Do I know how to play a Stelling or not? Be honest, I’m looking for good feedback here. My opinion is that the “played hard” video is a bit harsh. So is the “Played lighter” video. My favorite is the “Hardly played.” But your ear might be different.
This is a different beast for sure. For starters, the resonator and if I’m not mistaken the neck is mahogany. The neck appears to be three piece. The rim is a massive one inch block rim and the tone ring is what Mr. Stelling referred to as a “triangular” tone ring. It is solid and unplanted and sits on the rim like a regular tone ring except it obviously doesn’t cover the entire one inch rim. The tailpiece touches the tension hoop and then proceeds upwards. It is about 1/4 inch off the head where the strings from the bridge meet it. The head is an older Remo. Head tension is about 90. Bridge is about 5/8ths inch fairly thin maple/ebony.
Well, here are the three videos. Let me know what you think.
The Hardly Played has a deep full bodied modern sound, rather than the harsher crack and pop sound of the 60's and 70's that I am hearing in the other videos.
The Hardly Played has a deep full bodied modern sound, rather than the harsher crack and pop sound of the 60's and 70's that I am hearing in the other videos.
If you're looking for votes, I'd vote for the sound in "played lightly." "Played hard" sounded fine, if you're into that sort of thing. A bit harsh for my taste. "Hardly played," I'm hearing a lot of string and pick noise, less definition in the notes. Big picture, yes you know how to play a Stelling.
P.S. To quote a drummer friend of mine, "What do you mean, 'dynamics?' I can't play any louder!"
If you're looking for votes, I'd vote for the sound in "played lightly." "Played hard" sounded fine, if you're into that sort of thing. A bit harsh for my taste. "Hardly played," I'm hearing a lot of string and pick noise, less definition in the notes. Big picture, yes you know how to play a Stelling.
P.S. To quote a drummer friend of mine, "What do you mean, 'dynamics?' I can't play any louder!"
Thanks! Any setup advise? I was in Austin last year! I miss it
Hi! I think all sound good! That said, my Stelling Sunflower has the older rim, and I find it is best suited for more melodic playing.. lacks the "Scruggs" twang that is available on older Gibson and the Huber line of banjos. I suggest you tighten the head to 90# for the best sound and just enjoy the heck out of it! Doc
I like the lightly played and hardly played sounds. The played hard is too in your face, harsh sounding for my liking. Just my take, for what it's worth.
If you're looking for votes, I'd vote for the sound in "played lightly." "Played hard" sounded fine, if you're into that sort of thing. A bit harsh for my taste. "Hardly played," I'm hearing a lot of string and pick noise, less definition in the notes. Big picture, yes you know how to play a Stelling.
P.S. To quote a drummer friend of mine, "What do you mean, 'dynamics?' I can't play any louder!"
Thanks! Any setup advise? I was in Austin last year! I miss it
I haven't left Austin in a year! Sounds like you're doing everything right, to me at least. I like Stelling heads around an A (and Gibsons at an F#). Could always mess around with other bridges of course. Good luck!
The "hardly played" is not played enough. I like the other two, but you don't have to stick to one approach, you can vary them, even within the same piece…
I agree that light and hardly sound better in your recording. The played hard sound was, well, offensive to me as a Gibsonite.
I'll tell you the truth, in decades past when Stellings weren't seen as commonly as now, we used to dread having a Stelling-wielder stroll into our jams at a festival. Yes, I'm "that kind" of a jammer. Not an open tent kind of guy. Haters gonna hate. Most banjo pickers who had a Stelling then wanted them for all the volume they could generate, and consequently they played hard. Too hard.
You said to be honest, so, with all due respect, my answer to your question is:
No.
I think the lightly played and hardly played examples are marginally better than the played hard example. But to me, all three sound clunky and harsh, with no warmth or fullness of tone. It could be your touch, it could be the set-up, or it could be a combination of both. It could even be the recording quality. Whatever the reason, a Stelling does not have to sound like any of those examples. Alan Munde, Bill Emerson and Murphy Henry are proof of that, as was Don Reno, who played a Golden Cross for a number of years up until his death. And frankly, though obviously on a much, much lower level of proficiency, so am I.
