Hi everyone, I have just acquired my first Stelling.
The banjo shows no sign of use at all but is covered with nicotine and a little sticky in places. Any advice with cleaning this when I disassemble it would be helpful thanks . Tony
18 Comments |
 | gottasmilealot says:
11/14/2015 11:00:56 AM
Wipe it with a clean soft rag dampened with naptha. That will get rid of the stickiness. It will probably clean off the odorous element also.
If the case smells like cigarette smoke, time out in the sunshine and fresh air works well if its beyond a spray of Febreeze.
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 | Geoff Stelling says:
11/14/2015 12:42:45 PM
Tony,
I agree with Gottasmilealot. Napha will remove all the gumminess and tar from the outside surface and will not hurt the finish. Once that is done, and it may take more than one application as well as a clean rag to remove the residue, I'd apply some Glyde-Cote to add protection to the finish and seal out more undesirable elements. Best wishes,
Geoff
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Crane-o says:
11/14/2015 3:06:57 PM
Thank you Guys ,I will take your advise. This looks like a beautifully made instrument. I have already tightened the head to 92 with my drum dial as most people suggest but am not to pleased with the sound so far . The 1st and 5th string sound real high and tight and ring out unwanted overtones so I may back that off a bit when I reassemble . Really looking forward to playing this banjo.
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 | howsy-bee says:
11/14/2015 10:51:06 PM
Tony, regarding tone, I advise you to experiment with bridges of different weights. In my experience, Stellings can 'drive' much heavier bridges than other banjos and still sound great.
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 | birdmanUK says:
11/15/2015 4:28:21 AM
Congratulations on your new Stelling. Do you know the date of manufacture and hence the type of rim on your Golden Cross?
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Crane-o says:
11/15/2015 1:10:12 PM
Hi Hans thank you for your comment. Any suggestions on where to start with a replacement bridge. I read a lot about the Stelling sound but am getting quite a high ringing sound from this banjo
Hi Birdman, it's a 2013 model with Tony Pass rim
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 | CAPT Steve says:
11/15/2015 9:13:28 PM
I'd suggest going right to the source regarding set-up and talk with Geoff. He's very approachable and helpful. Plus, after ~7,000 banjos, no one knows his banjos better than him. He set up my Master's Cross three years ago after I sent him the neck for a refretting. I went to the shop in VA (a fun adventure in itself with my wife and one of my granddaughters) and he reassembled the neck to the pot and strung it up. Except for a new set of strings every now and then, I haven't needed to touch it.
I realize that a trip to the hills of Virginia might be a bit difficult for you considered where your home is, but Geoff has been so helpful over the years. Even more, he's just a good man.
Couple things do come to mind from your comments:
--Does your banjo have the Stelling bridge that it came with? I didn't ever feel the need to change mine; was happy with the way it sounded.
--I think the head may be a little too tight. Geoff typically recommends 91, which sets it at about G#. It's tricky, but sometimes I can get my tuner to give me a reading when I tap the head. The tighter the head, the brighter some of the strings may sound (I've got a Nechville, too, so it's a lot easier to play with head tension-getting it too tight can really make the strings sound imbalanced until it get so tight, it kinda chocks the sound)
--Geoff ships his banjos with medium heavy strings and recommends them. I realize that may be a bit unusual, but seems to make a difference. I've recently put a set of GHS mediums on mine, and as much as I usually like GHS strings, I'll go back to Stelling medium heavies soon (I'm cheap enough that I want to get a little playing mileage out of these).
--Have you looked at the Stelling site; Geoff has his set-up recommendations there. I also got a written copy when I bought my instrument.
Just some things that come to mind as I've learned this wonderful banjo. You may have tried many of these, or considered them and decided on a different route. I certainly understand; we each want to get our banjos sounding the way WE like them, not necessarily the way someone else does. Wish you much success as you work on getting your Stelling the way you want it.
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Crane-o says:
11/16/2015 5:47:07 AM
Hi Steve, thank you for your post, Geoff has already chipped in with some cleaning tips. I hear only good things about him.I think one of the best things he ever did was create that fabulous peg head. Much as i would love to come to your part of the world and to Stelling carting this banjo over there is not an option. This banjo does indeed comewith an original bridge and written set up instructions and looks to be pretty much untouched apart from a coating of nicotine. I guesss i will have to strip it down and clean and polish it to its former glory and start set up from there. I did manage to get my goldtone orange blossom sounding good and am sure i will get this beautiful banjo sounding great. Its just a bit ringy pingy for me. Tony
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 | Ybanjo says:
11/16/2015 7:02:41 AM
When cleaning, don't forget the inside of the resonator. I have an old Gibson and it tends to retain an old musty smell every so often. I can only assume it had been stored in a damp area for a long time. I give the case a good coat Fabreeze, and let the banjo sit out as much as possible.
