banjo goatskin?

[Fergus Morris]

I have been fortunate enough to acquire a massive African gourd/kalabash (14 inch diameter!), and am wanting to make a gourd tackhead banjo. If i understand correctly the stuff i want for the head is goatskin. Does anyone know what kind of stuff i need (how thick etc) and where to get it (based in UK but might pay for shipping from USA).
Thank you fellow banjo enthusiasts.

[jim]

http://www.mid-east.com/items.asp?Tp=&iTpStatus=1&Cc=Goat&a...

[Fergus Morris]

Thanks for that, that looks like just the thing I need, it's a shame it won't tell me the postage for the uk unless i become a member though........

[Michael J. Latoski]

stewart mcdoanld is your best bet , but i'm not sure they come big enough for a 14"

[The Phrygian Kid]

the stuff u want is called 'vellum' thats skin thats been scraped to a uniform thickness, usually for parchment..
i got a goat one and a kangaroo one, i ended up using the roo cos it was considerably thinner than the goathide..

[Wade]

Does anyone know if deer skin would work?

One F said:

the stuff u want is called 'vellum' thats skin thats been scraped to a uniform thickness, usually for parchment..
i got a goat one and a kangaroo one, i ended up using the roo cos it was considerably thinner than the goathide..

[The Phrygian Kid]

Deer hide should be fine i reckon..
if this goat hide is too heavy fergus, its still real good for a drum..