I have two Stellings, a 1991 Golden Cross and a new Afton Star. Each is capable of producing as wide a range of tone, including just as much warmth, richness and nuance, as my other banjos (two Gibsons and two made by Paul Hopkins).
I hope you're not upset by my comments, but, again, you said to be honest.
Edited by - arnie fleischer on 12/17/2020 19:55:32
You said to be honest, so, with all due respect, my answer to your question is:
No.
I think the lightly played and hardly played examples are marginally better than the played hard example. But to me, all three sound clunky and harsh, with no warmth or fullness of tone. It could be your touch, it could be the set-up, or it could be a combination of both. It could even be the recording quality. Whatever the reason, a Stelling does not have to sound like any of those examples. Alan Munde, Bill Emerson and Murphy Henry are proof of that, as was Don Reno, who played a Golden Cross for a number of years up until his death. And frankly, though obviously on a much, much lower level of proficiency, so am I.
I have two Stellings, a 1991 Golden Cross and a new Afton Star. Each is capable of producing as wide a range of tone, including just as much warmth, richness and nuance, as my other banjos (two Gibsons and two made by Paul Hopkins).
I hope you're not upset by my comments, but, again, you said to be honest.
Thank you much. I do like honest and am not offended. I truly don't know how to play a Stelling, having never owned one before. I'd like for this banjo to teach me something. You mentioned my favorite banjo player--Don Reno. I must say that I never cared for the Stelling, even in Don's hands. I think he was overplaying it a bit. I agree that this banjo sounds a bit chunky and harsh. I'm doing my best with setup to fix that. Head tension and bridge selection are the two things I'm trying to zero in on to address those issues. I believe that the warmth and fullness of tone that this banjo is capable of producing would be better showcased on a slower tune. Again, thank you.
Reminds of a story Ronnie Reno told about his mandolin….He was with Bill Monroe and asked Bill (paraphrasing)…”.what he thought of how the mandolin sounded….Bill said well play something so Ronnie played……when he was done Bill asked to see the mandolin…..Bill then played a song….handed it back to Ronnie and said….”welp in aint the mandolin”….
There's so much more to an instruments sound then just the instrument. We all know how Ronnie became a premiere mandolin player.
I sat down last night and did a quick recording with my Zoom H4. I used the mics that came stock on the zoom, I was about 16-18 inches from the 12th fret. No effects, compression, eq--nothing. I was playing pretty light and not terribly close to the bridge.
It was the recording, not the banjo, and certainly not the player.
That is what a Stelling can sound like: great clarity and note separation, a warm, full tone, and an almost reed instrument quality.
And so I'm very happ[y to say that you do indeed know how to play a Stelling (and I'd bet any other banjo too).
But tell me this: where was your right hand this time around? Because even making allowances for the recording quality the first time around, it's almost as if you were playing two different banjos. Stellings are exceptionally responsive to right hand positioning and touch. Am I correct in thinking that you found the sweet spot this time and worked it for all it's worth?
People keep posting here, asking about what's wrong with some particular banjo, and I frequently refer them to a video of Johnny Butten, playing a banjo I cobbled together out of scrap lumber from my neighbor's discarded futon, and four layers of 3M mailing tape.
It's almost all in your fingers
Play with as much snap and crackle as a snappy, crackly song requires, and more softly for a love song or lullaby.
Another recording--some of the same noodling.... I put a little reverb and compression, cut the highs just a little, boosted the bass just a little, and left the mids alone.
It was the recording, not the banjo, and certainly not the player.
That is what a Stelling can sound like: great clarity and note separation, a warm, full tone, and an almost reed instrument quality.
And so I'm very happ[y to say that you do indeed know how to play a Stelling (and I'd bet any other banjo too).
