Bart Reiter Professional 5 String Banjo (1996)
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Bart Reiter Professional Model 5 String Banjo (1996), made in Lansing, Michigan, serial # 1427, natural finish, laminated maple rim, laminated maple neck with ebony fingerboard, original black tolex hard shell case.
Bart Reiter banjos are among the most respected of all modern/old-time instruments, built along classic design lines to an amazingly consistent high standard. Bart Reiter retired a few years back after a long and very successful run as an independent banjo maker who never sold his name into big time production. We'd like to salute him for that, it is fairly rare in the modern industry. Every instrument made by him over the decades is a gem and we are always happy to get on in stock.
This is a fairly early Reiter "Professional" model, practically vintage in its own right now! It was built in 1996, a year when Reiter's total production was 130 instruments. The design is inspired by the early 1900s Bacon FF Professional models, initially made by Vega to Fred Bacon's unique design. The distinctive characteristic is a hollow secondary section inside of the rim which provides an internal resonating chamber. This was a highly touted feature by Bacon in the 1910's, but fell by the wayside when the resonator-and-flange banjo was invented in the early 1920s.
This banjo is built fairly closely to traditional structural specs but with plainer cosmetics than most of the original Bacons. The rim is heavy laminated maple with a sheathed tone ring, with that resonating chamber providing an extra sonic shading. There are F-holes all along the bottom surface which is capped on all edges in tortoise celluloid and a bit of checkerboard wood marquetry running along the inner bottom rim.
The medium 26" 1/4" scale neck is laminated maple; the heavy ebony fingerboard features plain dot inlay augmented by a single star at the 5th fret. The Vega-style headstock is faced in ebony with a central single pearl star. The tuners are modern geared planets with ivoroid buttons, including the 5th string. The finish on the neck and rim is a nicely ambered natural maple. All hardware is original, typical for the period and nickel plated; the dowel plate is marked "Bart Reiter, Maker, Lansing Michigan".
Compared to its 1910s ancestors this is a relatively plain looking instrument but as named it is a fully professional banjo in every way. Sonically it is a truly excellent instrument, with a very well-rounded tone. This is fine now nearly 30-year-old example of this maker's always superb instruments, a nice reminder of their consistent excellence from the early days up through recent times.
Overall length is 37 in. (94 cm.), 11 in. (27.9 cm.) diameter head, and 2 3/4 in. (7 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 26 1/4 in. (667 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
This is a very clean instrument overall, showing really very little play wear for being almost 30 years old. The finish has some checking on the back of the resonator and shows some *very* small dings and dents, with one noticeable chip on the headstock face. There is some typical clouding to the nickel hardware.
The original frets have hardly any wear, and as expected playability is excellent. A run of railroad spikes was added to the fingerboard from frets 6-10, but other than that the banjo appears stock. This is an excellent playing and superb sounding banjo, with a mellow yet penetrating sound. Overall this is a lovely if not showy early example of Reiter's always excellent work. It includes a high-grade (probably original) HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.
Bart Reiter banjos are among the most respected of all modern/old-time instruments, built along classic design lines to an amazingly consistent high standard. Bart Reiter retired a few years back after a long and very successful run as an independent banjo maker who never sold his name into big time production. We'd like to salute him for that, it is fairly rare in the modern industry. Every instrument made by him over the decades is a gem and we are always happy to get on in stock.
This is a fairly early Reiter "Professional" model, practically vintage in its own right now! It was built in 1996, a year when Reiter's total production was 130 instruments. The design is inspired by the early 1900s Bacon FF Professional models, initially made by Vega to Fred Bacon's unique design. The distinctive characteristic is a hollow secondary section inside of the rim which provides an internal resonating chamber. This was a highly touted feature by Bacon in the 1910's, but fell by the wayside when the resonator-and-flange banjo was invented in the early 1920s.
This banjo is built fairly closely to traditional structural specs but with plainer cosmetics than most of the original Bacons. The rim is heavy laminated maple with a sheathed tone ring, with that resonating chamber providing an extra sonic shading. There are F-holes all along the bottom surface which is capped on all edges in tortoise celluloid and a bit of checkerboard wood marquetry running along the inner bottom rim.
The medium 26" 1/4" scale neck is laminated maple; the heavy ebony fingerboard features plain dot inlay augmented by a single star at the 5th fret. The Vega-style headstock is faced in ebony with a central single pearl star. The tuners are modern geared planets with ivoroid buttons, including the 5th string. The finish on the neck and rim is a nicely ambered natural maple. All hardware is original, typical for the period and nickel plated; the dowel plate is marked "Bart Reiter, Maker, Lansing Michigan".
Compared to its 1910s ancestors this is a relatively plain looking instrument but as named it is a fully professional banjo in every way. Sonically it is a truly excellent instrument, with a very well-rounded tone. This is fine now nearly 30-year-old example of this maker's always superb instruments, a nice reminder of their consistent excellence from the early days up through recent times.
Overall length is 37 in. (94 cm.), 11 in. (27.9 cm.) diameter head, and 2 3/4 in. (7 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 26 1/4 in. (667 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
This is a very clean instrument overall, showing really very little play wear for being almost 30 years old. The finish has some checking on the back of the resonator and shows some *very* small dings and dents, with one noticeable chip on the headstock face. There is some typical clouding to the nickel hardware.
The original frets have hardly any wear, and as expected playability is excellent. A run of railroad spikes was added to the fingerboard from frets 6-10, but other than that the banjo appears stock. This is an excellent playing and superb sounding banjo, with a mellow yet penetrating sound. Overall this is a lovely if not showy early example of Reiter's always excellent work. It includes a high-grade (probably original) HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.