8'' cuica replacement head with bamboo stick and aluminium rim by Gope.

Tips for cuica skins:
Cuica skins are a natural product made of goat skin and therefore quite sensitive. The skins should always be loosened after playing or for storage. Please store natural skins at normal room temperature. Do not store in damp areas, near heating or in a car. Heat and dry air make natural skins brittle and put them under extreme tension, which can cause the skin to tear. Cuica heads also break easily if you accidentally touch the skin too often with a damp cloth from the inside when playing. The water softens the skin around the knot, the high tension will stretch and eventually might tear the skin. If you are putting on a new skin and need to wetten it (e.g. because the rim is twisted), please make sure to let it dry completely before putting tension on it. This usually takes overnight. We strongly advise against speeding up drying by using a hair dryer, heating or direct sunlight which might cause damage to the skin.

Information for hide heads on aluminium rims:
Natural heads tend to twist when unmounted, especially with when temperature and humidity changes. This can happen as well with heads on wood rims as with skins in aluminium rims. The aluminium hoops are grouted in a way that leaves a small open joint gap. This is not a defect nor a broken seam, but a tiny tolerance which is there on purpose so that the head can expand or tighten without damaging the hoop or the head when air moisture changes. If you have received a twisted head with an open gap on the aluminium rim, then that is quite normal and with only a few steps the head will easily fit on your instrument shell: Slightly moisten the head, wait a couple of minutes, then fit it on the shell and put your instrument back together loosely. Only put tension on the head once it has dried completely and in a natural way; this will usually take overnight. As soon as there is tension on the head, wrinkles and the twist will disappear and the head will easily adjust to the shape of the instrument shell.
If you have any questions, give us a shout!

Note about spare parts:

We recommend that you always purchase spare parts of the same brand as your instrument to ensure fit and function. We cannot assume any warranty for different-brand combinations. If you are looking for a spare part that you cannot find on our site, please contact us!