Comment by Trapdoor2 on December 2, 2010 at 16:02

Really? The one on my first Stewart is now going on 25 yrs w/no signs of problems (and that banjo was my clawhammer 'daily driver' for its first 10 yrs.). Heck, vintage "Rogers" brand heads (pre WWII) are selling at a strong premium in the Bluegrass market.

Perhaps a 5yr "sweet spot" playing life for a touring professional?

Comment by Jody Stecher on December 2, 2010 at 17:55

I agree with Marc. I've had the same vellum on some banjos for 40 years (and it was already mounted and previously played for I don't know how many years before I got the banjo). My wife's SS Stewart Universal Favorite has a vellum that's been in use since at least the 1950s and is no worse for wear. In a place with weather extremes, say Beijing, with sandstorms, summer humidity, extreme winter cold etc, etc, the life of a natural vellum might be relatively short. Bombay/Mumbai is another such place that is hard on instruments. But in a relatively stable climate and played by an individual who does not perspire on the vellum, it can last a very long time provided no one shoots a bullet through it (see SS Stewart’s Banjo &Guitar Journal aug&sept 1884).
I've also had vellums rip, slide, or explode (my personal favorite way to lose a vellum) within months but that has not been the norm in my experience.

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