Hoping someone can help -
The 3rd-string tuner on my 2010 Stelling Crusader has come apart. The good news is that the internal gears still work perfectly - if I hold the housing together, it turns smoothly and will tune and hold string tension. The problem is that the outer housing has separated, so it comes apart again as soon as the pressure is released.
From what I’ve been told, it looks like the original swaged/crimped joint that holds the tuner housing together has failed.
Has anyone:
- successfully repaired one of these?
- identified who manufactured the original Stelling tuners around 2010 (Gotoh OEM perhaps?)
- or happen to have a single original nickel Stelling tuner available?
I’d much rather repair or replace it with an original than fit a modern substitute, as the banjo is otherwise completely original.
Edited by - sammoore on 07/28/2026 12:24:30
Contact Dean Meece - https://www.facebook.com/share/14cZQBDy7hf/
He should be able to help you out.
The tuner looks like a Gotoh which Stelling used at one time. Contact Bob Smakula, he's a member here. He sells replacements and you could just swap the knobs.http://smakulafrettedinstruments.com
Some years ago, amongst a number of parts I obtained locally, were some 5 star tuners that had been repaired for exactly the same reason. This photon is from the last one I have.
Someone just used a soldering iron (remove the button first) to join the two halves. This tuner works smoothly.
quote:
Originally posted by CullodenThe tuner looks like a Gotoh which Stelling used at one time. Contact Bob Smakula, he's a member here. He sells replacements and you could just swap the knobs.http://smakulafrettedinstruments.com
They don't look Gotoh planet tuners to me. the incised lines are closer together on a Gotoh tuner and the grained ivoroid knob does not look familiar.
Bob Smakula
quote:
Originally posted by Bob Smakulaquote:
Originally posted by CullodenThe tuner looks like a Gotoh which Stelling used at one time. Contact Bob Smakula, he's a member here. He sells replacements and you could just swap the knobs.http://smakulafrettedinstruments.com
They don't look Gotoh planet tuners to me. the incised lines are closer together on a Gotoh tuner and the grained ivoroid knob does not look familiar.
Bob Smakula
John Hamlett might know, but I'm not sure he was still working at Stelling when they introduced the Crusader.
Thanks everyone for your help.
I think Gotoh did make it but they were made just for the crusader line which is why they don’t look like anything they’ve got now
I’ll try to track down John Hamlett otherwise I suppose it might have to be soldered!
If anyone has any other ideas just let me know
Two or three dots of JBWeld or equivalent metal epoxy would hold the casing together. Soldering is probably neater, but if you're confident you can keep epoxy out of the workings then it's a home repair
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