It's Back Together
I'll try to keep it short. My banjo is back together (see previous post, It's Coming Apart at the Seams, if you don't know what I'm talking about). She's lookin' pretty, and not sounding too bad either, although there is some more tweakin' to do yet.
As I was tightening the new head, I was truly amazed with the various sounds produced as I played the banjo after each adjustment, and believe me, there were many. I was going for that elusive G-sharp tuning of the head - the starting point to get that "killer tone." On my way to the G# tuning, I heard everything from dull thuds to hollow ringing sounds. One particular head tightness emphasized the sound of the finger picks striking the strings to the point where I could barely tell what note I was playing. I just couldn't believe some of the sounds I was hearing, and how such small adjustments of the head affected the tone so dramatically.
I didn't know if I was going to get the sound I was looking for or not. I wondered if I had already tightened the head past the perfect point. Then it came, after one more small adjustment. I couldn't believe how great the banjo was sounding. I truly thought it was sounding very similar to Jim Mills' banjo, and I was extremely pleased.
I took a break for supper. When I agian turned my attention to the banjo, the Jim Mills sound had disappeared into a much more dull sound than I remembered just before supper. "Oh no, how am I going to get it back?" I guess the crispness disappeared because the head was stretching, just like a new set of strings. You wouldn't think a plastic head would stretch that much, but according to Steve Huber, they do stretch.
I made several more adjustments, tightening the head a little at a time. I never did get the Jim Mills sound back, but it doesn't sound too bad. Still, I'm not 100 percent satisfied knowing there is potential for a much better sound. By tomorrow morning, another adjustment may well be in order. On the bright side, banjo heads are only $25.00 and I wouldn't hesitate to try my luck with another one, although it does take a fair bit of time and fooling around.
Well, Ive got to get to bed - I'm off to Grand Manan to see Cherryholmes tomorrow morning; make that later this morning.
As I was tightening the new head, I was truly amazed with the various sounds produced as I played the banjo after each adjustment, and believe me, there were many. I was going for that elusive G-sharp tuning of the head - the starting point to get that "killer tone." On my way to the G# tuning, I heard everything from dull thuds to hollow ringing sounds. One particular head tightness emphasized the sound of the finger picks striking the strings to the point where I could barely tell what note I was playing. I just couldn't believe some of the sounds I was hearing, and how such small adjustments of the head affected the tone so dramatically.
I didn't know if I was going to get the sound I was looking for or not. I wondered if I had already tightened the head past the perfect point. Then it came, after one more small adjustment. I couldn't believe how great the banjo was sounding. I truly thought it was sounding very similar to Jim Mills' banjo, and I was extremely pleased.
I took a break for supper. When I agian turned my attention to the banjo, the Jim Mills sound had disappeared into a much more dull sound than I remembered just before supper. "Oh no, how am I going to get it back?" I guess the crispness disappeared because the head was stretching, just like a new set of strings. You wouldn't think a plastic head would stretch that much, but according to Steve Huber, they do stretch.
I made several more adjustments, tightening the head a little at a time. I never did get the Jim Mills sound back, but it doesn't sound too bad. Still, I'm not 100 percent satisfied knowing there is potential for a much better sound. By tomorrow morning, another adjustment may well be in order. On the bright side, banjo heads are only $25.00 and I wouldn't hesitate to try my luck with another one, although it does take a fair bit of time and fooling around.
Well, Ive got to get to bed - I'm off to Grand Manan to see Cherryholmes tomorrow morning; make that later this morning.
posted by Michael Floyd at 12:19 AM
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