Diulin - Posted - 05/26/2026:  19:10:31

I’m looking to put a new head on my Stewart Universal Favorite, but I’ve never done anything like that. I’ve read a few posts on installing new heads in general, but I’d like to hear from someone who has done it on a Universal Favorite, or at least a Stewart.

What size do I need?
Will I have to loosen the neck?
Anything else I should anticipate?
Renaissance or Fiberskyn?

It’s had steel strings for most of the forty years I’ve owned it, and the neck is just fine. But if I were to switch to nylon, should that decision factor into my choice of head?

Bill Rogers - Posted - 05/26/2026:  22:00:07

The most appropriate head for that banjo is probably calfskin. You need to first decide on whether you want to go with a full retro setup, a hybrid one or just a new head. That’s up to you. Some will tell you to stop using steel strings. You have to decide what you want from your banjo for what you want to play. The people who demand you do this or that will not be playing your banjo. Think some more about where you want to wind up and pose your more focused questions.

John Yerxa - Posted - 05/26/2026:  23:33:14

Bill makes a good point, but I'll give my 2 cents to the questions asked anyway. I've put skin and fiberskyn heads on one of my Stewart Thoroughbreds; these are my thoughts.

Size - you need to measure the outside diameter of the rim accurately. Since it may be slightly ovalised, measure in several places and take the average, OR measure the circumference and divide by Pi (3.14159).

You might be able to fit a plastic head without loosening the neck, but I still would remove it. For mounting a skin you need to remove it.

Some plastic heads have an aluminum "flesh hoop" that is thicker than the Stewart tension hoop, can make replacing the hooks onto the hoop problematic.

The fibreskyn I put on my Stewart sounded awful, as has every other fibreskyn I've ever tried (but that was with Nylgut strings). I've never used a Renaissance.

My other Stewart had steel strings for 40 years too. About 6 years ago I changed to Nylgut and love them on the Stewarts - no loss of volume, bright tone, and they last forever. I use a classical guitar D string for the 4th. They didn't work well on my Tubaphone (all have calfskin heads).

As Bill said, it's your banjo, think about what you want. If it were mine I'd go skin head and Nylgut. If you don't like it, you can change it. Make a new nut for the Nylguts and save the other one.

Emiel - Posted - 05/27/2026:  02:07:56

What kind of head do you have on it now?
Why do you want to install a new head?

Joel Hooks - Posted - 05/27/2026:  06:00:21

"It’s had steel strings for most of the forty years I’ve owned it, and the neck is just fine."

Survivorship bias

Then there is the consideration of what "just fine" means.

Nevertheless, it is your property to do what you wish with it.

Dan Gellert - Posted - 05/27/2026:  08:29:48

IMO, forget Fiberskyn. Way too heavy for that banjo, it will sound dull. If you want plastic, your choice is between top-frosted and Ren'. I do like the look of Renaissance, but the best sounding plastic-headed banjos I've played usually seem to have white heads on them.... Though I doubt I could tell the difference between the two by sound alone.

There's nothing quite like the tone of real hide, but the convenience and consistency of plastic can sometimes make it a more sensible choice-- with steel strings! It's definitely trickier to get a good tone out of nylon/gut with a plastic head. Don't forget that you'll want a different bridge for non-metal strings, too.

Diulin - Posted - 05/27/2026:  09:07:04

I offer that fact only as evidence (proof, even) that at least this Stewart banjo can easily handle steel strings. Had I known 40 years ago that many of them can't, I might not have tried the experiment, but it was given to me that way by a full-time professional banjo player who knew far more than I will ever know about banjos. Anyway, it's not just "bias." Bias is when you think that anyone who thinks or acts differently from you needs to be corrected.

banjonz - Posted - 05/27/2026:  14:27:52

Some years ago I was asked by a friend who has an SSS to obtain a REMO head for it. I measured the pot carefully and ordered from Elderly Instruments an 11" head (I'm in New Zealand). When it arrived it wouldn't fit because it needed to be 11 1/16".

Diulin - Posted - 05/27/2026:  16:25:03

Thanks for that warning. Good to know!

Diulin - Posted - 05/27/2026:  16:30:26

quote:

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Originally posted by Emiel

What kind of head do you have on it now?

Why do you want to install a new head?

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It's a plastic head, with the coating worn coral off near the fretboard. I thought a fiberskyn would look a lot better and give it a warmer sound. From what I'm reading here, I wonder if it would be too "warm."  I want a little brightness at least.