I play doumbek (a hand drum from the middle east), Mike, and my preferred skin on that is goatskin. It lasts years and years, it sounds and feels great, and I play pretty hard! So I can say with good certainty that goat skin is tough. I've used goat on dozens of drums. It's great.
I've also used deerskin, calfskin and something called kip. One of the most traditionally desirable drumskins is fishskin, and I've played on it a couple of times. It has a terrific sound and is amazingly thin. That said, I've only used calfskin on my banjo uke and banjo mando, and I observe that the skin on my tenor banjo (which I did not install myself) is calf. Topher On Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 4:40 PM, Mike <[email protected]> wrote: > As a former shepherd, I have to weigh in to suggest that sheepskins > are to thin and soft to make a good banjo head, I suspect that > goatskin would be similar. Calfskin is the best. We have an old banjo > with a 14" head and real skins were impossible to get in that size, so > we got a Remo facsimile that works well. > > On Jan 13, 5:16 pm, Linda <[email protected]> wrote: >> Topher, >> I know it makes no sense, yes there are calves, goats, sheep, llama's, >> roos, dogs, cats, people too but they don't seem to do much of the >> kind of work needed for drum heads and banjer bits. >> >> I will check into the local thing more carefully, but for this time, >> its all on the train, its going down the track and will just have to >> wait till it stops at the station. >> >> It may be there is a drum in town but at a different supplier, >> different from the one the luthier uses, I decided not to go that way, >> word gets around and the main man who looks after all the folkies >> would and can get his nose out of joint. >> >> Its small town stuff....can't be helped or changed. >> >> Thank goodness I am not looking for a can of Dapper Dan. <G> >> linda >> >> On Jan 14, 10:58 am, Topher Gayle <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> >> > Hi Linda, >> >> > Do they not raise lots of sheep in Tasmania? Somebody there must have >> > goatskins for your banjo mandolin. Although calfskin is probably what >> > you really want. Check at places where leather is sold for crafts, and >> > I bet you'll get a lead on a local source! >> >> > I've also seen them for sale at drum shops, especially where the >> > customers play marching drums for drum and bugle bands. >> >> > Local skins may be from different animals, but they might work just >> > fine - mainly look at the thickness of the skins and try to find >> > something about the same thickness as the old skin. >> >> > Good luck! >> >> > Toopher >> >> > On Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 3:27 PM, Linda <[email protected]> wrote: >> > > Fine times here in Tasmania. The little banjo mandolin (about 1920) >> > > arrived, from NJ after many anxious days haunting the post box. >> >> > > I dashed to the luthier, to get it seen to. >> >> > > A few jobs need doing, including head tightened, ie re-stretching. he >> > > soaked it in water, put it on and stretched it only to have it >> > > disintegrate (so old). >> >> > > The only way to get a skin head for it is to buy an Irish drum or >> > > tamborine, take the head off and ..proceed to soak and stretch into >> > > place. Seems our customs won't let us import hides unless they are on >> > > things like drums, etc. >> >> > > Thing is, parts source here had none in stock, waiting now 3 days for >> > > the shipment from mainland Australia. >> >> > > Ok, its not six weeks, but its turning into a long haul from buy to >> > > play. >> >> > > This probably happens other places, what happened to 'at your >> > > service', 'we stock what you need'. This island is filled with Celtic >> > > bands and musicians...and no drums for sale?? What is that?? >> >> > > linda >> >> > > -- >> > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> > > Groups "Taterbugmando" group. >> > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > > [email protected]. >> > > For more options, visit this group >> > > athttp://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Taterbugmando" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en. > > > >
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