laguna21dc - Posted - 01/02/2025:  19:37:26

I was wondering if the new renassiance heads are more popular than the older skin heads. They look much nicer and sound better but thats just my opinion. thoughts? I think the younger crowd wants  a new cleaner look than the older players and the younger crowd wants  more bling than the older crowd as well. Thoughts?

Edited by - laguna21dc on 01/02/2025 19:43:00

dornan - Posted - 01/02/2025:  20:19:14

My head is too old to answer that.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 01/02/2025:  21:55:44

No. If you are selling a used banjo, don’t change the head unless it’s damaged. Let the buyer choose his or her own head. Everyone’s taste is different. If you are selling a banjo on which you must make a head change, offer a choice to potential buyers, but don’t arbitrarily change a head by guessing what your buyer will want.

lightgauge - Posted - 01/03/2025:  04:19:33

It just depends on the buyer, but in most selling, looks affects appeal. To the older, more experienced player, Bill nailed it.

Bart Veerman - Posted - 01/03/2025:  06:17:46

quote:

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Originally posted by laguna21dc

I was wondering if the new renassiance heads are more popular than the older skin heads.

>>> yes, because they're more user friendly

They look much nicer and sound better but thats just my opinion

>>> A lot of people will agree with you but a LOT of people will disagree with you

I think the younger crowd wants  a new cleaner look

>>> them youngsters, what do they even know...,

Hide heads are quite popular in the clawhammer crowd, bragging rights if they look original/authentic. On the other hand, I've never heard anyone bragging about their 100 year old original strings. For that matter, I've never heard any discussions about whether male or female skin sounds better.

Heads, like strings, are consumables by nature - you simply gotta change them every now and then. Whenever you do, there's the personal choice thing that kicks in, it overrules any and all other considerations. 

RB3 - Posted - 01/03/2025:  06:55:39

There are some who covet certain old Mylar heads. For them, it's likely that an old head would actually increase the value of an otherwise inexpensive banjo.

Corwyn - Posted - 01/03/2025:  07:45:01

quote:

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Originally posted by lightgauge

It just depends on the buyer, but in most selling, looks affects appeal. To the older, more experienced player, Bill nailed it.

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In which case it would seem prudent to price it such that you can say "... and I'll throw in a new head if you like."

Thank you kindly.

Edited by - Corwyn on 01/03/2025 07:45:17

writerrad - Posted - 01/03/2025:  08:10:34

Keeping the head, and the rest of the banjo clean is the obligation of a banjoist to her or his banjo. It does not matter whether the head is skin or not. Cleaning the head is a banjoist’s responsibility for both Skin and Remo and other artificial heads.

I have both skin headed and Remo heads on my seven banjos with one of the skin-headed banjos dating from 1893.
Skins heads were not and are not designed to last forever. Back before artificial substitutes became available, skins were expected to last not much more than a year in standard usage by a frequent player. A real banjoist was expected to know how to change her or his own head.

Taking it to a banjo luthier for a head change is fine today, but the problem is often finding a real banjo luthier. I was quite lucky back when I started out and all I had was a basic Goodtime to be told by the repair man at my local Guitar Centre who had done wonders on my Jazz Archtop to steer clear of the Guitar Center and most music stores that are guitar focused and can do wrong to a banjo. On the other hand many experienced bluegrass and old time banjoists are experienced at changing heads and may do this for you or teach you.

There is no reason a skin head banjo or an artificial head would be any dirtier than a Remo or Fiberskin. The issue of the dirt and condition of the head reflects how the banjoist treats the banjo and maintains it. The head on my 1893 Fairbanks lasted more than 12 years since the owner before me had put it on before it finally broke one day just from the variation of temperature and humidity in my apartment on the InterCoastal just north of Miami Beach.

If the head is clean, then it will create the sound the banjo was designed to make. The dirt and scum that can accumulate on the banjo head deadens the sound, and can damage the head, and is just nasty!

There are a variety of strategies for cleaning heads, both skin and Remo.

