I have serial #1123 Whitestar manufactured in 1979. It is still in excellent condition. It sounds wonderful. But, I have a hard time keeping it in tune. We have tried tightening the tuning pegs, and I kinow the strings are in need of a change. I love to play it, since it has that characteristic ring to it, but, I wish it were easier to keep in tune. What do others of you think????
9 Comments |
 | CurtissWhite says:
2/8/2011 12:42:43 PM
Try calling Geoff at Stelling Banjo Works. He is very concerned about his work and the owners of his banjos. He came to my aid long ago and I'm sure that he anxious to help you. (434)295-1917 or stelling@stellingbanjo.com
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 | Geoff Stelling says:
2/10/2011 9:29:37 AM
Hi Banjomamas,
Sorry you are having tuning problems with the Whitestar. Part of it, or most of it, may be from the ebonol fingerboard which has a tendency to curl up, shrink, with age. Any plastic type component will shrink with age and cause problems. If you have severe neck bow, that's the problem. Some times, heat treating will give some measure of relief, but a permanent fix will probably be changing the fingerboard to ebony.
Geoff
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| CurtissWhite says:
2/10/2011 10:31:49 AM
Martha, I'd like to inquire about how you acquired the Whitestar. I owned the same model and sold it to a friend named George Webb in about 1981-82. It was a real jewel. And thanks Geoff.
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| Geoff Stelling says:
2/10/2011 11:34:26 AM
Martha, If the tuners slip, the screw holding on the knob could be loose. I just got a lead on another '79 Whitestar for sale if anyone is interested. It's in Michigan.
Geoff
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banjomamas says:
2/10/2011 1:15:41 PM
Thanks for all the comments regarding my 1977 Stelling Whitestar. I bought it from Clyde Blaylock, Chattanooga, TN in about 2004. Clyde was a Stelling dealer and he told me that this banjo was a worthwhile purchase. A customer of Clyde's had sold it to Clyde, and according to Clyde the customer had never played it much and had kept it under the bed for many years.
My husband knows a lot about banjos, and he says that the fret board is plastic. He has tightened the screws on the tuners, and I have not had as much difficulty tuning as in the past. I have always loved Stelling Banjos, because my first nice banjo is a Murphy FLower. I have been using the Whitestar a lot recently because
I love the ring of this old banjo. I will be at the Murphy Method camp in Winchester, VA in March, Geoff, and I plan to bring the Whitestar. Maybe you can take a look at it then.
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| CurtissWhite says:
2/10/2011 3:14:32 PM
Martha, is the tuning problem with all strings at the same time or single strings at separate times?
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banjomamas says:
2/11/2011 7:21:52 AM
I think the tuning problem seems to be concentrated in the G string and the B string. And when one of these strings is hard to tune the other is too.
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| CurtissWhite says:
2/11/2011 8:01:10 AM
Maybe it's a problem at the bridge, being that the B and G strings are in the middle. Sagging at the bridge may be causing this problem. Try tightening the head just a touch, or raise the tailpiece, and see if the tuning problem gets better. Good luck.
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| Geoff Stelling says:
2/11/2011 2:42:44 PM
Martha,
I'll be glad to look at it at Murphy's clinic. I still suspect the ebonol (phenolic resin) fingerboard. The nut slots may cause sticking strings, too. Geoff
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