'The material for the skin seemed to vary some; in the American south the "groundhog" or woodchuck has always been favored. This method of preparation does not seem to have changed in 200 years.

After getting a hide, he tans it himself. He sets the hide in a trough with the hair side up, and puts two to three inches of ashes over that. Then he pours water over it until it comes up over the top of the ashes. He leaves it for three days, and by then the hair will pull right off unless the weather has been too cold for the lye to work. In that case, it takes a little longer. He then tacks the skin up on a board to dry. The skin is tacked so that it is up off the board enabling air to get under it and allowing the skin to dry quickly and thoroughly.

When the skin is dry, and he is ready to put onto a banjo. He soaks it in salt water overnight, washes it in strong soap, and lets it soak for five minutes in warm water. He puts it on the banjo wet, and it tightens up as it dries.'

From 'Ring The Banjar - The Banjo in America From Folklore to Factory, Robert Lloyd Webb

Next banjo history lesson will be on selecting the appropriate size gourd to be hollowed out and cleaned.


Little Neo