Vega Style N Tu-Ba-Phone Bart Reiter Conversion Model 5 String Banjo (1926), made in Boston, Mass., serial # 71478, shaded maple finish, laminated maple rim; laminated maple neck with ebony fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a fine-sounding and playing openback 5-string banjo, a conversion built on the rim of a mid-1920s Vega Tu-Ba-Phone Style N tenor. This model was the less ornamented of the instruments fitted with this fanciest of Vega tone rings, and the newer neck by esteemed maker Bart Reiter hews to that more restrained aesthetic. The 10 7/8" rim has the standard Tu-Ba-Phone features with the bracket band around the outer edge and the elaborate tone ring built on a hollow brass tube. This Style N has a smaller rim than some typical conversion banjos, giving it a slightly brighter sound.
The Reiter neck is made from beautiful flame maple, stained dark but with the pronounced grain still much in evidence. The bound ebony fingerboard has fairly simple pearl inlay, with a single star at the fifth fret. The headstock bears a Vega-style star inlay in the center. The dowel is newer as well, with no Vega markings but the serial number re-stamped to match the rim and a "Bart Reiter, Maker" plaque pinned to the bottom. The nuts and hooks are original to the rim, the tailpiece and geared Keith-branded tuners are more recent. There are railroad spikes in the fingerboard at the 7th and 9th fret positions.
This instrument plays and sounds excellent, a very fine old time stringband or frailer's instrument. Bart Reiter, one of the very finest banjo makers of recent times, has retired so neither his Fairbanks/Vega conversions or original instruments are available except as used pieces. This is an older example of his always extremely fine work, an excellent choice for any style in an open back, 5-string instrument with a big sound.
Overall length is 36 3/4 in. (93.3 cm.), 10 7/8 in. (27.6 cm.) diameter head, and 2 11/16 in. (6.8 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 lovely banjo shows some minor wear overall, mostly to the pot plating, which after all is almost 95 years old! The rim plating shows some tarnishing and the thinly-plated hooks are mostly worn down to the bare metal patina. The neck shows some very light finish and fret wear but does not appear to have been played too much since installation. There is some fret wear in the lower positions but not enough to affect playability. Set up with a Remo Fiberskyn head and a Snuffy Smith bridge, this Tu-Ba-Phone is ready and roarin' to twang! Excellent Condition.
