Hello to all banjo fans and players in America!
I have the opportunity to buy a Stelling model banjo Foggy Mountain...from 1990.
How would you rate it? What is its price today?
Thank you.
Edited by - Texasbanjo on 02/12/2025 08:18:53
We'd need to see pictures of it. What shape is it in, does it have any nicks, dings, cracks, etc.
Since Stelling is no longer making banjos, it's rather difficult to set a price on one.
I have a Stelling Masterpiece made in '92 that I wouldn't sell for any amount.
Check the Stelling classifieds here and get an idea of prices for various Stellings and that might help.
The banjo looks to be in very good condition without any major damage - I'm sending a photo...
Here's an old discussion about the Foggy Mountain banjo. Geoff Stelling himself describes the history of the model.
The discussion confirms what I think I see in the photo: Absence of a tone ring. Or at least not a usual Stelling tone ring.
And most of these were made without the Stelling name on the peghead. My guess is because they were different.
While it seems used Stellings don't go for any less than $3,000 since Geoff retired, that's for tone ringed models. The Foggy Mountain has the unusual combination of no tone ring (lower value?) and rarity (higher value?). Plus, you're in Europe, where all U.S. banjos are more rare than over here.
Only 30 of these were made. I've never heard of this model until today. With so few made, they almost never appear on the used market. I think it's next to impossible to say what their price is today.
Let's throw the question back to you: What price is the seller asking?
Yeah yeah I didn't see the tonering either...which is very strange...but Geoff actually describes it in the link you gave me...they want 2000 dollars for the banjo...so that's probably right? But how will it play without tonering? It probably won't be that amazing familiar sound...
quote:
Originally posted by Old HickoryLet's throw the question back to you: What price is the seller asking?
Or put another way, how badly do you want it?
I suspect that given the above, you will be SETTING the price. Instead of us telling you what it is worth, you will be telling us what it worth.
Thank you kindly.
quote:
Originally posted by otto1258Yeah yeah I didn't see the tonering either...which is very strange...but Geoff actually describes it in the link you gave me...they want 2000 dollars for the banjo...so that's probably right? But how will it play without tonering? It probably won't be that amazing familiar sound...
Yes. I was wrong about that. Geoff said it has a smaller tone ring that's aboout the size of a tension hoop, which is why we don't see the outside of it extending down below the flesh hoop of the head.
A smaller tone ring would weigh a lot less. It's probably analogous to the rod style tone rings in Gibson RB100.
The banjo might sound very good. But I would not expect it to sound like a standard Stelling.
$2000 seems reasonable.
The main thing that bothers me is the different tone ring and that only 30 were made, so I probably won't go for it.
Thanks everyone for the opinions, I appreciate it.
The "tonering" is a brass hoop milled to a 45 degree angle and the bottom so that it is "wedge fit" onto a 45 degree angle slot in the rim.
I was involved in the original idea and planning of this model. It was meant to be an affordable basic banjo or student banjo, along the lines of the Deering Good time (which came later, IIRC). When they were introduced, many people liked the banjos, but many also said they didn't like the color and finish (the original ones were blonde maple to save time money and trouble staining) had a "satin" finish (to save time money and trouble buffing) and had a printed "Foggy Mountain" overlay on the peghead.Lots of people want "something for nothing" as they say, and people started asking for a stained color, a gloss finish, and mostly the "Stelling" name. Geoff obliged the market, but the changes made the expense of making the Foggy Mountain banjo too high and it was no longer a basic, affordable banjo as originally intended.
(It was followed by the White Dove model.)
Isnt this banjo pictured a "lefty" ? ...or is the original poster actually looking for a left hand banjo.
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