Clifford Essex Professional Head?

[John Cohen]

Anybody have a preference of head type for Clifford Essex Professional banjos? I was thinking Renaissance or Frosted Top.  I know it takes a 12 1/8'' head, but don't know the crown height.

[Jody Stecher]

Natural vellum for large pot is best in my opinion.  Best sound and you don't have to worry about low-high-medium crown. 

[John Cohen]

This one is going to be living in New Orleans and will often be used without central AC.  Natural vellum is not an option. 

[marc dalmasso]

mine is set with Renaissance  1/8 "  High crown

[Trapdoor2]

Crown height is based on stretcher band height.

High = 1/2" (12.7mm)

Med = 7/16" (11mm)

Low = 3/8 (9.5mm)

Typically, mediums fit most modern banjos. Low crowns were usually best with Gibson style archtop tone rings. I usually just measure my stretcher band and go with the above guidelines.

Oddly, I have never had any difficulties with calfskin and humidity. I play outside quite a bit...and in lots of different weather conditions...never an issue. I used to take my Banjeaurine to rifle matches and often played it in the mornings while we waited for the fog to lift...never a head tension issue, even with fog condensing on the head!

I have seen other people have difficulties, mostly with gourd and early-type banjos. The first Early Banjo Gathering had us playing in a barn with cold and rain...many had to 'roast' their banjos over the heaters to get the skin to tighten up!

[John Cohen]

To get my Gibson Archtop sounding good I ended up having a high-grade calfskin installed.  So far it has been a challenge keeping it tight enough.  The banjo comes to life when the head reads 95-96 with a drum dial.  Even on a regular winter day it often loosens to 92-93, and things sound dead.  I'm also worried I'll break the head keeping it this tight.  There is no depression at the bridge feet despite the tension tailpiece, and its difficult to depress the head with my thumb.  It sounds fantastic though when everything is working.  I imagine the Clifford Essex Professional with its large rim would be even more temperamental, although maybe it would be easier to dial in than my Gibson.  

I've spent a lot of time playing around with different heads (including calfskins) and have found what works on most of my banjos.  My Van Eps likes a Remo Renaissance, my Silver Bells and Supertone like  Remo frosted top heads.  The Gibson was too thin and metallic sounding with a frosted top but is amazing sounding with calfskin.  I may switch to a Renaissance though since it would be easier to keep very tight.  

[Trapdoor2]

I would also worry about that calfskin head at a 95-96 on the drumdial. That is very tight...even for plastic (my opinion, of course). I keep my Stelling archtop at around 90 (plastic head...I've broken a few at the flesh-hoop) and my Nechville flathead at 92.

I really am not as sensitive as you are to head tension. I don't use a drumdial on my calfskin heads, I simply go by feel. If I am using low tension strings (nylon, nylgut, gut, etc.) I almost always defer to calfskin. My Flesher has a Fiberskyn on it though and I've always thought it sounded good with nylon/nylguts.

[John Cohen]

I hadn't used a drum dial before this head. Kevin Enoch installed it and cranked it that tight. I was concerned about the tension and decided to measure it out of curiosity. Normally I tighten heads by sound or feel. Unfortunately the banjo really doesn't sound as good with a looser head, and at 95-96 I'm worried it will blow if the weather changes even a little.

By the way, it turns out that Gibson 40 hole archtops can sound incredibly good for classic style. Mine has a rapid response that no other banjo I've played can compete with, and the bass response will knock you over. More on this soon (maybe this will deserve it's own post, a followup to my other Gibson topic).

[Trapdoor2]

Cool. I'll be interested to hear about the Gibson.

I started using the Drum Dial some years ago and especially when I set up other people's banjos (and plastic heads). I messed around a little bit with it on my calfskin but never used it to adjust 'em.