Bart Reiter Dobaphone Model 5 String Banjo (2020), Lansing, Michigan, serial # 4796.
Bart Reiter banjos are among the most respected of all modern/old-time instruments, built along classic design lines to a consistently very high standard. Bart Reiter recently retired after a long and very successful run as an independent banjo maker who never sold his name into big time import production. We'd like to salute him for that, it is pretty rare in the modern industry. He personally built nearly 5,000 banjos over several decades each of which is a gem in its own right; we are always happy to get on in stock.
This is a recently made example of his slightly unusual model dubbed the "Dobaphone". It is basically a Standard model equipped with a 19th century Dobson style tone ring, with a metal sheath that cups up downward the head. This one has an 11" rim with a medium 26" scale neck built with a long frailing scoop on the ebony fingerboard. The neck is laminated mahogany, the rim dark stained maple. This fairly plain Reiter shows only very minimal use and we think it sounds great (and plays perfectly).
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 in. (660 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
This banjo shows signs of very light use with some very minor handling marks and that's about it; The instrument does not appear too have been much played. It sounds great with the original elite head, with a mellower ring than many modern 11" rim openbacks. It is housed in a good quality modern gig bag. Excellent Condition.
