X-Ray Banjo Skin

Delta-Male

I'm currently (slowly but surely) busy repairing my vintage banjo. I then decided to use my mom's x-ray as a skin because I was struggling to find what I wanted initially.
It really wasn't easy, but after some blood, sweat and tears.. It came out just as I'd hoped! Im contemplating installing some sort of light in the banjo to give it more of
an effect. What you guys think?

*BTW: The banjo still needs frets, so i can't give judgement on the sound as is, but I can say that compring the sound when simply tapping with my fingers, it sounds better
than what the previous plastic skin did.

Chocklit_Thunda

Oh Lawd that's cool!

charleshaupt

haha,very original..

costafonix

:roflmao:
brilliant idea..

Psean

Look s really cool.

slyd

Hey, . . . really cool.

As you say, "blood, sweat and tears", I can believe that ?

Wanna provide a little more detail on just how you managed to fit that thing? Obviously you couldn't soak and soften that, . . so how did you get it over n under the ring . . . ? ???

AlanRatcliffe

Pretty cool! Well done! I know most just use the two common size mylar skins that you can get from Remo, but there is a old banjo skin size (dating back to pigskin days) that pops up often and is impossible to get.

slyd wrote: Wanna provide a little more detail on just how you managed to fit that thing? Obviously you couldn't soak and soften that, . . so how did you get it over n under the ring . . . ? ???

My wonderings exactly. I'd probably try a hair dryer. ?

Delta-Male

Ok, I did initially try to soften it with warm water... :-[ Which failed.
I then came up with an somewhat "unaurthodox" idea.. I put the x-ray over the bottom metal piece and with a small hammer softly tapped the ring over. I then made about 12 cuts on the x-ray towards the inside. After this I sewed each piece across from eachother with needle and thread, so I could push the top metal piece over. I pushed it over and cut the thread. Then pulled each part as out as much, then i cross tightened all the bolts, this REALLY tightened the x-ray very nicely.. And, that's how it's done! ?

Bob-Dubery

Delta Male wrote: *BTW: The banjo still needs frets

Fretless is an option here. Darrell Scott played fretless banjo on Robert Plant's "Band of Joy" tour. Martin Simpson also plays fretless banjo.

Delta-Male

X-rated Bob wrote:
Delta Male wrote: *BTW: The banjo still needs frets
Fretless is an option here. Darrell Scott played fretless banjo on Robert Plant's "Band of Joy" tour. Martin Simpson also plays fretless banjo.

This would have been an option had I not still had to learn how to play the banjo... Plus, I bought the frets from Terry D's yesterday, so I'm going to attempt doing the job myself. Anyone think this is a bad idea? Or is it possible to pull it off?

peterleroux

Delta Male wrote:
X-rated Bob wrote:
Delta Male wrote: *BTW: The banjo still needs frets
Fretless is an option here. Darrell Scott played fretless banjo on Robert Plant's "Band of Joy" tour. Martin Simpson also plays fretless banjo.
This would have been an option had I not still had to learn how to play the banjo... Plus, I bought the frets from Terry D's yesterday, so I'm going to attempt doing the job myself. Anyone think this is a bad idea? Or is it possible to pull it off?

Does the banjo currently have a neck? If so, are you replacing the existing frets? If so, it should be achievable without too much stress

Delta-Male

Does the banjo currently have a neck? If so, are you replacing the existing frets? If so, it should be achievable without too much stress
[/quote]

Yes, has a neck, just replacing the frets. It seems very do-able... Also just have to do some repair work on the fretboard first.

AlanRatcliffe

Frets on a banjo are easy as - unlike a guitar - it's a flat fretboard.

What repair work needs doing? Beware of fixing chips from fret removal before putting in the new frets unless you have the right size fretsaw to recut/clean the slots.

Delta-Male

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Frets on a banjo are easy as - unlike a guitar - it's a flat fretboard.

What repair work needs doing? Beware of fixing chips from fret removal before putting in the new frets unless you have the right size fretsaw to recut/clean the slots.

I was going to make that mistake, but luckilly when i got the frets yesterday I was so excited to see how they'd look on the board, so i just slid some in the slots.
I noticed the frets were covering most of the small chips, so I suppose I could leave that as is? Shouldn't be a major concern? Other than that, there are however
some parts of the board whisch will have to be filled up, and like one or two of the fret chips are quite big. So them as well. My plan was to use an old bank card or
something similar to slide in the slot, then fill the gaps? Any help would be appretiated Alan, I don't wana mess this up haha.

Thanks guys

Delta-Male

I just noticed something looking back at your post Allan, the frets I got are rounded? Should banjo frets be straight?

AlanRatcliffe

With a badly chipped board (which is caused by improper removal technique), I'd usually sand down a bit, which removes the smaller chips, divots and dings. Then refret with thin CYA glue, which not only makes sure the frets hold firm, but fills the chips next to the frets too.

Because it's a flat board, sanding and refretting is easy. If the fret tangs don't hold them down properly while the glue sets, simply clamp with a caul on the back of the neck and a block of wood on the front, doing three or four frets at a time.

The frets are usually curved as they come off a coil of fretwire. It's good as it makes sure the ends go down - even with a radiused fretboard, you make sure the frets have a smaller radius before you put them in.