Bart Reiter Special Model 5 String Banjo (2017), made in Lansing, Michigan, serial # 4430, natural lacquer finish, laminated maple rim and neck with ebony fingerboard, 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 recently retired 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. Each instruments made by him over the decades is a gem and we are always happy to get on in stock.This model is basically a re-creation of a later 1910/20s Vega Little Wonder built closely to the traditional Fairbanks/Vega specs. The rim is heavy maple with a plain Little Wonder style tone ring. The medium 26" 1/4" scale neck is laminated maple with an ebony center strip. The unbound heavy ebony fingerboard has plain dot inlay with a single star at the fifth fret. The headstock is faced in ebony also with a single inlaid pearl star. The tuners are geared planets, including the 5th string. All hardware is nickel plated, original and typical for the period; the tailpiece is a repro No-Knot.This banjo is a later example of Reiter's work, built in 2017 when his total production output was still only 122 banjos. It is a relatively plain looking Reiter but an excellent instrument, with at least equal sonic qualities to the 1920s Vega originals. Fitted out with a frosted Elite head this one has a bit more punch than those with the Fiberskyn style we often see, without loosing the mellow roundness. We think it sounds great (and plays perfectly) and is another delightful example of this maker's consistently superb instruments.Overall length is 37 in. (94 cm.), 11 1/8 in. (28.3 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 6-7 year old banjo shows signs only light signs of use with no notable damage or repair. The head is a bit worn in the spot just above the strings from play, but completely solid. There is some light wear to the nickel plating and only very light general finish wear. The original frets are very clean with hardly any wear; there is a railroad spike at the 7th fret. Really "she's just 'bout broken in" as the old timers would say. Like Fairbanks/Vega before him Bart built his banjos to provide a lifetime of service, and this one's just getting started. This is an excellent playing and sounding frailer from pretty much the best modern builder of old-time banjos. Overall Excellent Condition.
