Yates banjos to my mind are the best sounding banjos on this planet, I say this even though I have never heard every banjo. I listen to Warren’s advice on anything to do with setting up banjos as he must be right being he is the greatest builder.
I've used a drum dial to tune my banjo head for some time. The thing I believe folks need to understand is that the number means nothing but uniformity. The number could be different from banjo to banjo due to the difference in construction. Once you get the sound your looking for on your banjo the dial helps you maintain your head tension. Your right on the torque wrenches. If you have a nut that is tight on the thread you can get a reading that doesn't give uniformity on the head. Nice video. Take care.
Thank you for the comparison between the drum dial and dial indicator! This completely explains to my machinist/engineer mind what the drum dial is actually measuring! You explained the process so clearly. Thank you so much!!
Thanks! I agree with you about torque wrenches. I use a quarter to space my Drum Dial a bit away from the edge all around. I find that heads stretch to some level of equilibrium after adjusting them and have different readings the next day, especially a new head. I don't tune to a particular note, just use my ears for the best sound. Sometimes I go too tight and have to start over and use a lower number on the Drum Dial.
Thanks for posting this. I was struggling with placing a tuner on the drum head and trying to feel tension in the wrench. Worried I don'e tore it up. LOL. Makes perfect sense to just use the G string fretted at the first fret with which to match pitch when tuning the head.
Good video, thank you. When I adjust the head, sometimes it seems to stick and then jump. Would you suggest using, e.g. trace of graphite to help the skin 'slip' as you adjust it?
hi warren I am new to the banjo and have acquired a whirle Windsor banjo I believe 1930 could you please tell me what skin would be best for me to put on my banjo thanks
Glad to learn you have advanced in you work to the point of using advanced sientific methods of banjo construction such as cat scans. I'm convinced that was the secret used by Gibson back in the 30's.
Thanks Warren, those drum dials don't come with much information. One of these days I hope to be giving you a call and buying one of those great Yates banjos.
cant get my head round this , surely the base of the dial must sit on a constant, like your hammer demo. If the dial base rested on a bar across the rim, I could see that. But you are moving the base across an uneven surface, i.e. the banjo head.
hi warren could you please send any information concerning the banjo head on koles account to this one please he is my son and I have used his instead many thanks.
It sounds like the action is low. If it only happens open, then the nut groove might be low. Most likely the neck is too straight. The head could be too low.
@@NCyates I'm new to the banjo. What is the action and nut groove? It only happens on the one string. Perhaps I'm just not use to hearing the banjo yet? Thanks again for the help.
The drum dial scale is actually backwards-reading. When properly zeroed, a reading of "90" means that the spring-loaded dial pin is sinking .010" into the head (1-.090 = .010). An "80" means it is sinking .020" into the head (1-.080 = .020). Thus, the dial reading is misleading. But I have a question, Mr. Yates: surely the downwards pressure of the strings on the bridge messes with the head tension near the tailpiece. Shouldn't you first remove the strings to do the tuning for equal tension? If not, then you're not really applying equal pressure to the head. The string/bridge pressure alters things, doesn't it? For that matter, when we pickers place our pinky and ring fingers on the head to play, that alters the tension, too. "Perfect tension" is impossible, is it not?
You are correct; however, the drum dial is a good starting point to get as even as you can. Then is the tap or scrape note of the head to bring it in closer. Once set and it hold, the head will relax and the tight spot will devolve into the soft areas. That is where playing it without more adjustment and time comes in. As for the anchoring, don't. Just touch the head to know where you are and you will gain freedom to look for more tones to use.
Yates banjos to my mind are the best sounding banjos on this planet, I say this even though I have never heard every banjo.
I listen to Warren’s advice on anything to do with setting up banjos as he must be right being he is the greatest builder.
I've used a drum dial to tune my banjo head for some time. The thing I believe folks need to understand is that the number means nothing but uniformity. The number could be different from banjo to banjo due to the difference in construction. Once you get the sound your looking for on your banjo the dial helps you maintain your head tension. Your right on the torque wrenches. If you have a nut that is tight on the thread you can get a reading that doesn't give uniformity on the head. Nice video. Take care.
Thank you for the comparison between the drum dial and dial indicator! This completely explains to my machinist/engineer mind what the drum dial is actually measuring! You explained the process so clearly. Thank you so much!!
It's great to run into an accurate description of a complicated topic. Thanks!
Thanks! Most coherent discussion on head tuning I've seen yet.
Thank you for an easy to understand explanation of how to use a DrumDial to a banjo head. I was confused, but now I see.
great video. I learned exactly how to use a drum dial, and tune my banjo. thanks!
