That's a Prucha flange.  Both Stelling and Prucha designed the flange holes to mimic the shapes of their peghead design.

Aha. Interesting.
The Alison Brown model banjo on the Prucha website has the typical Gibson cutout flange.
That’s what got me curious about what she was playing lately, given her previous Stelling use.
Thanks for answering so quickly.

I do recognize how meaningless this query is, but now I can’t let go.
I can’t find a single other Alison Brown model Prucha banjo that doesn’t have the typical Gibson cutout flange.
The Prucha banjo Alison plays does seem to be unique, with that Stelling-looking flange. I can’t find even one other like it.

quote:

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Originally posted by ban-joe

I do recognize how meaningless this query is, but now I can’t let go.
I can’t find a single other Alison Brown model Prucha banjo that doesn’t have the typical Gibson cutout flange.
The Prucha banjo Alison plays does seem to be unique, with that Stelling-looking flange. I can’t find even one other like it.

No "Prucha" logo on the head. The flange just screams Stelling. 
I don't blame her. I love my Stelling too.

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I find it hard to believe that Alison Brown only has one banjo.

quote:

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Originally posted by Culloden

I find it hard to believe that Alison Brown only has one banjo.

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AFAIK, she still has her PW (original 5-string) RB-3. I can understand how she might not want to take it outside of the bomb-proof vault.

quote:

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Originally posted by Ira Gitlin

quote:

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Originally posted by Culloden

I find it hard to believe that Alison Brown only has one banjo.

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AFAIK, she still has her PW (original 5-string) RB-3. I can understand how she might not want to take it outside of the bomb-proof vault.

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I can understand that. Bill Emerson used to play a Fender with the Country Gentlemen because he didn't want to travel with his RB4. Sonny Osborne took his Stelling Sonflower to Sweden because he didn't want to fly with his Granada.

Still, the original post came off as if she only has one banjo. That's what I was referring to.

Some Prucha flanges are very much reminiscent of Stelling. The Bat, Fall in Love, Diamond Point and Professional series banjos still use them. They seem to be a hallmark of Prucha-design models; his banjos that are Mastertone-design base appear to use the more common flange pattern.

Jaroslav Prucha worked with Geoff Stelling in the wayback. As I understand it, there was quite a little cabal of luthiers who hung out together - including Stelling, Prucha, Greg Deering and Kim Breedlove.

The Alison Brown model that Prucha designed has a two piece flange.  All the pictures of Miss Alison playing or holding the Prucha banjo that I've searched show a two piece flange. 
 

Could you post a link to a picture that shows her holding a banjo with Spirit inlays but no Prucha on the peg head, and with a Stelling flange?

I see now that I was wrong about all this. I had never seen the Prucha models with that Stelling-looking flange. I see them now.
I was thrown by Alison’s banjo having one flange and the model on the website having the Gibson flange.
I wouldn’t have been surprised, golfers and other athletes do it all the time, concealing the equipment they use under their sponsors headcovers, etc.
I’ll excuse myself at this point to go eat some crow.

quote:

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Originally posted by ban-joe

I see now that I was wrong about all this. I had never seen the Prucha models with that Stelling-looking flange. I see them now.
I was thrown by Alison’s banjo having one flange and the model on the website having the Gibson flange.
I wouldn’t have been surprised, golfers and other athletes do it all the time, concealing the equipment they use under their sponsors headcovers, etc.
I’ll excuse myself at this point to go eat some crow.

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Don't be so hard on yourself. We've seen much worse around these parts.