I´m planning to travel to NC in October and got warning, that humidity might endanger the hide head on my open back. Anybody on this forum from North Carolina/Virginia who would confirm/debate this?
Humidity won't endanger your head, it'll just cause it to slacken temporarily. If you end up having to tighten it, just make sure to loosen it again before traveling back to a drier climate.
Sorry for writing "endanger". Actually I am afraid that huimidity would slacken the head too much. Is October in NC usually a month with so much humidity that I should change the head to Renaissance? I think some of the jam sessions I´m hoping to attend might take place in the open. Would the problem be just the sun shining on the head (some posts on the hangout indicate this) or would the problem be everywhere in this region, indoors and outdoors?
I've made the trip you're about to make from Europe to NC/SC/TN/VA/WV and back many times with banjos with skin heads.
No problem. Never have to adjust the head tension at all. And that tends to be in summer when the humidity is higher than it's likely to be in October.
Edited by - Pomeroy on 06/28/2024 09:59:21
I have 2 banjos with calfskin heads and I rarely have to adjust them. If you're going in October you should be fine.
Edited by - Sam Harris on 06/28/2024 10:10:45
You could always put a cork in it (instant head tightener; slide towards or away from bridge depending on humidity level).
Bill Talley said he got it from someone else but doesn't remember who. I found out the following information after I posted the picture. Here's a trick from Elias Kaufman, foremost authority on S.S. Stewarts: cut a wine-bottle cork to wedge snugly between the dowel stick and the head. Place it a few inches from the heel end of the pot, and experiment to find the best "sweet spot" position. This expedient works well on open-back banjos with dowel sticks, and might work well on those with resonators, although I haven't tried this. Here's probably Bill's source ARCHIVED TOPIC: Wine cork as tone/volume enhancer in open backs http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/114091
Edited by - carlb on 06/28/2024 11:33:03
Things are quite pleasant in Western North Carolina in October. Well they should be. The real heat dissipates in September. I live a few miles from the NC line in SC. Down state in SC and further east in NC could be more humid and probably warmer do to elevation. I have 4 skin banjos and only one very old Ramsey ever gets too loose. But it is still playable.
quote:
Originally posted by Bob BuckinghamThings are quite pleasant in Western North Carolina in October. Well they should be. The real heat dissipates in September. I live a few miles from the NC line in SC. Down state in SC and further east in NC could be more humid and probably warmer do to elevation. I have 4 skin banjos and only one very old Ramsey ever gets too loose. But it is still playable.
As I recall when I was camping in your yard I was more, uhh 'interested' in the sightings of snakes in your veg patch a few feet away than the humidity and my banjo head. 
Edited by - Pomeroy on 06/30/2024 09:07:09
Hah! Our snakes are primarily garter and black snakes with a king snake thrown in for good measure. The vegetable patch is a tad smaller these days not many snakes.
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