Warren, this was really helpful to this new picker at age73! Well done and than you!
Very clear. Just bought drum dial. So this was great.
Man thank you yall have helped me a ton on my banjo setup head tenson etc. My rb250 was dead on 90 tuned perfect tks
thanks for the help warren much appreciated
Very good explanation and demonstration...thank you! PS: That banjo tone just sings!
Thank you, very helpful. And, those are fine sounding banjos you make there.
Thank you for introducing me to this instrument. I thought adjusting the drum head would be a guessing game.
Thanks! I agree with you about torque wrenches. I use a quarter to space my Drum Dial a bit away from the edge all around. I find that heads stretch to some level of equilibrium after adjusting them and have different readings the next day, especially a new head. I don't tune to a particular note, just use my ears for the best sound. Sometimes I go too tight and have to start over and use a lower number on the Drum Dial.
Great Video! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!! LOVE the sound of that banjo as well!! My washburn don't sound like that! :D
Nice video and explanation.
Awesome knowledge ... Thanks 👍
Excellent! Thanks!!
Thanks for posting this. I was struggling with placing a tuner on the drum head and trying to feel tension in the wrench. Worried I don'e tore it up. LOL. Makes perfect sense to just use the G string fretted at the first fret with which to match pitch when tuning the head.
Thanks for tutorial
Morgan Music in Missouri
very informative thank you
Don't forget the "lab test"! Great vid! Thanks!
It the beast info on banjo thank you
Good video, thank you. When I adjust the head, sometimes it seems to stick and then jump. Would you suggest using, e.g. trace of graphite to help the skin 'slip' as you adjust it?
Thanks for the video Warren, " try not to tear up anything" LOL
hi warren I am new to the banjo and have acquired a whirle Windsor banjo I believe 1930 could you please tell me what skin would be best for me to put on my banjo thanks
Warren have you any method to tune an archtop head? Being smaller the note would certainly be higher than a g#
Glad to learn you have advanced in you work to the point of using advanced sientific methods of banjo construction such as cat scans. I'm convinced that was the secret used by Gibson back in the 30's.
Thanks Warren, those drum dials don't come with much information.
One of these days I hope to be giving you a call and buying one of those great Yates banjos.
I don't know about that style but on everything I work on, I get them from Stewmac.com and the item number is
1100-H
You took measurements from different distances from the ring. Does that matter?
Hello, what about temperature ?
cant get my head round this , surely the base of the dial must sit on a constant, like your hammer demo. If the dial base rested on a bar across the rim, I could see that. But you are moving the base across an uneven surface, i.e. the banjo head.
I have one banjo that I am doing up. Is there any way of doing this without buying a 250 Au dollar device for what is probably a one off use?
Arch tops I tune to G or they risk being too bright.
My Banjo needs major work never knew I had to do this to it , Sounds ok but the volumn is`nt the greatest thanks for uploading this .
Where did you buy this drum dial
Hey Warren, what was that tune you picked at the end, I kinda recognise it and it's bugging me?
Hot Corn Cold Corn
hi warren could you please send any information concerning the banjo head on koles account to this one please he is my son and I have used his instead many thanks.
I just bought a banjo and on my middle G string, I am hearing a buzzing and it almost sounds like a sitar. Could tell me what would cause that?
It sounds like the action is low. If it only happens open, then the nut groove might be low. Most likely the neck is too straight. The head could be too low.
@@NCyates I'm new to the banjo. What is the action and nut groove? It only happens on the one string. Perhaps I'm just not use to hearing the banjo yet? Thanks again for the help.
The drum dial scale is actually backwards-reading. When properly zeroed, a reading of "90" means that the spring-loaded dial pin is sinking .010" into the head (1-.090 = .010). An "80" means it is sinking .020" into the head (1-.080 = .020). Thus, the dial reading is misleading. But I have a question, Mr. Yates: surely the downwards pressure of the strings on the bridge messes with the head tension near the tailpiece. Shouldn't you first remove the strings to do the tuning for equal tension? If not, then you're not really applying equal pressure to the head. The string/bridge pressure alters things, doesn't it? For that matter, when we pickers place our pinky and ring fingers on the head to play, that alters the tension, too. "Perfect tension" is impossible, is it not?
You are correct; however, the drum dial is a good starting point to get as even as you can. Then is the tap or scrape note of the head to bring it in closer. Once set and it hold, the head will relax and the tight spot will devolve into the soft areas. That is where playing it without more adjustment and time comes in. As for the anchoring, don't. Just touch the head to know where you are and you will gain freedom to look for more tones to use.
Hot Corn, Cold Corn
think so, but your tension reading will be different. (not 90)
Arch tops I tune to G or they risk being too bright.