1979 Stelling Bellflower Resonator 5-String Banjo

Overview: Bluegrass, ho-oh! The name Stelling immediately conjures it exactly. These are high-quality, built-for-pros, instruments. The Bellflower is a particularly-nice Mastertone-style instrument and features a flathead tonering and walnut neck and resonator construction and a block rim. This one has been lovingly cared-for by its original owner for ages and only recently changed hands.

Tone: It's bright, clean, clear, and has tons of volume and snap.

Feel: The neck is slim and fast and easy to get around on.

Interesting features: I love the Stelling headstock shape with its very-narrow midsection and "metal guitar" points that, curiously-enough, do not look out of place at all as an alternative to the classic Gibson-style look. The Stelling tailpiece is also fully-adjustable (side to side and up and down) and a nice, innovative idea as tension and friction hold it to the rim rather than some sort of hook/nut configuration.

Repairs included: It's had a level/dress of the frets and good setup (thanks Jose) and it's ready to go.

• Weight: 12 lbs 12 oz
• Scale length: 26"
• Nut width: 1 1/4"
• Neck shape: slim-medium C
• Board radius: flat
• Head diameter: 11”
• Resonator diameter: 13 1/2"
• Depth overall at rim: 3 1/4"
• Rim wood: maple
• Tonering: flathead
• Bridge: maple/ebony Stelling-brand
• Fretboard: ebony
• Neck wood: walnut
• Action height at 12th fret: 1/16" overall (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 9s
• Truss rod: adjustable
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: medium

Condition notes: The hardware shows some tarnish and age but is overall in good order. It's all-original as far as I can tell except, perhaps, for the head and bridge (as I recall, this went back to the Stelling shop for adjustments in the last 20 years).

It comes with: It has its original hard case.

Consignor tag: JSNY