As for the overtones, I have occasion with the exact same thing on my Staghorn. I found that the head tension is critical, as well as a balanced head. I also went to slightly heavier strings. That seems to calm down my 3rd string quite a bit. Another thing to "play" with is the length of the screws on the tailpiece. The closer the tailpiece is to the rim, the less the sustain, according to Geoff. It does make a difference. Truth is, it's all just a balancing act. Everything affects everything, so it can take a while to find the sound that YOU like.
Keep pickin!
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Crane-o says:
11/16/2015 2:47:28 PM
Hi Jim, thank you for your comments I will include cleaning of the inside of the resonator. I have to take this apart to clean it if only to make it my own as it really stinks. I have today followed your advise to adjust the tailpiece in closer and may experiment with this further when I reasemble. Like you I think the third string needs to be calmed down a bit. This banjo is ringing so much I can't hear the proper tone of the banjo. It may be interesting to hear or record this banjo from out front to see if it sounds like what I am hearing whilst playing.
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| CAPT Steve says:
11/16/2015 3:33:13 PM
Agree with Jim, I think a heavier set of strings will help (one of the reasons I'm going back to Stelling medium heavies). Also think you may have the head too tight at DD 92 and would recommend backing that off to see how it helps.
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 | banjoman56 says:
11/18/2015 4:41:46 PM
92 is probably just a bit too tight! I keep my Red Fox at 91 or a tiny bit over and that seems just right for it!
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| howsy-bee says:
11/19/2015 12:30:58 AM
Hi Tony, I'm still in my bridge experimenting phase myself. I happened to get to know Tom Nechville at a festival in France. He had a 3.1 g bridge in his box of odds and ends, and I bought it. I really liked it on my 1985 Stelling, but it was too high for my taste, so I sanded the top down until it was 0.656. Now it weighs 2.7 g, just like the Stelling bridge that came with the banjo (which is too high, too). Silvio Ferretti who makes the Scorpion bridges in Italy made me a 3+ g bridge I have to receive yet. Will post the result here.... So, that would be an option besides Nechville (and Stelling).
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| Ybanjo says:
11/20/2015 1:33:33 PM
Tony, I go back and forth fighting that ringing sound. Sometimes I really believe it's just the way it sounds from above the banjo. I've had other people play the banjo and it sounds dynamite! No overtones at all! And some days I pick up the banjo and it sounds as smooth as silk. I have almost given up worrying about the sound, just trusting that it sounds good "out front".
If you have the head at 92, that is the first thing to change. It really likes to be right at 91, or maybe just on the weak side of 91. Right now, I'm running it at 90.5 and that seems to sound pretty good, for now.
Let us know you results. I'm very interested.
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 | drewbarries says:
11/20/2015 4:24:40 PM
Not sure if your able or willing to do the following but seeing as to how your describing something pretty bad maybe your banjo is in need of a total disassembly, inspection and tune up.
When I purchased my Virginian I replaced the head and bridge and also completely disassembled and cleaned every part and even taped up the fret board and polished all of the frets with micro mesh until they shined like mirrors.
I doubt that harsh overtones would be caused by virtue of a 92 tympanic pressure and suspect that there may be some other mysterious hidden issue.
Check the neck for any issues and correct alignment and tightness to the rim.
Check that the coordinator rods are set up correctly and a good starting point is with no tension beyond finger tight.... I have never found any benefit personally from bending my rims by tensioning those rods.
Sorry if I'm preaching stuff you may already know or if I'm way beyond the scope of what your willing to do.
Respectfully,
Drew
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| drewbarries says:
11/21/2015 7:39:03 AM
I may have spoke too soon about expressing doubts about the 92 on your head. It is true that in some cases you could be right on the A note which would be bad just as with any head tension even lower as with G would potentially create those dreaded "wolf" tones. It may be interesting to go slightly higher just to test it out. My preference is too avoid going lower than 92 because to my ears it loses energy and power. You may be surprised at how the bass response can in some cases go right ip with the higher frequencies when increasing the head tension. Another thing to remember is that our ears tend to acquire a taste for whatever we're hearing. For example if I put down my Stelling and pick up my Janish it takes a while before I like what I'm hearing and then when I jump back on my Stelling the same thing, it's strange but true.
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Crane-o says:
12/24/2015 8:42:37 AM
Hi Fellas, I been on holiday for three weeks and just returned to strip the banjo down. Two goes with the Naptha (lighter fluid) gets the sticky stuff off as Geoff said. Does the neck need to be loosened or removed to remove the flange and tone ring. I can't move the tome ring at all. Fret board has come up real pretty and now smells nice with a wipe of lemon oil.
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| gottasmilealot says:
12/24/2015 8:58:08 AM
Yes, take it all apart. When you pull the neck out of the pot assembly, then the tone ring can come off. With regard to setup, follow the procedure on Stelling's site. No need to reinvent the wheel.
stellingbanjo.com/blog/stellin...p-system/
Let it settle in, then tweak it later. Stelling makes great bridges also. No need to change brands to get the sound. Setting it up with the stock bridge height will coincide with the necks angle cut so the truss rods aren't cranked tighter than they should be. It sounds like your head was too tight.
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