Hello.
I recently purchased a 1982 Stelling Sunflower, and found that the tension hoop had broken and was badly welded.
The brackets are now not straight and also the notches are very narrow (I think because it has been nickel plated again adding thickness to the notches).
Where could I find an original tension hoop now that Stelling has ceased to operate?
Thank you for help me
Nirvano
Edited by - nirvano on 05/27/2023 02:05:41
Call Geoff. He may have some old ones or seconds still around.
I'll chime in here - (realizing I might be mistaken) the tension hoop on a stelling banjo is more or less the same as other banjos that use an 11" pot / rim / head, and 24 hooks. The difference is (since1976 or thereabouts) there are two divots where the pins for tailpiece sit - So one could take a standard tension hoop and drill the two divots for the tailpiece pins. OF COURSE some care should be used to be sure the divots are correctly placed, spaced, and aligned.
Hi Nirvano
You may find that Prucha banjos can offer guidance in this, and any parts bought from Prucha will be very much less expensive than something imported into Italy from USA.
I agree with Gregg in that a Stelling tension hoop may be interchangeable with one made for a Gibson-type banjo, other than needing the two tailpiece pin recesses.
Regards
Harry
Prucha was actually making the later Stelling tension hoops so he may probably drill the holes for you.
Those two little holes were simply hand drilled into the completed tension hoops, through the plating, so as Gregg said, it can be done as long as placement is carefully considered.
All of the hooks may not be perfectly straight up and down. Stelling flanges have holes equally spaced, other than at the neck and tailpiece positions, while the tension hoop notches may not be equally spaced.
It is possible that the spacing of the hooks on a Stelling hoop are slightly different from that on a "Gibson" style hoop.
A while ago when I acquired a Fults tailpiece with mounting brackets, the spacing between the hooks on either side of the tailpiece was different on my Stelling compared to my Prucha and Sullivan, which were identical.
Hook spacing is worth checking before purchases a Gibson spec hoop and assuming it will work on a Stelling exactly.
Alternative might be to get a hoop from Mr. Prucha prior to the filling of the hook notches, and then fit the Stelling spacing to the hoop.
Thank you for suggestions.
I have a Sullivan TH but space between the notches on tailpiece area is too short and brackets are too inclined.
Forgo the notched tension hoop altogether and instead employ a grooved tension hoop and flat bracket hooks. (This type of arrangement works with ANY type of hook spacing.) It's for sure going to give your Stelling a different look, but I did this to one of my old Stelling banjos YEARS ago and it actually looked kind of neat. Of course, and as with all things, you mileage may vary.
Edited by - Stu D Baker-Hawk on 05/27/2023 12:11:42
A couple years before Stelling closed shop, I tried to buy a tension hoop from them. Sherry told me that they did not have any tension hoops for general sale. What they had was already associated with a banjo build.
What Mrs. Stelling did say was that I could simply buy one from Stewart McDonald as the hoops were identical except for the tail piece mounting divots.
Thanks to everybody, I'll try with Stewmac.
In Europe there's Ptacek that seems informed on that.
Did you check an OME ? by looking at the OME the tailpiece appears to be the same setup as the Stelling tailpiece with the two divets. Of course I have not measured the width of the divets. But they sure appear the same.
I second the Prucha workshop as the first point of reference for european hardware.
They made hoops for Gibson when they were still in the banjo business, so they almost certainly have parts laying around that they can modify to fit. They know how Stelling banjo are set up as well.
Another option is Strure Svarén in Sweden - he is probably the guy who sold the most Stellings in Europe over the years. He's a really nice guy who is readily available on email for questions like this. If he has a hoop lying about, he'd certainly be happy to help and to ship.
Welcome to the Stelling club!!
/Anders
Edited by - Norand on 06/01/2023 04:54:29
Thanks to everybody.
Ptacek give me a tension hoop NOS, he made them.
No hope for tailpiece at the moment.
I’ll try to contact Svarén.
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