I'm renewing a skin head on a 100 year-old Waverly tenor banjo. In addition to the "flesh hoop" and the tension ring there is a heavy ring that sits atop the rim that was inside the old head. I assume it has to be re-installed with the new head to get proper height for the bridge install. Have you seen this before?
Hello tom- that is called a tone ring- yes you should use it. There is no Waverly banjo. Waverly made metal parts, used by almost everyone back rhen. Just because the tailpiece or something says Waverly doesn’t mean that is the brand
In fifty years of mounting good quality calf skin heads I’ve never oiled them. Much prefer the white unvarnished look. Do you always use goat? Do you use gut / nylon or steel strings on your instruments?
While watching your video i placed a new goatskin. DId not get, how much the tension hoop should mount above the skin and how much is will lower after drying and stretching. I don't want the hoop above or below the playing surface. (I chose for about 1.5 mm high.) N.B. i cut the oversize with small, sharp nail scissors) Thanks for the instructions.
Ciao Aaron, I just found an old banjolin in the flea market in Firenze. I want to make it into a soprano banjo uke. It’s missing the tension hoop which I can get made locally but I need to know the thickness of the metal material you use, if you don’t mind. It’s an odd size (8.5” diameter) so I’ll use a skin head. Grazie. Jim
I managed to stretch a new head to my old banjo over the weekend, and it seems to have turned out really well. Your video was instrumental (oh, sorry about that) in helping me understand the process, and I am extremely grateful. I have a banjo again!
