sinking calfskin

[5 string fool]

The skin on my Lyon and Healy tenor has loosened to the point that my bridge is sinking, causing some fret buzz. Is there an easy fix for this? I thought of wetting the skin and letting it dry out but I'm not sure. I have virtually no experience with calfskin vellums, but I understand they're pricey andI don't want to replace it unless necessary. Any advice wouyld be greatly appreciated.

[Latticino]

I'm certainly no expert on natural banjo skins, but it does seem to me that you are experiencing a humidity related loosening of the skin. My primary instruments, wood flute and concertina, are loving this humid summer we have been having, but I know the higher humidity is not universally appreciated by instruments. The method you are suggesting sounds a little extreme. I would consider loosening the strings, then taking the banjo into a fully air conditioned space (lower humidity) to see if the skin tightens up first. Following that, attempt to keep your banjo in a space with lower humidity to preserve the tension on the head. I know that my 5-string used to have a large number of bolts that could be tightened around the rim to adjust the tension on the head. Does yours?

The C&F is probably not the best place to get info on banjos. Why not check here: http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/.

Good luck.

[Kypfer]

If you don't want to use the tension bolts (or don't have them) to tighten your skin, try fitting a taller bridge. Then, if it is humidity causing your problem, you can change back when things dry out

[Tim2723]

Instruments with natural skins often have to have two or more bridges to use as wheather changes.