Hey everyone! I'm trying to change the head on banjo as I want to fit a new clear one. The banjo is a top-tension one (similar to the old Vegavox), a handmade D'Oole and is approximately 26 years old. It still has the original head on it. I removed all the tension bolts and loosened the neck but, when I tried to remove the tension hoop (which is also the flange), it wouldn't come off! Instead the whole top section of the pot assembly wants to come. So, it seems to me that the tension hoop, the metal rim of the head and the tone ring are all stuck together after some 26 years of not being pulled apart. I've changed the head on my old beginner banjo (Mastertone style) without any such problems.
What should I do to remove this head without damaging any of the other parts, I would really rather avoid any kind of hammering or removal of the tone ring.
Any advice would be great and I can post links to photos of the construction if necessary.
The first thing I would try would be hot water. It expands metal and softens deposits. If you can heat the part you need to expand without getting the part you want to contract too warm, all the better.
I don't think I understand how your banjo is made from your description. The flange is usually the part that the tension hooks attach to or in the case of a top tension style screw into. It is separate from the tension ring, otherwise there would be no movement when tension is applied to the hooks/bolts. In both of my top tension banjos (Gibson and Leedy) the tension ring is a separate entity that comes off when the bolts are removed.
The most likely answer is that over the years there has been a bonding of the plastic or hide head to the tone ring. If the metal ring that holds the plastic on is bonded to the tone ring, you may need a wooden mallet or a wood piece to knock the flesh ring off of the tone ring. To do this you may have to take the tone ring off. Using wood against metal will preserve the metal and is usually very efficient. Another thing to think about is cutting the head off - usually this is if you have no other choice other than to leave the head on. The latter is also something to think about if you don't want to mess with your banjo.
As a rule you should be able to take all the parts of your banjo off the rim and put them back together with no problems as long as you put everything back in the right place and at the same tension. In practice this is often very scary and can lead to what I call a "bag job" i.e. bringing your banjo to the luthier in a paper bag.
The hammering, as long as you hit wood placed against the metal part, will not harm your banjo. But you may not have the confidence to do so. If not, go to that luthier I just talked about and don't watch.
I will take some photos this afternoon and post some links. The top tension bolts go through the flange which is the tension hoop. There are brackets on the wooden rim of the banjo that the bolts screw into, but the resonator is attached to the flange/tension hoop. As the bolts are tightened, they pull the flange/tension hoop down, putting pressure on the flesh hoop of the head.
I think a handy labelled diagram might help to reduce my confusion over the naming of parts.
However, I did recently replace the skin on my old banjo, so I might have some insight.
1) Take off the resonator, it just gets in the way at this point.
2) Why loosen the neck ? But go ahead on that if you want to. Maybe remove it completely to keep it out of the way..
3 ) Yes, after removing all the tension bolts, give the flange a tap upwards at every point between the brackets for the tension bolts, using a rubber hammer, and/or a block of wood as the actual contact surface with the flange. Keep going round the ring, several times, until the bond between the skin and the ring/pot/body is broken. If it doesn't break free, after several circuits, then you haven't hit it hard enough yet.
After all, if you don't shift it,it's permanent !
hi Cam,
I admire your courage in going where no one has ever gone before! I'd try calling the D'ooles first, or the guy who's taken over their business before having a go with the hammer. But good luck anyway
I looked at your pictures on banjohangout, and it looks as if you have to take the banjo apart to put another head on if the current one is stuck. As one of the other commenters on BHO said, it looks like a VegaVox and should come apart just like one of those.
Mostly it is a matter of how much testosterone you have and willingness to use a little bit of hammering. I had to do the same thing on the first Silver Bell I ever got. It worked, but not without a lot of fear and trepidation on my part. As long as you use a block of wood to push the head off, there will be no problem. This is the way fine Japanese swords are taken apart, with a specially designed peice of wood that is driven by a mallet.
You should be able to do it with a little fortitude.
Hi Mike - yeh, i think I might leave it to a luthier. Ian, I've called Pat D'Oole and he said basically the same as Mike but I think I'll leave the hammer to the professionals.
Banjo head problems
Banjo head problems
Hey everyone! I'm trying to change the head on banjo as I want to fit a new clear one. The banjo is a top-tension one (similar to the old Vegavox), a handmade D'Oole and is approximately 26 years old. It still has the original head on it. I removed all the tension bolts and loosened the neck but, when I tried to remove the tension hoop (which is also the flange), it wouldn't come off! Instead the whole top section of the pot assembly wants to come. So, it seems to me that the tension hoop, the metal rim of the head and the tone ring are all stuck together after some 26 years of not being pulled apart. I've changed the head on my old beginner banjo (Mastertone style) without any such problems.
