Geoff Stelling speaks

In the 'Banjo' section of the links in the BIB's right-hand sidebar, the first link is to Bud Bennett's 'Banjo Masters video series', which in the last couple of years has included interviews with Butch Robins, Sammy Shelor, Jens Kruger and others with a special place in banjo history. The heading (above) shows a Stelling banjo, and the latest interview in the series consists of two hours of Geoff Stelling talking about his lifetime of involvement with banjos - including of course his invention of the 'wedge-fit' tone ring/ pot/ flange combination, the first major development away from the Gibson Mastertone formula. Indispensable for learning what goes into a Stelling banjo.

In the second hour he talks about the people who've made them; the different Stelling models; the importance of banjo setup; Alan Munde and other players who have endorsed Stellings; the present state of the market; and more. At 74, he has no plans to quit making banjos.