JDBalch Hide Banjo Heads Features
Grades of hide available
SPECIAL SELECT Goat Hide
SPECIAL Select is my top grade of goat hide. They are chosen for appearance and overall quality including: thickness, texture and the absence of significant flaws. This grade represents the type of hides that I would choose for my personal banjos.
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4-star Goat Hide
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These are my standard grade of hides. They are selected for good thickness and overall quality. They may be mostly opaque (off-white) or exhibit some mottling (translucent spots) and/or natural color. 4-star grade hides make reliable heads that sound great!
JDBalch Hide Banjo Heads Features
Grades of hide
3-star Goat Hide
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These are my basic grade of goat hide. They are reliable and sound great. May exhibit some cosmetic flaws and variation in thickness (which do not affect performance). 3-star heads are good value.
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FUZZY Goat Hide
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These hides are received with long hair left on. I clip it short before mounting. The color, pattern, and thickness of the hair will vary widely. The sound is slightly dampened (compared to hairless hides). The tone is good!
The banjo in this photo is a Wayne Sagmoen instrument which I carry for work travel. That head is very attractive and has been totally reliable in a big range of conditions.
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Stained Goat Hide
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Stained hides are available in two varieties. The most popular type is stained with Coffee.
Darker colors are available with my Walnut Stain (the example in this photo was stained using a natural walnut hull extract prepared by master luthier and artist Dan Knowles).
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Stained heads are finished with a hard-oil coating and renaissance wax - to protect and enhance the color. The coating also adds stability and humidity resistance.
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