Dead Head - Head gone dead?

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Postby Michael S » Wed Jan 15, 2003 2:54 pm

Is it possible for a head to be dead, after only a year or so? I have a Toca bison head that I just can't seem to tune well on a 11 3/4" conga. I don't think it was always like that but it may have been. (It sounded good in the store; that's why I bought it.) It is the original head on the drum. I have two other Toca's that sound and tune just fine. I have soaked and softened this head two or three times to try and get a better fit on the bearing edge; could this have helped or hurt the head? I did this to another 11 3/4" head and it didn't make much difference in that one.
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Postby Michael S » Wed Jan 22, 2003 2:34 am

Hey Folks, I could use some help on this one. I forgot to add that I also changed the "dead" head to another drum and it still didn't improve. I don't have a lot of money to deal with so I'd hate to spend $40 on a new head but I don't know what is wrong. Can a head just go dead? It's just not that old (at least, I don't think it is; it may have sat in a warehouse for a long time but the drum did sound great once.)
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Postby 120decibels » Wed Jan 22, 2003 5:15 pm

The only suggestion that I can offer is to use some lotion-like material on the head. This forum has seen references from lard to plain old hand cream. I've used natural hand lotions on my heads and it does seem to liven them up quite a bit.
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Postby Michael S » Thu Jan 23, 2003 2:50 pm

Thanks 120. I'm guessing by the little response to this question that heads don't just "die". I have always kept my heads lubricated, almost always using lanolin as that is a natural animal product. Occasionally, I have used commercial hand creams. I don't have this problem with my other skins, that's why I'm perplexed. I have tried different tunings, thinking maybe that the head was only going to sound "right" at one particular one. But to no avail. I play two congas and a tumba and have resorted to using this head on my middle drum, simply because I need to have good tone on my first and fourth tunings.
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Postby Simon B » Thu Jan 23, 2003 11:45 pm

Even if it's been a year or more since you bought it, Michael, I would consider sending the head back to Toca. In my experience manufacturers are usually keen to correct faulty goods - a friend of mine sent back a bongo head to LP that split suddenly about a year after he had bought his bongos and they sent him an apologetic letter and three new macho heads.

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Postby Michael S » Fri Jan 24, 2003 6:21 pm

Thanks for the input guys/gals. I don't know if I want to go through the trouble of sending back to Toca. I've communicated with them in the past and they have been helpful. Big hassle digging out receipt, packaging, mailing. I'm lazy. Hoped there would be something I was doing wrong with the tuning or care of the head. After I bought the drum and removed the head I realized that the head did not sit "square" on the bearing edge of the drum (same with all three of my Tocas) so I soaked it in water several times to soften the head and mount it in that condition. Could this have taken the tone out of the head?
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Postby JohnnyConga » Sat Jan 25, 2003 8:52 pm

Michael S...after soaking a head it is recommended that you put a thin coat of lard on the head or palm oil and then leave it in the sun for about 4 5 hours or under a heat lamp so the oil will seep into the head and "rejuvenate" the skin. Do Not tune it up after mounted for about 36 hours. what ever oil is left over wipe off with cloth,just remember to put a thin coat all over the head sides included. I still have the same head on my requinto for 20 years, and the head on my Pearl quinto for 6 years. Sometimes it is about the thickness of the head that enhances or reduces the sound quality for the drum. Quinto -should have a thin head ,conga a medium thick head and the tumba should have a thick head on it. ....At your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA..... ;)
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Postby Michael S » Sat Jan 25, 2003 11:30 pm

Thanks JC. I have been using lanolin on my heads for years as it is a natural animal product, though not from bison, buffalo, or steer. I recently read in the forum about setting the head in the sun to heat the head and oil. This I had not tried. I did this the other day (let me tell you, we've GOT some sun in Arizona, even in January) and I coated the head on both sides liberally with lanolin. It seems to be better although it's hard to tell; on any different day I never know what kind of tone I'm going to get from any of my drums. I knew that the thinner skins (such as on entry level drums like the Aspires) don't always sound good but I did not know that each drum should have a different thickness. Mine are pretty thick and, incidentally, the tumba does have the best tone. Toca has unique heads, white with small black flecks throughout. They refer to them as bison skins. I don't know if, by this, they mean the North American bison commonly referred to as buffalo. Aren't most head labeled as buffalo from the water buffalo, as you would find in Subcontinent Asia?



Edited By Michael S on Jan. 26 2003 at 08:21
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Postby Doctorumba » Wed Jan 29, 2003 2:20 pm

There is a product called "Manteca De Corojo", it might be palm oil in english,that is applied like JC said.The masters like Mongo ,Tata and Patato all use Corojo.I use it too and some of my heads are over 10 yrs.old.It should be used 3 times a year and exposed to the sun for a few hours.This product, "Manteca de Corojo" is sold in latin botanica stores,plenty in Miami,mostly in Hialeah also in LA,NY.NJ,SF.Is very inexpensive,$.89 for a jar but will do wonders for your heads.Always use a light coat all over the head including sides,wipe off the next day with a moist towel. Dario. :p
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