What should I do to remove this head without damaging any of the other parts, I would really rather avoid any kind of hammering or removal of the tone ring.
Any advice would be great and I can post links to photos of the construction if necessary.
Cheers,
Cam
# Posted on April 15th 2009 by camwebby
Re: Banjo head problems
The first thing I would try would be hot water. It expands metal and softens deposits. If you can heat the part you need to expand without getting the part you want to contract too warm, all the better.
# Posted on April 15th 2009 by gam
Re: Banjo head problems
I don't think I understand how your banjo is made from your description. The flange is usually the part that the tension hooks attach to or in the case of a top tension style screw into. It is separate from the tension ring, otherwise there would be no movement when tension is applied to the hooks/bolts. In both of my top tension banjos (Gibson and Leedy) the tension ring is a separate entity that comes off when the bolts are removed.
The most likely answer is that over the years there has been a bonding of the plastic or hide head to the tone ring. If the metal ring that holds the plastic on is bonded to the tone ring, you may need a wooden mallet or a wood piece to knock the flesh ring off of the tone ring. To do this you may have to take the tone ring off. Using wood against metal will preserve the metal and is usually very efficient. Another thing to think about is cutting the head off - usually this is if you have no other choice other than to leave the head on. The latter is also something to think about if you don't want to mess with your banjo.
As a rule you should be able to take all the parts of your banjo off the rim and put them back together with no problems as long as you put everything back in the right place and at the same tension. In practice this is often very scary and can lead to what I call a "bag job" i.e. bringing your banjo to the luthier in a paper bag.
The hammering, as long as you hit wood placed against the metal part, will not harm your banjo. But you may not have the confidence to do so. If not, go to that luthier I just talked about and don't watch.
Mike Keyes
http://www.mikekeyes.com
# Posted on April 15th 2009 by mikeyes
Re: Banjo head problems
G'Day Mike!
I will take some photos this afternoon and post some links. The top tension bolts go through the flange which is the tension hoop. There are brackets on the wooden rim of the banjo that the bolts screw into, but the resonator is attached to the flange/tension hoop. As the bolts are tightened, they pull the flange/tension hoop down, putting pressure on the flesh hoop of the head.
I will post some photos this arvo
Cheers,
Cam
# Posted on April 15th 2009 by camwebby
Re: Banjo head problems
I think a handy labelled diagram might help to reduce my confusion over the naming of parts.
However, I did recently replace the skin on my old banjo, so I might have some insight.
1) Take off the resonator, it just gets in the way at this point.
2) Why loosen the neck ? But go ahead on that if you want to. Maybe remove it completely to keep it out of the way..
3 ) Yes, after removing all the tension bolts, give the flange a tap upwards at every point between the brackets for the tension bolts, using a rubber hammer, and/or a block of wood as the actual contact surface with the flange. Keep going round the ring, several times, until the bond between the skin and the ring/pot/body is broken. If it doesn't break free, after several circuits, then you haven't hit it hard enough yet.
After all, if you don't shift it,it's permanent !
# Posted on April 16th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Banjo head problems
hi Cam,
I admire your courage in going where no one has ever gone before! I'd try calling the D'ooles first, or the guy who's taken over their business before having a go with the hammer. But good luck anyway
# Posted on April 16th 2009 by dogbox
Re: Banjo head problems
Cam,
I looked at your pictures on banjohangout, and it looks as if you have to take the banjo apart to put another head on if the current one is stuck. As one of the other commenters on BHO said, it looks like a VegaVox and should come apart just like one of those.
Mostly it is a matter of how much testosterone you have and willingness to use a little bit of hammering. I had to do the same thing on the first Silver Bell I ever got. It worked, but not without a lot of fear and trepidation on my part. As long as you use a block of wood to push the head off, there will be no problem. This is the way fine Japanese swords are taken apart, with a specially designed peice of wood that is driven by a mallet.
You should be able to do it with a little fortitude.
Mike Keyes
http://www.banjosessions.com
# Posted on April 16th 2009 by mikeyes
Re: Banjo head problems
Hi Mike - yeh, i think I might leave it to a luthier. Ian, I've called Pat D'Oole and he said basically the same as Mike but I think I'll leave the hammer to the professionals.
# Posted on April 16th 2009 by camwebby