| ||||||
|
|
Changing a Skin Head When it comes time to change a genuine
calf, goat, or other type of real skin head on your banjo the task
can be intimidating, and with good reason. For many years banjo heads
have been relatively easy to change and last a lot longer due to the fact
that they are pre mounted plastic. Some banjos and banjo players, however,
like the look, feel and sound of a skin head. Here are some instructions
for all you do-it-yourself people out there who would like to save about
$85.00, but be aware that this can be tricky.
Please read through my instructions here, and you may also watch the video.
Here is a broken banjo head.
This banjo is an old one, probably from the depression era and this
is the original head. We will need to remove it in order to start the
change. I like using this cheep (available at the dollar store here
in east Virginia) tool. They aren't worth a frogs frosty rump for the
job they are designed to do but are great "T" wrenches for banjos that have
1/4" nuts. They are sold as a screwdriver with exchangeable bits. I
simple purchase the set for $1.00 then throw all the bits away.
I also grind the end down on the belt sander to a taper toward the end so as to thin them down a bit. This will help on banjos with a tube and plate flange as they are a little tighter to work with. 
Use the your tool of choice
to remove the old head. Start at one known point like the area nearest
the bass side of the neck and work your way around about 1/4 turn at a time
until the head is loose enough to remove all the hooks and nuts. Lay everything
aside in a "current job" box ... I think this saves time and confusion if
you have a few projects going on at once.
After all the hooks and nuts (sometimes called
brackets) are removed, you can remove the head. On some banjos the
neck will have to be removed. In fact, this makes this job a lot easier.
Since not all banjo necks are attached in the same way, I will assume
you are perfectly knowledgeable in the dismantling of your own banjo. If
not, stop and get your banjo to the nearest qualified banjo shop. Nuff
said. After the head is removed, you will have to get the "flesh hoop" out
of the head. Since the head is old and dried and being replaced anyway,
may I suggest a sharp knife or an X-Acto knife for this job.
|
rRRUegeBMl6n77S-g~~_35.JPG)
