Stelling Whitestar Owner

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Stelling Owners Club

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For those who own or want to own the ultimate banjo. www.stellingbanjo.com

536 Members, Created 1/28/2011 -

Administrators: 5 String (owner)

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From Trainchef1 on 8/7/2025 2:53:00 PM

Hi, my name is Alan and I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm living north of Cleveland, across the pond and retired from the railroad ten years ago. Just started playing the banjo a few years ago. I had always wanted to learn the banjo (bucket list) and now with plenty of me time, I can say without a doubt, I'm really having a blast. Started with a Kay Tenor and then switched to 5 string Oscar Schmidt and started playing three finger style. Came across a left-handed 1979 Stelling Whitestar two years back as part of an estate that a fellow was trying to sell, hung up the phone and drove 60 miles to pick it up right there and then. Best purchase I ever made. Hope Geoff is enjoying his retirement. Contacted Sherry to order a few things off their website. Waited too long trying to make up my mind about a compensated bridge and now they're all gone, sigh... Anyone know the standard bridge size for this instrument, 5/8" ? A lot of proud Stelling owners on this Forum, great to see!

9 Comments
	braggjd1125 says: 8/7/2025 2:59:39 PM Hello Alan, I’m also a former railroader and now work for the RRB. The standard size is 11/16 but Geoff made custom orders so it’s hard to tell what yours is. I used a Richie Dotson walnut or a scorpion 11/16 on my masters cross
	5 String says: 8/7/2025 11:42:25 PM Greetings Alan and welcome to the group. Stock Stelling's came with 11/16" bridge. Custom orders had whatever size the customer requested. At one time, Stelling sold separately 1/2", 5/8", 11/16", .656, and 3/4" bridges. He sold them in both standard and Crowe spacing. If your banjo currently has a Stelling bridge, the size of it should be marked on one of the bridge posts. You would have to take the bridge off and turn it upside down to see it. It is most likely 11/16".
	Eastbanjo says: 8/8/2025 8:10:17 AM The Stellings made in 1979 came stock with a 5/8 bridge. 11/16 size came later in the eighty’s
	rvrose says: 8/8/2025 9:49:11 AM Welcome Allan. You mentioned a compensated bridge. I use compensated bridges on my Deering, but the Stellings have a compensated nut, so I haven't needed a comp bridge. The intonation is excellent on my Golden Cross. If I notice it out a bit, its because my strings are old. Enjoy that Whitestar! Rick
	Trainchef1 says: 8/8/2025 10:05:56 AM Hey Folks, thanks for the great comments! Looks like the bridge on this one has been changed to a generic 11/16th sometime in the past. This one doesn't have a compensated nut, just this bridge is compensated. Tried what was supposed to be an 11/16th Moon compensated bridge from Elderly, but it seems way taller than the 11/16th I have on the banjo now. I'll check out some of the other bridges suggested in this forum.
	5 String says: 8/8/2025 12:27:51 PM Stelling put compensated bridges on the Crusader models because they did not have a compensated nut. Eastbanjo is correct...stock Stelling banjos from 1974 to 1980 came exclusively with 5/8" bridges. Geoff started putting 11/16" bridges on his banjos sometime in late 1980. I have a 1980 Bellflower that I purchased new in early 1981 that had an 11/16" bridge on it. Stelling switched completely over to 11/16" bridges for stock banjos after he moved to Virginia in 1984.
	gotvim72 says: 8/9/2025 12:06:24 PM Yeah, i use the 11/16th snuffy smith on my staghorn and it sounds awesome. Pretty sure all stellings are 11/16th.
	Trainchef1 says: 8/16/2025 2:38:49 PM I'm getting a lot of pick noise when I play my Stelling. So what am I doing wrong here; anyone have any suggestions? I'm still fairly new at playing. Doesn't seem to matter if I'm using bronze, sterling silver or nickel picks, same thing.
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