But tell me this: where was your right hand this time around? Because even making allowances for the recording quality the first time around, it's almost as if you were playing two different banjos. Stellings are exceptionally responsive to right hand positioning and touch. Am I correct in thinking that you found the sweet spot this time and worked it for all it's worth?
Nice going.
Hi Arnie--I had an uncle Arnie that played on the Wheeling Jamboree! As to hand position I was a little bit more away from the bridge than you'd be on a Mastertone. My touch was pretty light--almost like the hardly played version. HOnestly, I think a lot of it is the recording quality. And, the mics on the Zoom h4 aren't even that highly rated. I'd like to play this banjo through a good mic and then record it. If I get time, I will.
People keep posting here, asking about what's wrong with some particular banjo, and I frequently refer them to a video of Johnny Butten, playing a banjo I cobbled together out of scrap lumber from my neighbor's discarded futon, and four layers of 3M mailing tape.
It's almost all in your fingers
Play with as much snap and crackle as a snappy, crackly song requires, and more softly for a love song or lullaby.
Mike--How many of those would you trade me for the Stelling? lol
I sat down last night and did a quick recording with my Zoom H4. I used the mics that came stock on the zoom, I was about 16-18 inches from the 12th fret. No effects, compression, eq--nothing. I was playing pretty light and not terribly close to the bridge.
The other recordings were with my iPhone.
Well, you know how to play that one Frankie! Loved it!!
I sat down last night and did a quick recording with my Zoom H4. I used the mics that came stock on the zoom, I was about 16-18 inches from the 12th fret. No effects, compression, eq--nothing. I was playing pretty light and not terribly close to the bridge.
The other recordings were with my iPhone.
Well, you know how to play that one Frankie! Loved it!!
I had the Bellflower that played on Smokey and the Bandit in my shop. I played it a lot before I worked on it. I had to reassemble because the owner now thought it was a collectible, duh.
Frankly I like all three videos enough, I would venture out into the night to hear you play on stage. You look and sound interested, that's encouragement from me. I'm too dang young, I'm trying harder.
I see where you are playing on the X/Y continuum, I move around pretty freely, I name Z out over the 19th fret, so I'm the conductor on the XYZ railroad.
Looked out West and it looked like rain, around the curve come a passenger train. Southbound train on a Northbound track, take you to the junction, but it don't bring you back. Maybe we'll hear and see you on Zoom next week,
I had the Bellflower that played on Smokey and the Bandit in my shop. I played it a lot before I worked on it.
I had to reassemble because the owner now thought it was a collectible, duh.
Frankly I like all three videos enough, I would venture out into the night to hear you play on stage.
You look and sound interested, that's encouragement from me. I'm too dang young, I'm trying harder.
I see where you are playing on the X/Y continuum, I move around pretty freely, I name Z out over the 19th fret, so I'm the conductor on the XYZ railroad.
Looked out West and it looked like rain, around the curve come a passenger train.
Southbound train on a Northbound track, take you to the junction, but it don't bring you back.
Maybe we'll hear and see you on Zoom next week,
Thanks Larry! Send me the link amd I'll darn sure be there this week! I'll also post videos of my Helix when I get it all souped up! I'm still waiting on my b bender !
I have two Stellings and I love both of them. I would suggest a set up that raises the tail piece so that it is parallel to the head or slightly raised. The head to my ear is best tightened to about 88 or 89 on a drum dial. I use GHS cryo strings (10.11.13.20.10). The ne k should have a very slight bow and I personally prefer the Snuffy Smith old wood 11/16 bridge. Try several bridges and be sure that the bridges are properly placed so that the note at the 12th fret and the harmonic are identical....No, my Stellings do not sound like a vintage Gibson, but while it is heresy, I like the sound of my banjo's much better. Both of mt banjos have an "old wood" rim. Stelling went to the exclusively in the early 2000's and will convert your banjo. Enjoy
Neilrudo, I would slightly modify one of your suggestions: Put a Snuffy Smith "pegged" bridge on the Stelling. They are available from Katzeye. I believe the pegged bridge gives the banjo a little extra punch compared with the normal Snuffy. I'm very impressed with it.
