish, much like a frosted head feel. It looks like both the Remo and Deering heads are the smoother finished ones. I've seen the matte finished ones somewhere, but can't remember where.

mikehalloran - Posted - 05/27/2016:  23:29:59

You won't know what it sounds like with a black head till you try one. You'll like it or not, right?

Grey Dog - Posted - 05/28/2016:  04:45:30

quote:

---

Originally posted by 5stringJim

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Grey Dog

 

The black heads (from Deering) are thicker and have way more sustain than your typical remo frosted. I second the AMB vote.

For clawhammer, it might be something fine, new, and interesting. For bluegrass, it tends to be a bit too muddy and tubby.

---

It has been discussed on this forum soooooo many times....there are only 2 (two) head manufacturers,.....Remo and Ludwig. (AMB, Deering, Huber, 5 star, Elite, Snuffy Smith are all either Remo or Ludwig , with maybe some spray-on coating added.

---

So here's where we are with that:

A) So between these two manufacturers, are you saying that they only make one single and identical head?? Neither one does any variation whatsoever? Fyberskyn and Renaissance heads are radically different in thickness, to start.

B) Direct from Deering themselves:  "The Deering black banjo head is ... mellow in tone with long sustain, lots of low frequency response (bass) and not as crisp as a clear or bottom frosted head. More sustain than the fiberskyn and not plunky at all."

C) I find a 5-star to be quite thicker than a Remo. Maybe the former is made in one factory and the latter in another, but just because there are two makers doesn't mean much in terms of product. If you distill cars down to toyota and subaru, you still have quite a range of options and differences.

slammer - Posted - 05/28/2016:  05:00:22

I've been wanting a black head for a few years now . I can't believe nobody makes a black frosted head just like the white frosted heads. It's either shiny black or the suede dull looking and I really don't wast either.
I wished AMB would make them, I think they would sell a hell of a lot of them!!!
Slammer!!!

5stringJim - Posted - 05/29/2016:  15:52:29

quote:

---

Originally posted by Grey Dog

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by 5stringJim

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Grey Dog

 

The black heads (from Deering) are thicker and have way more sustain than your typical remo frosted. I second the AMB vote.

For clawhammer, it might be something fine, new, and interesting. For bluegrass, it tends to be a bit too muddy and tubby.

---

It has been discussed on this forum soooooo many times....there are only 2 (two) head manufacturers,.....Remo and Ludwig. (AMB, Deering, Huber, 5 star, Elite, Snuffy Smith are all either Remo or Ludwig , with maybe some spray-on coating added.

---

 

So here's where we are with that:

A) So between these two manufacturers, are you saying that they only make one single and identical head?? Neither one does any variation whatsoever? Fyberskyn and Renaissance heads are radically different in thickness, to start.

B) Direct from Deering themselves:  "The Deering black banjo head is ... mellow in tone with long sustain, lots of low frequency response (bass) and not as crisp as a clear or bottom frosted head. More sustain than the fiberskyn and not plunky at all."

C) I find a 5-star to be quite thicker than a Remo. Maybe the former is made in one factory and the latter in another, but just because there are two makers doesn't mean much in terms of product. If you distill cars down to toyota and subaru, you still have quite a range of options and differences.

---

Answers:- A) Read my previous post again....Fiberskin and Renaissance are different from Remo Weatherkings. I know that. Remo make a range of banjo heads, clear, cloudy, top-frosted, bottom-frosted, and black.

B) The Deering black banjo head is not MADE by Deering.

C) 5-Star heads are made by Ludwig. They are thicker than Remo Weatherking, and quite different in sound. I use both. Made in different factories, by different companies. Both of which are primarily Drum head manufacturers....banjo heads are a tiny portion of their markets.

RioStat - Posted - 05/29/2016:  17:43:25

Back in the 1920's, a sales manager commented to Henry Ford that customers often asked about getting different colored cars, and Henry Ford replied..."You can paint my cars any color you want.....as long as its black"

I feel the same way about banjo heads, they can be any color you want....as long as its white!

But that's just my personal preference and opinion.

mikehalloran - Posted - 05/31/2016:  10:25:52

quote:

---

Originally posted by slammer

 

I've been wanting a black head for a few years now . I can't believe nobody makes a black frosted head just like the white frosted heads. It's either shiny black or the suede dull looking and I really don't wast either.

I wished AMB would make them, I think they would sell a hell of a lot of them!!!

Slammer!!!

---

You may be overestimating the market demand.

A friend of mine liked the look of a black head and the sound of a clear one. The solution was easy: he painted the inside of his pot and resonator black. It was an Iida masterclone and he played it that way for many years.

RV6 - Posted - 05/31/2016:  11:16:07

I've painted three Renaissance head's with black, satin Krylon "Fusion" spray paint for plastic and they turned out well.  I think the added coating mellowed the head a bit. (The paint added 3 grams to the weight of the head).  I masked the tone hoop area off on this one.  Kind of a pain but I thought it would look cool.  I didn't do this for the other two.  Much easier.

prooftheory - Posted - 06/01/2016:  10:13:10

Did you paint the inside or the outside?