THE CHEAPEST AND MOST IMPORTANT STEP IS TO WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE YOU PLAY YOUR BANJO.

Standard erasers are usually good enough to clean the skin heads, although a little household cleaner dabbed on a cloth may be required to get off grime if you have not been cleaning your head or keeping it clean.

There are fret and fretboard cleaning products sold for guitars that work on banjos as well. Stew Mac and Amazon do offer a dazzling array of instrument cleaning products. If you are pinched for money, you can look for the list of ingredients on specialized cleaners. Often the basic chemical or soap ingredients of the fancy cleaners are sold straight at much cheaper prices for industrial or mechanic use.

I have known fools who think dirt on the head makes the banjo funky, but it retards the ability of the head to play as vibrantly as should.

Treat your hands and your banjo as they should be treated. Keep them clean!

writerrad - Posted - 01/03/2025:  08:22:45

I had a skin head on my 1893 Fairbanks Electric that may be lasted 12 years and might have lasted since the 1920s.  I never clearly interrogated the original owner I obtained it from because I did not know much about banjos when I obtained it.  However,  that head was a CLEAN HEAD.  I was instructed by expert banjoists and banjo collectors to keep the head clean, a subject on which I have already posted here,

I am often on the lookout for old banjos for myself or friends who are pickers and for several collectors I know.  However, if I see a dirty stained messed up head, it speaks to me about the banjo not being maintained properly by its owner and the seller not knowing what she or he is doing.   I then expect a lower price if I am trying purchase it.  I would believe that I might probably have to spend considerable money  putting that banjo into shape because the owner or seller clearly does NOT know how to take care of a banjo,, 

 I would also expect to factor in replacing the head myself to the price.  However, in general,  I woukld steer clear of the banjo and the seller except if I thought I could take advantage of their ignorance or carelessness!   I would not expect a person selling such a banjo to know what she or he is doing or to know how to take care of a banjo!

Cleaning a head or even replacing a head on a banjo is  part of regular responsible banjo ownership!

Edited by - writerrad on 01/03/2025 08:32:18

Eric A - Posted - 01/03/2025:  08:32:28

I always shake my head when I see sellers who say "I'll put on a new head and new strings!" Any experienced player is going to want to choose his own head and strings. Seller is just wasting his own time and money.

The only time this makes any sense is when selling a starter banjo to an absolute newbie. Those buyers might feel reassured that the banjo is ship shape and ready to play (even though setup and bridge placement is still likely an issue).

writerrad - Posted - 01/03/2025:  08:41:10

Bart is right.  Back when skin was what all heads were, knowing how to change them and having to change them fairly frequently was considered a sign of being a real banjoist.    

To me it is a question of taste and difficulty.   I have kept skin on my Gold Tone WL-250 since I bought it 21 years ago, and likewise on my Fairbanks electric.   I bought my Enoch Tradesman with the idea of having at least one banjo with a remo head after disaster struck me at a Florida fiddlers convention where it rained like Noah's flood and I had two skin head banjos and was staying in my tent!  But that head did not last a year before I had it replaced with skin.   I personally like the feel and sound of skin. 

On the other hand, I have two big Tubaphones, one from 1924 and another made by a local luthier for a friend that I keep Remos on because skin is a big more of a hassle on a big tone ring banjo, 

writerrad - Posted - 01/03/2025:  08:48:54

quote:

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Originally posted by laguna21dc

I was wondering if the new renassiance heads are more popular than the older skin heads. They look much nicer and sound better but thats just my opinion. thoughts? I think the younger crowd wants  a new cleaner look than the older players and the younger crowd wants  more bling than the older crowd as well. Thoughts?

 

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An old head is not necessarily an unclean head. 

An unclean head is the sign of a banjoist and owner who does not know how to properly maintain his or her banjo or for that matter their hands for banjo playing.   

A fine old head that has somehow survived decades of playing is a treasure, soft and playable and delicate as a lover's skin.