I don’t want to change the tone, just give the white frosted head more of goat skin look.
AI recommends alcohol based fiebings leather stain ( mix of yellow and tan very diluted) or tea, both wiped on. But tea comes off after a while. I’d like to hear about other’s experiences.
Stain is incredibly thin. It would take multitudinous number of applications to build up the coating.
I work on banjos here and on really bad worn heads, I clean, lightly scrub with wet 0000 steel wool, then when totally dry, I respray the head with ultra matt Rustoleum primer. It is white. I am not aware of anything that will emulate natural velum.
Edited by - banjonz on 10/03/2026 16:23:22
Maybe stain or paint the inside of the head a light (buff) brown.
You could test different shades of brown or whatever colors with a bunch of single brush strokes.
After choosing the whole mess would wipe clean.
Random strokes with fine sandpaper on the frosting would liven the color.
If it works the coloration would stay unchanged for some time.
Edited by - steve davis on 10/03/2026 16:54:55
Coffee/coffee grounds ?
I can't help with staining your existing head, but I've been painting clear and Ren heads on the inside with good results.
quote:
Originally posted by DSmokeI can't help with staining your existing head, but I've been painting clear and Ren heads on the inside with good results.
WEhat do you use?
quote:
Originally posted by banjonzquote:
Originally posted by DSmokeI can't help with staining your existing head, but I've been painting clear and Ren heads on the inside with good results.
WEhat do you use?
I use a few different colors of spray paint and a few different techniques to apply it to make it look like a hide head. I try to sand as much off so that I don't add too much weight and alter the tone.
I’ve used leather dye to stain heads but it’s darker colors than attempting calfskin look. Takes a lot of stain, and to me, it dampens the tone. I won’t do it again.
I rubbed a brown oil stain on a frosted head once. It was long ago before the faux hide heads. I made it for an old restless banjo. I wiped the stain off as soon as it was applied. It gave me a very light brown irregular look. It wasn't perfect t but served the purpose.
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