This might sound weird. I am restoring a ~1891 SS Stewart and the goat skin head I’m attempting to mount is too thick. I can’t get the tension hoop to go below rim level for the full circumference of the rim. I removed the old head, so i know it has been done before with a different skin. Feeling the old and new head i can tell there is a difference in thickness. Has anyone out there scrapped a skin head to reduce thickness, and if so do you have any advice? I’ve mounted skin heads about five times on three different banjos, so I’m pretty sure i know how to do it correctly. The head just is too thick.
Save your goatskin head for something else, & start over with a thinner skin. I believe that thinning heads is an especially difficult job, & requires experience & specialized tools.
I've only reskinned one banjo. The skins that I bought were too thick. I just used sandpaper to thin one out. Although this wasn't really to help with mounting but to make it a bit more lively in sound as it was too dull.
FWIW, calf was pretty much universally used. Stewart used Rodgers heads.
I’ve only ever seen “sheep skin” described for the cheapest low end banjos.
I can’t remember ever encountering goat in a period description.
I recommend that you purchase another, thinner head. We measure the thickness of every skin head that comes through our inventory. With the 50+ years of repair work, we know that some skin banjo heads can not be mounted with a tight tension hoop.
There is likely a way to thin skin heads for banjos, but I have never tried. I look forward to seeing is anyone chimes in with a useable technique.
Like Joel, I do not remember ever seeing historic mention of goat skin being used on banjos. It was always calf skin mentioned in the old catalogs and other advertising. But there is no reason to avoid using goat skin. A lot of people like the toughness and the appearance. I can't say I hear a difference in the tone between goat and calf.
Bob Smakula
smakulafrettedinstruments.com
I get my heads from Bob. I specify THIN heads for this very reason. Bob has been very obliging. On a few occasions, I have had to force a thicker head under the tension band with adjustable clamps. It is not ideal and does depend on the head thickness but I have done it.
Thank you all for the advice. I do have another one i can try. If that doesn’t work I’ll order a thin one from you Bob.
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