Stelling: Bellflower

Submitted by banjosteeler on 5/20/2014

Where Purchased: used

Year Purchased: 2013
Price Paid: enough ($US) (bought USED)

Sound

Now: FANTASTIC! Just had the frets dressed, neck/action adjusted by Vinnie Mondelo and it's like a new Rolls. I play extremely low action and like fast, easy fretting up the neck. I've played a 1980 Scruggs Mastertone until I bought this and I'll never look back. A friend had a Staghorn at the jams in the early '80s so I've always known how good a Stelling sounds. When I got this one used, it was poorly setup and had a strange 'barking' aftertone/echo (related to the tightness of the coordinating rod's nuts) and had buzzes and a bad profile. Vinnie corrected all that. Perfect intonation, excellent frequency response all over the neck, great lows, crisp highs, scooped mids, throaty and LOUD which is why I can use such low action.

Sound Rating: 10

Setup

see above

Setup Rating: not rated

Appearance

Fit and finish are simply the best!

Appearance Rating: 10

Reliability

Perfect

Reliability Rating: 10

Customer Service

I was sorry to see the disgruntled person/review over in Staghorns and I'm sure most of what s/he says is BS but I will acquiesce that Geoff comes off as pretty grouchy over the phone when I've called him for consultation/advice, but I love my Bellflower so much that I don't care if he's less than gracious in demeanor.

Customer Service: 5

Components

Components Rating: 10

Overall Comments

I've heard/played 'em all (ok, a huge bunch anyway) and there are some nice banjos out there in the pro range but seriously, anyone who A/Bs a Stelling with anything else knows when they're driving a perfectly tuned Rolls Royce. I've played the top-of-the-line banjos at the festivals, in the high-end shops around the U.S., and in some of the factories: the Nechvilles, Mastertones, Sullivans, Deerings, Omes, etc. and while they are all very good only one has 'that' voice; the articulation, enunciation, volume, timbre, balance, are simply unparalleled.

 

The Staghorn is simply a Bellflower with fancier appointments. Save your money and trade up (even to a used one) when you're ready for the best playing, best sounding banjo.

Overall Rating: 10